Draw Sheets : Schedule - 2001 - Regina

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Champions Tested on Day 2

NOTE: Team BC has been calling in each night with a bit of a description of their results and their impressions and their feelings about the Junior nationals. Here is how one group of players new to the competitve junior scene is enjoying the Regina event.

Regina, SK -- It is several years since a team from British Columbia attended a Junior Nationals, and the four players at this year's events are having the time of their lives, even though they aren't winning a lot of matches. Already they are talking about going to next year’s championships - and the venue hasn’t even been announced yet!

Rob DeRoos of Vancouver has two games on Saturday, and stands an excellent chance in the White division of the 16&Under and 18&Under age groups. He has yet to win a match, yet coaches from the other provinces have been impressed with Rob's ability and attitude, and have been very encouraging to him. It is revelation to meet boys his own age who play not just once a week for an hour, but 4 or 5 days a week plus several hours practicing. With the Senior Nationals coming up in Vancouver later this month, these Junior nationals are proving to be a good way for Rob to prep his game.

Garrett Sheh, the 14-year-old sensation from Fort St John, won his first two rounds in the 14 & Under division, before losing in the quarter finals. He has no more games this weekend, but will be there every day anyway to cheer on his teammates. His only regret is that he signed up for just one singles event, not realizing that most kids play two singles at the Junior Nationals.

Sophia Iliopulos from Prince George lost her first round 14-12 in the fourth game, and is now in the Blue division where she won her first match 3 games to 0. She stands an excellent chance of winning the Blue division, now that her first-round nerves have been dealt with. She should do well in both the 12 & Under and the 14 & Under divisions.

Ten-year-old Sebastien Boissonneault of Burnaby lost his first round in the 12 & Under category, but in the 10 & Under he has advanced to the semi-finals with a three game sweep over Kurtis Cullen of Manitoba. Sebastien will play Taylor Duda of Saskatchewan early Saturday morning. He would love to bring home a medal - the next two rounds of play will determine it all.

These are just four of 120 kids at the Junior nationals. They are loving it at their first ever junior nationals, and if their enthusiasm is as contagious as it seemed over the phone lines from Regina, then maybe we'll see a junior nationals in B.C. in the next few years.

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