Sports News

Hook, Line and Sinker with Lindsay Doust

Fishing poles apart

A large turnout of recreational anglers at Lennox Head last Saturday showed the concern held about the future of fishing in the Cape Byron Marine Park.

Sadly, the issue of fishing in the Park has been polarised by extremes on both sides of the argument. There are elements of the Greens movement that would close down nearly every aspect of society. I wonder sometimes if it is genuine Green policy or some kind of socialist agenda. To balance this, it must be said there are elements on the fishing side of the story that show little sensitivity to many of the critical issues.

It is a time of climate change, of increasing population pressure, of more and more people wanting to share a resource. However, I wonder if we solve the problem by applying the extremes of argument from both sides.

Perhaps, it is time for the Marine Park Authority to get together moderate voices from each side of the argument to see what middle ground can be found.

The most welcome rain will be pleasing not only to farmers as it will also make for better estuary angling. More rain will be needed to push our saltwater species downstream but the bass will respond to a good dose of fresh.

The news of the moment is that whiting has begun to make their Summer move and on this new moon phase they have been caught in good numbers and size on blood worms around Pimlico Island.

As mentioned last week, I spent a few days in Western Australia and hopefully next week there will be a story and pictures of some of the better catches.

This weekend a good time to get a whiting, flathead or bream will be from 6.30am to 9am. New tide charts that go until September 30, 2005 are now available from Suffolks Sports Store.

The Ballina Fishing Classic will be held from Friday to Sunday, November 26-28 this year. Sponsored by Shimano, you can enter through Suffolks Sports Store. More on this catch and release event each week.

Call of the Loon with Laurie Axtens

The cap doesn't fit the times

Steve Waugh is the most successful cricket captain in Australia's long and glorious cricketing history. Waugh founded his prolific record on the traditional inspiration offered by a small baggy green cap. In fact he wore his own baggy green until the tattered rag became a major source of comment and bemusement.

Waugh's love of the baggy green was so profound that the skipper even required his side to field the first day of every test match under the brim of the small green woolen icon.

Since then, donning the 'baggy green' has taken on extraordinary symbolic significance, particularly for new players. Michael Clark even had his brought out so he could wear it instead of a helmet when scoring his maiden test century in Bangalore recently. When he reached the milestone Clark tore off the sweaty little accessory and planted a big sloppy kiss on its kangaroo and emu embroidery.

Sadly, despite the caps prodigious inspirational powers, the insignificant bit of millinery fails to offer any real protection from the sun to either the ears or the nose.

Around 360 Australians die of skin cancer each year and over 374,000 Australians are diagnosed with the deadly complaint. It seems insane that the national cricket team should be promoting such inadequate headwear.

Childhood sunburn damage is one of the most significant causes of skin cancer.

Apart from being impressionable, children are particularly susceptible to sunburn, which can occur within 15 minutes. Young representative cricketers will often play all weekend - that's 16 hours of full sun in these dinky style of caps.

Every year doctors remove around 720,000 skin lesions because they are suspected skin cancers, many of those lesions occur on the ear edge and furthest extension of the nose.

Please note that survival rates are significantly increased if the cancer is detected early, so don't just wash behind your ears, get someone to check them for spots or deformation of the skin surface. Get to the doctor ASAP if you find any new spots or spots that have changed in shape, size or colour. The big C is a very painful way to be dismissed.

Greg Chappell, mightn't have won 75% of his games and he did ask his brother to bowl underarm, but at least he had the good grace to field in a wide brim hat. It's the best way to ensure a decent innings under Australian skies.

Why I auta?

Autistic children and their carers will be treated to a special family activity day at Lake Ainsworth this Saturday, October 23. During the day community carers and Ravi, the magician, will take over the roll of motivating the children and their siblings so that parents can take up the offer of a whole array of relaxation and support therapies.

While the kids will get to enjoy the fun a frivolity of a jumping castle, circus disco and some magic, the primary care givers will get the option to enjoy a massage or a facial or a manicure or even some time out relaxing in the float tank. Maybe, they'll just want to have just a nice cuppa and a sit down and a chat with other parents who have equally challenging children. Yoga sessions will also be available as well as tai chi classes for the hard working guardians.

The day is the offspring of the union of PASS (Parents of Autistic Spectrum Support) and the NSW Dept of Sport and Recreation and coincides with Carer's Week.

It begins at 9am with archery and the new high ropes course, while canoeing and sailing will be offered throughout the afternoon.

"This is a great opportunity for parents to either spend time getting active with their children or getting some much needed respite." said Dept of Sport and Rec. development officer Tony Meldrum.

"The Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre is a fabulous environment for bringing families together, sharing information and for getting active."

For further information about the PASS, phone Susan Aprile on 6622 3953 or for more info on the activity day itself, phone 6687 7168 or 131 302.

Out to impress

Pictured is one of the young blokes who put in at the final selection trial in September.

Local players Mathew Barnes, Clancy Carpenter, Kyle Everett and Damien Spillane are among the 20 young men to make this year's North Coast Academy of Sport (NCAS) Rugby squad. Lismore's Tony Montgomery will head the coaching staff in a fitting homage to the quality of local rugby.

"Choosing a squad of 20 from 75 applicants was always going to be hard when we have such good young players being developed through our two zones and a healthy regional school-boy rugby program," Montgomery said.

"As with previous academy rugby programs, we typically see our squad members improve significantly, allowing them a great lead-in to the next year's rugby season. A goal for each member will be selection in respective school, zone and country teams."

The off-season NCAS program is sponsored by Sydney's Warringah Rugby Club and provides three intensive weekend coaching camps, two one day training sessions, and a four-day coaching and tournament program against other NSW sports academies.

The new squad will have the added responsibility of defending the annual inter-academy rugby challenge title, which is currently held by the NCAS.

The squad's first training session will be this weekend at the NSW Sport and Recreation Centre at Lennox Head.

A jump ahead

Daniel Lawton's achievements in Athletics were acknowledged last week at the Campus Central Sports and Cultural Awards Dinner where he was presented with a sporting blue by SCU's Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Clark.

Keep an eye out for the name Daniel Lawton at future Olympics. The Southern Cross University student recently won the gold medal in the high jump at the Australian University Games in Perth, with a jump of 2 metres.

Daniel was SCU's only representative in the Perth games and also won a silver medal in the triple jump with a personal best of 13.96 metres.

SCU and Campus Central jointly funded the costs of Daniel's trip to Perth.

"Daniel is a high jumper with a big future ahead of him," said Matt Barlow, Health and Fitness Centre Manager at Campus Central, "and it was great to see Daniel perform well at these hotly contested championships."

Daniel's efforts, though exceptional, weren't quite enough to earn him this year's Darrel Chapman Sports Person of the Year award. That honour fell to, Michelle Ede, who was part of the Australian University Triathlon team, which competed in the World University Triathlon Championships in Palma De Mallorca, Spain. Michelle finished a credible 33rd against a truly world class field.

Softball comes of age

The Far North Coast Softball 'come and try' day drew a solid following of young players last Saturday but there is still room for more so the training and match play day will be repeated this weekend from 8.30am. All junior teams are mixed gender and play at the same time each weekend.

Patrick Gorry engages his whole frame in the art of throwing.

Leigh Campbell gives instruction during a trial Under 13 match with young enthusiast, Kaylor.

Rebecca Burbidge, finds the mark during warm up for an Under 15 trial match.

The schedule for the trial days includes specific training in base running and throwing in an environment where each player receives individual tutelage where necessary.

There are 11 clubs from across the region in this year's competition covering every grade and age, so no matter where you're based you can car pool to the game.

2004-5 Club contacts

Casino S.C. - Dianne Allen, 6662 5004

Goonellabah S.C. - Trish Claydon, 6628 2301 or Suellen Pursche 6663 1488

Lismore Workers S.C. - Wayne Hampson 6687 5979 or Dianne McGowen 6688 2065

Met Dodgers C. - Janelle Clough 6624 3878 or Toni McAnelly 6628 4117

Rous S.C. - Rosemary Osbourne 6621 3545 or Julie Carrall 6624 2202

Blue Sisters S.C. - Shiela Keane 6624 6734

Tintenbar East Ballina S.C. - Kim Pauling 6686 0972

Woodburn S.C. - Jackie Welch 6622 1263

Wollongbar S.C. - Wendy Gerrard 6628 1384 or Chris Eather 6629 5676

Alstonville S.C. - Linda Langford 6686 6993

Byron Bay S.C. - Donna Noble 6680 2999

Clinic

Wayne Hampson will be running free pitching and catching clinics at Albert Park Fields on Mondays, 5 - 6pm and an orientation to coaching course at Albert Park on Sunday, October 24 from 10am to 4pm, cost $25.

For further information phone Wayne Hampson 6687 5879.

Lismore's own Johnny Warren Academy

Lismore is set to host one of the 11 new regional Johnny Warren Soccer Academies as part of a NSW government initiative announced last week.

The academies will select and train teams, which will then travel to the annual elite player camp at the NSW Institute of Sport in Sydney. During the camp local players will gain access to internationally regarded coaching.

The academy was the major recommendation of the NSW Premier's Soccer Taskforce that reported in 2002. The new regional academies should be underway by next year.

Pride of the Northern Rivers

Local defender, Ashley Wilson, daughter of Byron Bay Rams coach Tony Wilson, has provided much needed structure to the Northern NSW Pride squad as they maintain their lead at the top of the Women's National Soccer League.

Wilson was injured for a period during last year's season as the Pride drifted to the bottom of the national competition. This year the northerners have set up an early lead with wins over reigning champions, NSW Sapphires, and a draw against competition debutants, Western Waves.

Over the weekend they extended that lead by defeating Canberra Eclipse in Canberra 2-0.

Although without the services of Australian team playmaker Joanne Peters, Pride took an early lead against Canberra, and scored a second goal within the first half-hour.

It was Prides' third match in eighth days, still they looked sharp in attack when Kate Gill dribbled her way through the 18-yard box and cut in along the goal-line before chipping the ball back for her team mate to shoot. The ball was parried wide but the resultant corner fell well for Gill who finished the set piece with a strong header.

Northerners doubled their lead in the 26th minute when American Lindsey Jones scored her first WNSL goal with a neatly executed strike into the top far corner of goal from wide on the left.

Eclipse looked more determined after the break but the desperate defence of Wilson and her colleagues kept the home side out.

It's been an impressive start to the competition for last year's wooden spooners. This Saturday they take on Victoria Vision at Wanders Oval, Broadmeadow.

Speed queen Tania mixes it with the best

Lismore racer Wayne Carter has made a welcome return to the track.

Lismore's "Queen of Speed" Tania Smith, held her own last Saturday night in the feature event at the Charlton Raceway in Toowoomba, finishing a creditable fifth against the cream of Australia's super sedan drivers.

Tania even got the better of home-town bloke and current national super sedan champion, Darren Kane, and was hard on the heals of former national champion Mick Nicolia when she ran out of laps. Only three weeks earlier, at the same venue, during the annual Carnival of Flowers, Smith made her comeback to super sedan racing in her awesome new Monaro Rocket Chassis race car.

Lismore locals Wayne Carter and Greg Worling turned on some great racing in the modified production sedans when they made the trek north for round one of the Withcott Seedlings/Smart Salads Modified Production Sedan Series. Both drivers qualified well through their heat races with Worling taking third and Carter fourth in the top six dash to determine the feature race.

Unfortunately for both drivers, equipment failure ended their meet prematurely with Carter breaking an axle and Worling a steering bolt.

"The car was good all night. It's a shame the axle broke because we were looking good for a top 5 finish and some good points for the series." Carter said, "We'll just have to wait until Rocky [Rockhampton on November 13] now."

Lismore speedway is set to howl with burning rubber and dust when the season opens on November 6. One of the highlights will be the inaugural Grenville Anderson Super Sedan Memorial race. The legendary Anderson passed away in May 2004 after many years of incapacitation due to a crash in 1993. On the schedule will also be the Australian Modified Production Sedan Championships, the East Coast Grand National and the V8 Dirt Modified NSW Championships. Stockers, Streeters, 4 Cylinders and juniors will feature at every meeting during the season as well.

Ballina Club Sedans will be there to boot.

Behind the hype - spin doctors

Marist Brother's Pat Foran administered the last rights to the frail Workers bottom order with a hat-trick on Saturday at Nesbit Park. The accurate left-arm seamer found the grassy track to his liking as he ended with figures of 4-20 off a mere six overs. Earlier Workers young guns, Wes Koskela, Jon Avila and Matt Legge had guided the Lismore side to 4-160 and looked like they might be able to eclipse the sizeable Marist 279. Intriguingly, it was the off spin doctor Dean Collings that turned the match (excuse the pun). Dean, apart from picking up the prize wicket of Koskela, bowled 10 miserly overs reaping three wickets for four runs.

Jason Myres bends his back for the Cavaliers during their match with Souths at Nielson Park. Myres took 5-39 off 20 overs, but in the end it wasn't enough as Souths prevailed by two wickets

Workers' batting will be bolstered this weekend by the appearance of stylish opener, Troy Harris, for their clash with North Goonellabah on the 'tre ordinaire' Nielson Park pitch.

That's if the rain holds off long enough for ground staff to even get a mower over any of the region's fields.

A blistering innings from opening bowler Scott Coster turned the tables on Casino Cavaliers at Nielson Park. Souths looked down for the count when Dale McDonald joined Coster at 8 for 141, chasing 175. Perhaps Casino thought they had done enough, or perhaps they were missing a quality off spinner. Needless to say, McDonald and Coster didn't mess around on the dodgy deck on their way to an important win. This weekend Souths will travel across town to Nesbit Park to take on Ballina Bears.

Workers' Mathew Knapman slaps a pull behind square, on his way to 20 not out in the first match of the junior cricket calendar. Workers Maroon Under 14s started the season with an emphatic victory against Norths Blue, piling on 0 for140, then bowling out their opposition for 54.

Bears opening bowler Joss Slater (6-52) feasted on the Alstonville batting line up to wrest the match from the deep red soil suburbanites. Should Slater get the chance to bowl this weekend he should again be in the wickets as the pitch is sure to be sticky.

The Tintenbar-East Ballina match with Eastern districts petered out in a dim draw on the Kingsford Smith runway. To be fair the Kingsford Smith track is the envy of all the other local teams, particularly their batsmen. Last weekend it was Bruce Jobson (81), Tom Cooper (50) and Brett Ruttley (46) who enjoyed the going. This weekend no one is even drawn to play on the region's best pitch. You explain it.

That said, Easts, granted they bat second, will be spoilt again when they walk onto Lismore's most batsman friendly footpath, Heaps Oval. Good thing too because Tom Cooper is a sight to behold when he is in full flight and he deserves a reasonable pitch on which to ply his trade.

Daniel Bridge looks to hit a good length in same Under 14s match. Notice the quality of the backing up by Bryce Smith - many seniors could learn a thing or two from that young man.

The Lennox Head/ Alstonville match at Hill Park should prove interesting as two squads look to open their season's account. Both seem a bit thin on the batting front and Hill Park probably won't help any of the top order develop any confidence as it stands at the moment.

International Challenge

November 12: East Asia Pacific v Far North Coast; Day/Night match at Oakes Oval, Lismore from 2.30pm.

November 13: East Asia Pacific v Far North Coast Colts ; Day game at Oakes Oval, Lismore from 10am.

Senior Representative Draw 2004-05

NSW Country Cup $40,000 Knockout.

31-10-04: Ballina v Tweed at Fripp Oval, Ballina; Casino v Clarence River at QEP Casino; Lismore bye.

7-11-04: Lismore v Winner Tweed/Ballina at venue to be decided; Lower Clarence v Winner Casino/Clarence River at venue to be decided.

28-11-04: Winners of Round 2 meet at venue to be decided;

Final 16 teams play at Dubbo December 27 to 29 2004; Final at venue to be decided on Jan 30 2005.

Kelp coach?

Current ASP world number five Australian Luke Egan earning his fourth world championship tour event title this week by winning the Billabong Pro, Mundaka, Spain.

Would you like to teach surfboard riding? All you need is a first aid certificate, a bronze surf certificate and the transport to get to Lennox this summer to attend the new accredited courses.

The course will be held at the Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre, November 20- 21.

The level 1 surf coaching course covers all aspects from the role of the coach to physical conditioning and basic psychology.

"Anyone who completes the course will have the knowledge and skills to work with beginner surfers and to conduct coaching clinics at club and school level," said NSW Sport and Recreation Regional Manager, Paul Hernage.

The cost is $350 per head and pre-enrolment is essential. For further information or to make a booking, please phone NSW Sport and Recreation on 6687 7168.

Coaching reminder

Surfing Far North Coast would like to remind coaches to up date their Bronze certificates. For details, phone FNC surfing on 6685 7822.