Varsity Letters

Varsity Letters

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Veteran Province sports reporter Howard Tsumura talks to the athletes, coaches and trainers in his weekly amateur sports show.

The Province


    • Nov 24, 2016 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 38m AVG DURATION
    • 57 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Varsity Letters

    Nov. 24: Subway Bowl semifinals with New West Hyacks and Vernon Panthers

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2016 37:11


    Varsity Letters brings you two coaches who will lead their teams into the semifinal round of Subway Bowl 2016. Our weekly podcast is dedicated to the big stories each week in high school and university sport in the province of B.C. Off the top, we will welcome Farhan Lalji of the New Westminster Hyacks and […]

    Nov. 17: Abby Panthers football, Steveston-London basketball

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2016 33:04


    Varsity Letters talks to Abbotsford Panthers head coach Jay Fujimura about the team’s big Subway Bowl quarterfinal clash with the New Westminster Hyacks this Saturday at BC Place Stadium. As well, we turn our attention to the upcoming B.C. high school basketball season with Mike Stoneburgh, the head coach of the Steveston-London Sharks, last season’s […]

    Nov. 9: Holy Cross’ Conrad Deugau and SFU’s Bruce Langford

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2016 40:54


    Varsity Letters talks tackles and jumpers this week. Canada’s only high school and university sport podcast welcomes Holy Cross Crusaders high school football coach Conrad Deugau to chat about the Subway Bowl playoffs, then catches Simon Fraser Clan women’s basketball coach Bruce Langford in transit as his team returns home from a California road trip. […]

    Varsity Letters for Nov. 3, 2016: GW Graham football and SFU cross-country

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2016 34:23


    Varsity Letters returns for another week with Canada’s only podcast dedicated solely to high school and university sports. In the high school football world, G.W. Graham Grizzlies head coach Adam Smith talks about his Chilliwack team and its journey to a perfect league record with one more regular-season game remaining. And in the university world, […]

    Varsity Letters for 10.27.16

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2016 34:40


    Welcome to Canada’s only high school and university sports-specific podcast: Varsity Letters. This week, host Howard Tsumura loses himself in the Abbotsford sports world. First, Fraser Valley Cascades women’s basketball coach Al Tuchscherer stops by to talk about his young team’s upcoming 2016-17 U Sports’ season. Then, we talk high school football with Travis Bell, […]

    Varsity Letters for 10.20.2016

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2016 37:52


    UBC hoops boss Kevin Hanson, Terry Fox football coach Martin McDonnell join Varsity Letters podcast

    Varsity Letters for 10.13.2016

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2016 34:24


    Varsity Letters returns with another episode this week as we talk high school and university sport in B.C. Joining us off the top is Notre Dame Jugglers’ head high school football coach Richard Scott. Also stopping by will be UBC Thunderbirds women’s hockey head coach Graham Thomas. We’re Canada’s only podcast dedicated solely to high […]

    Varsity Letters for 10.6.16

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2016 34:21


    Varsity Letters serves up SFU women’s volleyball coach Gina Schmidt and Hugh Boyd high school football coach Bill Haddow this week on Canada’s only podcast dedicated solely to university and high school sports. Subscribe to us via iTunes!

    Varsity Letters for Sept. 29, 2016

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2016 53:08


    Varsity Letters hits all the stops from Vancouver to Surrey to Langley to North Vancouver this week! Canada’s only podcast dedicated solely to university and high school sports talks with football coaches Kurt Thornton of Lord Tweedsmuir and Jay Prepchuk of Handsworth. As well Trinity Western women’s soccer coach Graham Roxburgh and UBC media relations […]

    Varsity Letters for Sept. 22, 2016

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2016 25:38


    Varsity Letters, Canada’s only podcast dedicated solely to high school and university sports, makes it return. Today, we chat high school football with Mt. Douglas Rams head coach Mark Townsend and New Westminster Hyacks head coach Farhan Lalji.

    Varsity Letters for December 3, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2015 51:14


    Varsity Letters previews a championship Saturday in BC high school football. Subway Bowl finalist coaches Brian Brady (Carson Graham), Jay Fujimura (Abbotsford) and Mark Townsend (Mt. Douglas) join the show, along with New Westminster’s Farhan Lalji to chat about the BC JV final.

    Varsity Letters for November 26, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2015 31:20


    Varsity Letters pays tribute to an exciting weekend of November football as Howard Tsumura and guest host Patrick Johnston break down all four games at the Subway Bowl AA and AAA football semi-finals and also discuss the amazing success of UBC football as the ‘Birds head into the Vanier Cup final Saturday against the Montreal Carabins.

    Varsity Letters for November 19, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2015 42:07


    Host Howard Tsumura chats with high school football coaches including St. Thomas More’s Bernie Kully, Carson Graham’s Brian Brady and Notre Dame’s Richard Scott.

    Varsity Letters for November 5, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2015 22:29


    Chatting via phone and Skype from Delta and Saskatoon host Howard Tsumura and guest Patrick Johnston discuss the beauty of November football, with an eye on the high school, college and pro levels in the province of B.C.

    Varsity Letters for October 29, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2015 51:30


    Jim Mullin, the play-by-play voice of Canada West football, Martin McDonnell, head coach of the No. 2-ranked Terry Fox Ravens high school football team and UBC Thunderbirds women’s basketball coach Deb Huband.

    Varsity Letters for October 22, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2015 45:45


    David Mills, defensive co-ordinator of the Robert Bateman Timberwovles talks about the AA battle his team faces in the Eastern Conference, Argyle head coach Wayne Theobald and Seaquam head coach Jerry Mulliss set up their AAA clash Friday in North Vancouver.

    Varsity Letters for October 15, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2015 48:10


    Handsworth Royals head football coach Jay Prepchuk, Trinity Western women’s soccer coach Graham Roxburgh and Kelowna Secondary athletic director Arnar Bernhardson all stop by to chat with host Howard Tsumura.

    Varsity Letters for Oct. 8, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2015 43:29


    Abbotsford Panthers coach Jay Fujimura and South Delta Sun Devils offensive coordinator Mark McDonald join the show to talk high school football, and SFU men’s soccer coach Clint Schneider comes aboard to talk about the Clan’s big home weekend.

    Varsity Letters for Sept 24, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2015 40:53


    Varsity Letters goes deep on B.C. high school football with New Westminster Hyacks coach Farhan Lalji, then goes on the fast break with UBC men’s basketball coach Kevin Hanson.

    Varsity Letters for Sept. 17, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2015 49:53


    Varsity Letters welcomes SFU defensive coordinator Jaime Hill, Chilliwack-GW Graham head football coach Laurie Smith and North Delta-Seaquam senior girls volleyball coach Todd Clarke to the show.

    Varsity Letters for September 10, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2015 44:38


    Varsity Letters delves deep into the B.C. football community with broadcaster Jim Mullin and Football B.C. technical director Dino Geremia. As well, SFU’s Steve Frost checks in to chat about the 50th anniversary celebrations currently taking place for Clan athletics.

    Varsity Letters for September 3, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2015 42:47


    Blake Nill of the UBC Thunderbirds and Kelly Bates of the Simon Fraser Clan each chat with host Howard Tsumura, as does Rob Giesbrecht, head coach of the Fraser Valley Cascades women’s soccer team.

    Varsity Letters for August 27, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2015 31:52


    Host Howard Tsumura ushers in the start of a new season of B.C. high school football with guests Ben Macauley and Travis Bell, the new head varsity coaches at Kelowna and Abbotsford’s W.J. Mouat respectively.

    Varsity Letters Season Wrap Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2015 31:07


    What a year it’s been! Varsity Letters wraps up its debut season with Episode No. 36. Host Howard Tsumura and producer/engineer Adam Foster chat theme music and the power of the podcast. Tsumura also looks ahead to next season and welcomes his final guest of the season, Brookswood Bobcats’ three-sport athlete Michael Pratt. Varsity Letters […]

    Varsity Letters’ Top 10 moments of the 2014-15 BC high school sports season

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2015 50:03


    The moments that resonated most from the 2015-16 BC high school sports season? They weren’t all about the championships. Varsity Letters counts down its 10 top highlights as Howard Tsumura is joined in the studio by guest host Patrick Johnston.

    2014-15 High School Year in Review, part one

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2015 43:05


    This week, Varsity Letters takes a look back at the year at was in B.C. high school sports. Patrick Johnston plays the host role as Howard Tsumura reflects back on the season’s championship highlights. Varsity Letters is Canada’s only podcast dedicated solely to high school and university sports.

    Varsity Letters for June 4, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2015 33:56


    West Vancouver superintendent of schools Chris Kennedy chats with host Howard Tsumura about the future of high school sports in B.C and SFU Clan women’s basketball star Erin Chambers reflects on her prodigious career and all that awaits the talented Mission native.

    Varsity Letters for May 21, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2015 33:02


    Varsity Letters is feeling the spirit of the spring championship season in B.C. high school sports. Host Howard Tsumura welcomes West Vancouver-Collingwood boys rugby coach David Speirs, as well as South Delta girls soccer coach Stephen Burns.

    Varisty Letters for May 14, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2015 53:05


    Vancouver Whitecaps director of college transition Ryan Clark checks in to talk about the process of college recruitment; UBC sports information director Wilson Wong brings us up to date on the sports scene at the Point Grey campus.

    Varsity Letters for May 7, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2015 47:14


    Host Howard Tsumura is joined by Laurier Primeau, the charismatic head coach of the Trinity Western University track program and former Simon Fraser basketball star Courtney Gerwing, now two seasons into her head coaching-tenure at New Westminster’s Douglas College.

    Varsity Letters for April 30, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2015 37:09


    Host Howard Tsumura is joined by TSN’s Farhan Lalji to speak about the NFL draft and New West Hyacks high school football. Also Simon Fraser Clan head track and field coach Brit Townsend talks about her program’s run to the NCAA national championships.

    Varsity Letters for April 16, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2015 41:11


    Host Howard Tsumura talks to a pair of university coaches, Virgil Hill, the new head coach of SFU men’s basketball and Trinity Western’s 16-year women’s head soccer coach Graham Roxburgh.

    Varsity Letters for April 9, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2015 57:28


    New Fraser Valley Cascades athletic director Steve Tuckwood, former Canadian national men’s basketball team player Howard Kelsey and longtime UBC basketball head coach Terry McKaig.

    Howie’s back!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2015 38:21


    Host Howard Tsumura chats hoops with DRIVE basketball co-founder Pasha Bains about his playing career and the future of the sport in this province, and with Simon Fraser University athletic director Milt Richards about all things Clan.

    B.C. high school hoops, Steve Nash and Canadian basketball

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2015 29:59


    This Howard Tsumura and Patrick Johnston look back at the 2015 B.C. high school hoops campaign and take time to reflect on Steve Nash's career and what both things mean for the future of the Canadian game.

    Talking 2015 BC High School Hoops Titles

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2015 25:18


    Howard Tsumura wraps up the 2015 Girls' season and looks ahead to a big weekend for the Boys.

    Varsity Letters – Howard is away covering basketball championships

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2015 0:26


    Varsity Letters is not available this week while host Howard Tsumura is busy covering the British Columbia Provincial High School Basketball championships.

    Varsity Letters for February 26, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2015 54:16


    Simon Fraser Clan head football coach Kelly Bates, Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary athletic director Brian Gemmell, B.C. girls hoops coaches Brian Grant of Immaculata and MEI’s Rick Thiessen.

    Varsity Letters for February 19, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2015 49:43


    UBC manager of media relations Dan Elliott, North Delta Secondary School vice-principal James Johnston and two senior varsity boys basketball coaches: Victoria-Lambrick Park’s Ed Somers, and Kelowna’s Harry Parmar.

    Varsity Letters for February 12, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2015 60:28


    Varsity Letters returns strong this week with our largest lineup of guests ever including new UBC football head coach Blake Nill, high school basketball coaches Nap Santos, Rich Goulet and Paul Langford and university men’s basketball coach Matt Kuzminski.

    Varsity Letters for February 5, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2015 51:29


    High school girls basketball coaches Anthony Beyrouti (St. Thomas Aquinas) and Steve Beauchamp (Holy Cross), Jared Harman of the Langley Events Centre and Chad Joiner, director of the MEI Screaming Eagles marching band join Howard this week.

    Varsity Letters has a whole lotta hoops on deck

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2015 38:41


    Host Howard Tsumura talks to a trio of hoopsters: high school coaches Ed Lefurgy and Vlad Nikic, as well as FVU women's player Sarah Wierks

    Varsity Letters for January 22, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2015 49:40


    Host Howard Tsumura chats with four coaches whose teams are all pointed towards long post-season runs including Tyler Kuntz of UBC men’s hockey, basketball coaches Steve Hanson (Terry Fox boys), Dany Charlery (Quest University women) and Ian Hyde-Lay (St. Michaels University School boys).

    Varsity Letters for January 15, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2015 41:20


    UBC Thunderbirds men’s coach Kevin Hanson, Victoria-Oak Bay senior girls high school coach Rob Kinnear, and Simon Fraser women’s coach Bruce Langford all offer their insights on the game, their teams and the big games on their respective calendars.

    Varsity Letters for January 8, 2015

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2015 38:56


    Host Howard Tsumura chats with longtime Tupper boys basketball coach Jeff Gourley, and veteran football broadcaster Jim Mullin about the potential of a national interlocking schedule for CIS schools.

    Varsity Letters reviews 2014

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2014 32:56


    It’s time to wrap up 2014. Howard Tsumura joins guest host Patrick Johnston to talk about the highlights of the 2014 fall season in B.C. high school and university sports. There was some epic action in the boys high school football championships. There was a highly-competitive season in girls high school volleyball – the most-participated-in […]

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