By: Tam Nguyen, Staff Writer
I must admit, I’m not a dedicated sports fan. I don’t think I’ve ever watched any sports games before, except for the World Cup final in 2022 where Argentina scored two goals over France on penalties. Everything I know about tennis is from the movie Challengers. My knowledge of the Vancouver Canucks is that they play at Rogers Arena and their colours are blue and green. However, after hours of doing research and watching YouTube sports videos, I am ready to give you the best newbie-introduction to some of SFU’s sports teams.
SFU’s athletics club, the Red Leafs, includes sports such as basketball, golf, and softball (women’s team only). The Red Leafs are the only Canadian member of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), an organization that sponsors student-athletics programs for universities and colleges in North America. The NCAA has three divisions, with the Red Leafs currently competing in division two (NCAA-II).
Now that we’ve gotten some of those details out of the way, here’s a little information on some Red Leafs teams.
1. Women’s basketball
Two teams, with five members each on the court at a time, compete using one basketball. The goal of each team is to shoot the ball into the opposing team’s hoop while defending their own. Players use techniques like dribbling — bouncing the ball while moving — and passing to move the ball up and down the court. They also have various approaches to shooting the ball, with the most iconic being a slam dunk. Players have different positions and roles; one can be a guard or forward, or both.
SFU’s women’s team has a total of 15 roster players and four members of the coaching staff, all led by head coach Bruce Langford. One of the team’s standout alum is Dani Langford, who was inducted into the Basketball BC Hall of Fame in 2023 with her “significant contributions to the sport over the course of her career.” She played as a point guard for the Red Leafs from 2000 to 2005 and is currently a physiotherapist for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
2. Softball
A popular variation of baseball, softball is different in the way the pitcher is only allowed to pitch the ball underhand, requiring them to swing their arm in a circular motion. A game is made up of two teams, each consisting of nine players, who compete using gear such as gloves, bats, a helmet, and a ball. Matches are usually played on a big field where bases and pitching rubbers are set up. There are a total of four bases that create a diamond from within, and the pitching rubbers mark the position where the pitcher must serve. The team that scores more runs (touches all four bases) is the winner.
The most familiar positions for softball are the pitcher (responsible for throwing the ball), batters (responsible for hitting the ball), and catchers (responsible for catching the ball). Other positions include basemen, left fielders, right fielders, and center fielders.
SFU women’s softball team has 22 roster players who are led by coach Stacy Fournier. A current star on the team is Megan Duclos, a junior center fielder. She was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s (NFCA) All-West Region Second Team.
3. Women’s golf
This sport immediately makes me think of millionaires dressed in white polo shirts and navy hats, bargaining their company liquidation while hitting a golf ball into holes using a golf club. Out of the three sports in this article, golf is the only non-team sport (in the sense that players compete against one-another individually). This sport can be played both inside (mini-golf, golf simulators) or outside (on a course, on a range). Players will need golf balls, golf clubs, golf bags (to carry clubs), and ball markers to start playing. The winner is the player who completes all the holes with the least amount of strokes — the movement of the club to strike a ball.
SFU’s men’s and women’s golf teams are both led by Coach Krysta Schaus. A standout on the women’s team is Meera Minhas, a current Red Leafs golfer who was named Player of The Year at the 2024 Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Women’s Golf All-Conference Team.
