Local Sports
Wandler temporarily replaces Walton as RDC Queens Volleyball Head Coach
News Release from Red Deer College Athletics
With Head Coach Talbot Walton taking an indefinite medical leave of absence, a familiar face will guide the historic Red Deer College Queens Volleyball team into the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) 2021/2022 season.
RDC Queens Assistant Coach Chris Wandler has assumed the head coaching duties of the three time national champion Queens Volleyball team.
“It is unfortunate that Talbot won’t be able to begin the season doing what he loves, which is coaching his promising group of student-athletes, but at this time it is important for him to take the time that he needs to recuperate and take care of his health,” says Sharon Hamilton, Dean of School of Community, Wellness and Health. “I know the entire College community wishes Talbot well in his recovery and we all look forward to seeing him back on the sidelines coaching the Queens when his medical team deems appropriate.”
Wandler brings a wealth of coaching experience, expertise, and an important familiarity with the student-athletes and RDC Queens Volleyball program. He was an assistant to Walton with the Queens from 2003 to 2012, and again in the 2019/2020 season. He temporarily took over as the head coach of the RDC Queens Volleyball team from 2016/2017 to 2018/2019 and guided them to a pair of ACAC bronze medals. Wandler was also named the ACAC 2018/2019 Women’s Volleyball South Coach of the Year.
Under Walton’s leadership, and in conjunction with other assistant coaches, Wandler has helped build the Queens into national championship contenders, once again. During 2019/2020, the RDC Queens rolled to an impressive 21-3 regular season record, finishing only two points behind the first place Briercrest College Clippers (22-2). At the ACAC Women’s Volleyball Championship in Medicine Hat, the Queens pushed the Clippers to five sets (25-21, 20-25, 25-20, 23-25, and 12-15) in the final and earned a silver medal.
Then at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) 2020 Women’s Volleyball National Championship in Quebec, the Queens exacted some revenge on the Clippers, downing them in five sets (24-26, 25-23, 21-25, 25-14 and 15-12) in the bronze semi-final. The RDC Queens defeated the Fanshawe Falcons in four sets (25-14, 25-17, 18-25, and 25-21) to win national bronze.
With a complementary blend of experienced, and young, enthusiastic student-athletes, the Red Deer College Queens are excited and poised to host a successful ACAC 2022 Women’s Volleyball Championship at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, with their sights on eventually pushing for their fourth national title.
For more information about RDC Athletics, including Queens Volleyball, please visit: rdcathletics.ca.
Local Sports
End of an era for Red Deer Minor baseball Braves
From Red Deer Minor Baseball Board of Directors
Following many discussions within the Red Deer community, the baseball community, our association members, as well as our board of directors we have made the decision to move forward with rebranding our teams, currently known as the Braves. For our association the Braves name symbolized warrior strength, bravery and resilience, all qualities we were proud to align with; and although the initial moniker of our teams was never intended to carry a derogatory or disrespectful connotation, for some, it has. The topic of our rebrand has been polarizing and arguments both for and against have been passionately presented. We have made the decision to move forward in the direction we feel is best for our association.
In alignment with the membership majority vote, the Red Deer Minor Baseball Board of Directors is excited to announce that we will now be known as the Red Deer Rangers.
The Red Deer Rangers will retain our current navy and crimson colors and will not adopt the colors or logo of the MLB, NHL, or any other Rangers franchise. We are looking forward to forging our own identity and embracing our own look.
As you can appreciate this is a complex initiative that will take time. We will remain the Braves for the 2024 season and aim to have our rebrand complete for the 2025 season.
All participants that submitted the Rangers name during our rebranding poll, will be entered into a draw to receive the first Red Deer Rangers jersey.
We hope you will join us in celebrating this positive endeavor as we create a new inclusive legacy for our association that all can be proud of.
RDMBA Board of Directors
Local Sports
Red Deer Minor Hockey is proud to announce our new General Manager Lane Moore
From Red Deer Minor Hockey
The Red Deer Minor Hockey Board of Directors is pleased & honored to announce, after an extensive search, that Lane Moore has accepted the position of General Manager of Red Deer Minor Hockey. Lane will start his new role early in the new year & is very excited about leading our organization into the future as we aim to provide a positive learning and maturing experience for all of our young athletes & coaches in a minor hockey setting.
Lane comes into the role of General Manager with an extensive resume, in both hockey and administration. Lane has led the Bentley school as principal for the last 17 years & was an educator prior to that. On the hockey side, Lane’s passion for coaching & engaging with young athletes, dates back to 2002. His most recent involvement as a coach with Red Deer Minor Hockey saw Lane lead the U17AAA North Star Chiefs for 2 seasons (21-22, 22-23). Prior to his work with Red Deer Minor Hockey Lane served as President of Rimbey Minor Hockey for several seasons.
One of Lane’s biggest strengths is his ability to create highly effective teams by building a common mission & vision & then executing on those through visionary leadership. These attributes shone through during this General Manager search and we are thrilled for Lane to lead this organization now & into the future as we aim to be one of the premier Minor Hockey Associations in the province.
Lane, his wife Kathleen & their three children Easton, Cooper & Lexi call Red Deer home. His son Cooper is the captain of Red Deer U18AAA Optimist Chiefs & his older son Easton is pursuing his hockey career and post-secondary studies in Massachusetts. Please join us in congratulating Lane Moore as the new General Manager of the Red Deer Minor Hockey Commission, welcome Lane!
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