Matthias Klim is a forward on the Men’s Basketball team at UFV — this past season he averaged 6.8 points per game (PPG), 5 rebounds per game (RPG), and shot 53 per cent from the field for the Cascades in 22 games played.
What’s your opinion on wearing socks and slides to class?
I think that is mandatory… I think everyone should wear socks and slides to class. I love wearing them; so comfy, especially after a long practice. Usually practices go from twelve to two, and then guys will take afternoon classes; so there’s nothing better than after practice…taking your shoes off and going into slides. It’s the best feeling — that’s my go-to 100 per cent.
If one player from your team had to coach a game this season, who would you choose?
Chris (Jackson) — Chris for sure. Just because he’s such a vocal leader regardless on the floor… I think that he knows a lot about the game, like he’s one of our older guys too; Chris or Tesh (Takeshi Croke), one of those two.
Cheat day meal of choice?
Either…a Baconator from Wendy’s — that hits; or the spicy chicken sandwich from Popeyes.
What’s your go-to brand of rain jacket for the winter semester?
I want to say Arc’teryx, a lot of my teammates have Arc’teryx…but I don’t. I haven’t tapped into the Arc’teryx market yet…we get our Nike windbreakers from the school. So I’ll probably just end up wearing that 95 per cent of the time — I’m pretty simple. I usually just go with a hoodie and sweatpants regardless, any day of the year.
Do you have any game day superstitions or routines?
I am a very superstitious person. It’s probably not good for my head, but I personally think I’m pretty superstitious. Like we’ll have a shootaround, then I’ll go home. If I had a good game the day before, I’ll eat the same thing, I’ll go for a nap — wake up, shower, come to the gym, listen to music…kind of get my stuff on, and then I usually go into the locker room a lot earlier than a lot of people. Like last year, it would be me and DK, (Dylan Kinley) in the locker room. We’d be the first ones in there…and I just sit there, listen to my music, stretch. I’m big with music, I listen to a lot of music before games — just to kind of get my head space right. That’s probably the biggest thing for me, is listening to music on game days.
What song fires you up the most pregame?
Dreams and Nightmares by Meek Mill. If I really want to get going…in the zone.
What team does it feel the best to win against?
Victoria, UVic…because they’re such a good team that when you get a win against them it feels that much better — they’re so talented, and they have such a good lineage. I actually don’t think we’ve caught them yet…just thinking about it in turn. I really want to beat UVic — that’s the one for me personally.
Favourite sports-related movie or TV show?
Ooh…sports-related movie — Space Jam (1996). Sports-related TV show? Blue Mountain State, that’s a funny show.
Favourite place to play as the visiting team?
Either Victoria, just because it’s so beautiful on the island, or I liked the University of Calgary… the campus is , and the City of Calgary is pretty nice.
Who’s the best FIFA player on the team?
Oh, don’t make me say this! From what the tournaments were like after this year…Dario? I think Dario (Lopez) was number one, and then Izzy (Ismael Hernandez) was number two. Both the Spaniards are really good at FIFA — I don’t know what it is. In 2K…It’s Chris, Izzy, and then me I think, but in FIFA it’s definitely Dario — Dario is really good at FIFA.
What does it mean to be a “Cascade”?
At our athletic banquet, we had a video on the screen of Matt (Guynup), our strength and conditioning coach, talking… and it’s just like, constantly having the underdog mentality — because we’re probably — I think we are — one of the smaller schools in B.C., size-wise. So just having the underdog mentality and thinking like, “no one thinks that we’re going to do anything” because “we’re so small,” and people are going to overlook us…but just constantly coming in every day, putting in the work, and knowing that if you do put in that work — it’s going to show on the floor. So just constantly never being satisfied with what you have done, or what you think you’re going to do. Never being satisfied and always wanting to achieve more; that climb and conquer mentality kind of thing.
