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OTTAWA, ON: Canada will send 11 entries, for a total of 16 athletes, to the 2014 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei. Wade Boggs Shirts . The event takes place from January 20-26, 2014, at the Taipei Arena. The Canadian team will have three entries in mens, ladies, and ice dance, and two entries in pair. Elladj Baldé, 23, Pierrefonds, Que, representing Club de Patinage des Deux-Rives, will be the first entry in the mens category. Baldé finished 18th at this event in 2013. This season, he placed fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, and seventh at Skate Canada International. He trains out of the Detroit Skating Club with coaches Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen. Nam Nguyen, 15, Burnaby, B.C., will be the second Canadian entry in mens. This is his first international assignment at the senior level. Last season, he placed 12th at the 2013 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Nguyen most recently placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Figure Skating Championships. He is coached by Brian Orser at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club. Jeremy Ten, 24, Vancouver, B.C., will also represent Canada in mens. Representing the North Shore Winter Club, Ten has previously competed at this event in 2012, placing 14th, and 2009, placing seventh. This season, he placed third at the 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy, and sixth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. He is coached by Joanne McLeod and Neil Wilson at the BC Centre of Excellence. In ladies, veteran Amélie Lacoste, 25, Delson, Que., will lead the way. Representing CPA du Roussillon, the 2012 Canadian Champion has previously competed at this event six times (2005, 2009-2013). This season, she placed fifth at Skate Canada International, sixth at Trophée Eric Bompard, and earned bronze at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Lacoste is coached by Christy Krall in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Véronik Mallet, 19, Sept-Îles, Que., is the second Canadian entry in ladies. This will be the first time competing at this event for the representative of CPA Sept-Îles. This season, Mallet placed eighth at Skate Canada International and fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Mallet is coached by Annie Barabé and Sophie Richard at CTC Contrecoeur. Alaine Chartrand, 17, Prescott, Ont., rounds out the Canadian entries in the ladies category. This will be her first international assignment at the senior level. The 2013 Canadian bronze medallist also placed eighth at the 2013 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Most recently, she placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. She is coached by Michelle Leigh and Leonid Birinberg, and trains at the Nepean Skating Club. Natasha Purich, 18, Sherwood Park, Alta., and Mervin Tran, 23, Regina, Sask., are one of two Canadian pair entries. Representing Ice Palace FSC and CPA Saint-Léonard, the pair placed sixth at Nebelhorn Trophy and Trophée Eric Bompard this season. Purich and Tran also placed fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They train at CPA Saint-Léonard and are coached by Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte. Margaret Purdy, 19, Strathroy, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 22, Sarnia, Ont., will be the second Canadian entry in pair. Representing Watford FSC and Point Edward SC, the pair placed eighth at both of their international assignments this season, Skate America and Skate Canada International. Purdy and Marinaro also placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Scott Rachuk and Alison Purkiss at the Competitive Skating Centre of Strathroy. Two-time Canadian medallists Piper Gilles, 22, Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier, 22, Unionville, Ont., are the first of three Canadian entries in ice dance. Last season, they placed fifth at this event. This season, they placed fifth at NHK Trophy, sixth at Rostelecom Cup, and fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs at Ice Dance Elite in Scarborough, Ont. Nicole Orford, 21, Burnaby, B.C., and Thomas Williams, 22, Okotoks, Alta., are the second Canadian entry in ice dance. Representing Inlet SC and Calalta Community FSC, they are the 2013 Canadian bronze medallists. This season, they won bronze at the 2013 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, and placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the B.C. Centre of Excellence. Kharis Ralph, 21, Toronto, Ont., and Asher Hill, 22, Pickering, Ont., will also represent Canada in ice dance. They previously competed at this event in 2010, placing sixth. This season, they placed fourth at the Cup of Nice, won bronze at NRW Trophy, and placed sixth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Ralph and Hill train out of Scarboro FSC and are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs. The team leaders for this event are Petra Burka of Toronto, Ont., and Manon Perron of Boucherville, Que. Dr. Ed Pilat, Winnipeg, Man., will be the Canadian team doctor and Agnes Makowski of Toronto, Ont., will be the team physiotherapist. Canadian officials at the event are Susan Blatz of Burlington, Ont., Pam Chislett of Grand Prairie, Alta., Andrea Derby of Windsor, Ont., and Jeff Lukasik, of Calgary, Alta. Johnny Damon Jersey . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. Babe Ruth Jersey . - The Oakland Raiders have signed quarterback Trent Edwards and defensive tackles David Carter and Torell Troup to reserve/future contracts. FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Mike Goodson never doubted he would be back on the football field someday. Through all of the personal issues he dealt with for the last few months, the New York Jets running back knew hed someday resume his career. But first, he needed to take care of something more important: himself. "I took the time to get myself right," Goodson said Tuesday, "so I could come back and be the best football player I can be." Goodson returned to the team Monday after being away during training camp for personal reasons. In his first comments since his arrest in New Jersey on drugs and weapons charges in May, Goodson declined to go into details of the case or what he was doing while away from the team. "Personally? Yeah, it was kind of embarrassing," Goodson said. He was suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the season for violating the leagues substance abuse policy, and placed on the active non-football injury/illness list by the Jets. "Im pretty disappointed in myself," Goodson said. "I had some things that I had to do. Im back now and I was able to address those things and Im a lot better." When asked if he was seeking treatment for substance abuse during the time he was away from the team, Goodson preferred to keep that private. "Like I said, it was personal things (with) me and my family," he said. "I dont really want to get into those things here." Goodson was on the practice field Tuesday, mostly working with trainers, in his first appearance with the team since May. "I was able to get out and run around a little bit," he said, "get a workout in, get back into it." Despite the long absence, Goodson doesnt think hell be too far behind in picking up the offence because it is similar to that which Oakland ran while he was there last season. He spent his first three NFL seasons with Carolina after being a fourth-round pick out of Texas A&M, and will likely serve as a change-of-pace back for the Jets. He could also potentially fill the kick returner role once held by Joe McKnight, who was released Monday. "Spark," Goodson said when asked what he could provide the offence. "I think Im really explosive and given four weeks to prepare for something, I think Ill be pretty explosive and ready to play." The NFL said in a statement announcing the suspension that Goodson will be eligible to return to the Jets active roster on Sept. 30, a day after the teams game against the Tennessee Titans. The first game he would be eligible to play in would be against Atlanta on Oct. 7 -- a Mondayy night.Babe Ruth Shirts. He will be permitted to attend meetings and work out on his own at the teams practice facility during his suspension, but wont be able to practice or play. "Im really happy to get Mike back, theres no question about it," coach Rex Ryan said. "Hell get up to speed. When he left, he had a pretty good grasp of what we were doing. Obviously, the conditioning part, hell have to get into football shape without being able to practice, so that will be a challenge." Ryan wouldnt say that he was disappointed in the running back. "Everybody in here has made mistakes," he said. "I know Ive made plenty, and its well-documented. So, for me to pass judgment on somebody, Im just glad hes back with us." Goodson was arrested in May with friend Garant Evans after they were found in a car stopped on Interstate 80 in New Jersey. The men were charged with marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and weapons offences. Police said they found a .45-calibre semi-automatic handgun and a hollow-point bullet in the vehicle. The 26-year-old Goodson pleaded not guilty and took part in some preseason practices with the Jets, who signed him to a three-year, $6.9 million deal. The case was sent to a grand jury, but no court date has been scheduled. He said he had no plans to appeal his suspension by the NFL because it was "just something that I didnt want to do." Goodson wasnt sure if the Jets would release him at some point, but repeatedly said the team has been supportive of him through the entire process. "I just have my life in order," he said. "I was able to get my life in order and able to look at some things that I wasnt happy with with myself." Goodson wouldnt elaborate, but he acknowledged that he was a bit nervous about how he would be received by his Jets teammates when he returned. "But the guys have been great," he said. "It was all smiles and hugs when I got back, so its good." One of his biggest goals is to earn back the trust of his teammates, and he plans to do that by putting in a lot of work and not talking much. "I think the proof is in your actions," he said. He acknowledged that he has met with Ryan and general manager John Idzik about what is expected of him. While he wouldnt reveal what was said, Goodson isnt necessarily operating under an assumption that he needs to have not even the slightest misstep from here on out. "Nobodys perfect," he said. "But like I said, Im going to do my best and Im better for the job now that I did take the time that I needed." ' ' ' |
