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Ryan French brings the heat for the Waterioo Haliman Jr. Twins Junior Twins get ready for title run aterloo Hallman Wluninr Twins manâ€" ager Barry Musselâ€" man expects to hang around a little longer at this year‘s Canadian softball champiâ€" onships. And he expects his team to do the same in the chamâ€" pionships being held in Scarâ€" borough Aug. 1â€"7. The Iwins finished fourth at last year‘s championship held at Waterloo‘s Hillside And while his team made it to the playoft round, it was an early exit to the tourna ment for Musselman. He took umbrage with some decisions that went against his team early in the elimina tion rounds. and the umpir ing crew banished him from the ballpark for the rest of the tournament By Bos VrBanac _ Chronicle Staff â€" 92 Lodge Street, Waterloo 725â€"8643 "We‘re forgetting about that one and looking ahead," said Musselman. "That was last year, this is this year." Standing up for his boys seemed to spark his team to their best finish in recent memory. And after sweeping the Ontario elimination tourâ€" nament a couple weeks ago in Breslau, there‘s no reason the Jr. Twins couldn‘t improve on that result. To help their chances as Ontario 1. team they‘ve added pitcher Rob Fawcett from Owen Sound, infielder Darrell McKinnon from Chepstow and outhelder Rob Clayton from Stouffville. Musselman said the pickâ€" ups will help provide depth for his team that only has six teturning players from last year‘s squad. "We lost nine players off of last year‘s team so it‘s not Continued on page 24 Saturdays 10 â€" 11am & 2â€"3pm, Sundays 2â€"3pm TEST YOUR FAVOURITE STICK ON OUR INDOOR ICE PAD Mission «Bauer * Eastogn «e CCM * Louisville and more _ 2. . . HELMETS AND SKATES MANDATORY *‘ *3 * A ‘fim: applies and will be credited with purchase of stick _* ONE PIECE STICK DEMOS And although the Junior Tigers would like to play the underdogs again, they know other teams will be gunning Jr. Tigers‘ challenge is to repeat That title defence starts Thursday night in Brantford as the secondâ€"place Tigers take on the thirdâ€"place Brantford Braves. ie Waterloo Junior Tigers rI‘:Ilippcd under the radar screen last year to win the Junior Interâ€"County baseâ€" ball championship. In the latest meeting between the teams Sunday, the Tigers dumped the Braves 11â€"5, banging out 10 hits to improve their record to 19â€"8 this season. for them Andrew Mensink was the Tigers‘ hitting star with three hits, including a double, while driving in a run. Jordan Wittig added two RBIs on two hits. But while the Tigers had their way with the Braves, manager Brian Bishop expects to face a different Brantford team in the playoffs. "The last two games were a little oneâ€"sided our way, but they‘re a good team," said Bishop, about the Braves who finished with n 18â€"10 record. hits, including a double, while _ pitch and have a good defence. _ wasn‘t sure how we were going Coupled with solid pitchâ€" driving in a run. Jordan Wittig "Our guys hittingâ€"wise _ to hit, but it was a pleasant surâ€" _ ing, the Tigers could be a force added two RBIs on two hits. might be a little better, but _ prise to get the hitting that we _ again in the playoffs. But while the Tigers had _ other than that we‘re pretty _ did," said Bishop in his seventh Bishop still thinks that firstâ€" their way with the Braves, _ even. If you don‘t go ready to _ season with the club. "We had _ place Guelph is the favourite, manager Brian Bishop expects _ play against them, they‘ll beat _ stretches were we struggled, _ after only dropping two conâ€" to face a different Brantford _ you." ‘but for the most part we‘ve put _ tests all season. But the Tigers team in the playoffs. But the Tigers can also be a _ up enough runs." beat a heavily favoured Silverâ€" "The last two games were a _ dangerous team when corâ€" The offence has been â€" creeks teamlastyear. little oneâ€"sided our way, but _ nered, especially with the bats. _ sparked by rookies like Mike "Our guys want to win, and they‘re a good team," said The way his club is hitting _ Roeder, Mike Andrulis and Jorâ€" _ they‘ve got the right attitude," Bishop, about the Braves who _ has Bishop pretty confident for _ dan Wittig who have compleâ€" _ said Bishop. finished with n 18â€"10 record. _ the postâ€"season. mented veterans like Andrew © L e Taking crossâ€"training to a new level ’I'he benefits of crossâ€"trainâ€" ing are well documented. Combining hockey with soccer improves the footwork of the athlete in both sports, and is a plus for the condiâ€" toning. Combining lacrosse with hockey improves a player‘s handâ€"eye coordination, while also teaching them to work off a solid foundation, which helps them better absorb body checks. So after years of trying to bring elite level skills developâ€" ment to local hockey players, Skills Plus Hockey is branchâ€" ing out by adding elite level instruction in soccer and lacrosse to their annual sumâ€" mer pmgr;lms. Eric Calder, president of Skill Plus Hockey Inc., said it‘s being done in recognition of SPORTS By Bos VrBanac Chrontcle Staff By BOB VRRANAC Chronicle Staff as the defending 1 ‘. (. ‘_} ’f ‘.~ $0 wio "" l[ ' i [ !'/? 4% is 4 .k »..,‘ y °* &_ 3 The Waterloo junior Tigers Andrew Mensink makes a hook slide for home in a recent game against the Cambridge Cubs. â€" is poucer moro "They‘re well coached, can "Coming into the year I _ Mensinkand Pat Kropf. pitch and have a good defence. _ wasn‘t sure how we were going Coupled with solid pitchâ€" "Our guys hittingâ€"wise might be a little better, but other than that we‘re pretty even. If you don‘t go ready to play against them, they‘ll beat Eric Calder, with his sons Tye and Keegan,is expanding Skill Plus to include training in other sports like soccer the players he sees in his "It‘s a new idea to combine hockey schools who also play _ two sports into one camp," soccer and lacrosse once they _ said Calder, a former Waterloo get away from the rink Siskin who played in the OHI "Coming into the year I wasn‘t sure how we were going to hit, but it was a pleasant surâ€" prise to get the hitting that we did," said Bishop in his seventh season with the club, "We had stretches were we struggled, but for the most part we‘ve put up enough runs." The offence has been sparked by rookies like Mike Roeder, Mike Andrulis and Jorâ€" dan Wittig who have compleâ€" mented veterans like Andrew www.vwwaterloo.com CLICK HERE Yolkswagen New & Cortified Preâ€"owned Cars Volkswagen Waterloo _ and NHL with Washington. "We have a lot of kids playing two sports at the same time, and the idea dawned on me up at RIM Park while my sons were playing soccer. "I thought it would be a neat idea to have a camp that would have professional instruction in two different sports." So Calder partnered up with Elite Athletes Internaâ€" tional, headed up by Wilfrid Laurier University soccer coaches Barry MacLean and Mario Halapit, and with the Toronto Rock‘s Colin Dovle. "Colin was an obvious choice, and it just went from there," said Calder. "Same with Elite "When kids ask questions Continued on page 25 They both bring a lot of instant credibility to the proâ€" grams being offered in August SPEED / ‘ ANALYSH3 ;