Cougars await news on injury to Giles
As a devotee of the New England Patriots, Dave Taylor was a natural candidate to provide a response that echoed the NFL team’s notoriously non-informative head coach, Bill Belichick.
“The update,” Taylor said, “is that there is no update.”
Taylor — head coach of the University of Regina Cougars women’s basketball team — was asked Monday about the status of star guard Kyanna Giles, who was sidelined for the better part of two games on the weekend.
“Kyanna is like a quarterback in football,” Taylor said. “She is so important to our team.”
Giles was hurt Friday during a Canada West home game against the Trinity Western Spartans, who swept a two-game set. She was to visit a doctor Monday afternoon.
“We think it’s an ankle injury,” Taylor said. “It’s kind of on the top of the foot. There are something like 895 bones in the foot, so you hope it’s nothing. It seems good, but until she sees the doctor, you never know.
“We could have her back this weekend, or it could be longer.”
The Cougars — defending Canada West champions — were ranked sixth in U Sports entering the twin bill with Trinity Western. Taylor is confident that his team has the ability to be in the upper echelon nationally, as per tradition.
However, injuries were a problem even before Giles was sidelined.
“It has been one of those falls — one thing after another,” Taylor said.
“We’ve had maybe five practices this year where we’ve had everyone on the floor, so we can’t get in a rhythm.”
It has reached a point where the Cougars have to reach out to some alumni in order to have enough players for a scrimmage.
“Some days, I look around and say, ‘ Who’s healthy here?’ ” Taylor lamented.
“I’m constantly changing practice plans. We’re always changing on the fly, so the practices haven’t been great.
“It’s just a constant strain on your team. We’ve got to try to get through this.”
In the meantime, Taylor acknowledges that he is “not sleeping easily.” Despite the immediate concerns, he also understands the need for patience and perspective.
“We don’t want to push people too much now and create bigger problems down the road,” he said while preparing for a weekend road set against the Brandon University Bobcats.