Women`s Rugby Manta`s Yarish wins 2 golds

Launch Issue 2014
Winnipeg Edition
sportslife
Live . Play . Connect
Women’s
Rugby
Manta’s
Yarish
wins 2
golds
Winnipeg High
School Football
Schedule & Rankings
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Contents
16
4 / sportslife
WHSFL
2014
SCHEDULE
Basketball
football
Team Manitoba makes
basketball history
RICK HENKEWICH
Excited About WHSFL Season
07
13
Posthumus
Summer With the Bulls
in the community
08
15
20
WHSFL
Pre-season top ten
28
NICHOLAS PETERS
Dreams Come True
CVETS PETS FOR VETERANS
baseball
Afternoon at the goldeyes
UMPIRE STARTS CAREER
AT 59
26
19
RUGBY
aquatics
WOMEN’S RUGBY World Cup in Paris
MANTA SWIM CLUB – GOLD
25
10
SportsLife is Manitoba’s amateur sports magazine. This is where
sports fans will meet the Olympians of tomorrow and the medalists
of today and they all compete right here in Manitoba. We exist to
pay tribute to those who make sport so important to this province.
Published by Sports-U Publications, it is edited by Scott Taylor
and is designed and developed by Scott Taylor, Debbie Dunmall,
OV Suvajac and Dean Lytle. SportsLife Magazine is printed by The
Winnipeg Sun.
Any opinions expressed belong solely to the authors and do not
necessarily express the views of the magazine, or of the publishers.
All published work is edited for accuracy, style, and clarity. We do
accept unsolicited material as long as it refers to athletes, coaches,
or volunteers involved in sport in Manitoba.
For all information and advertising rates, we can be reached at
204-996-4146.
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER
Dean Lytle
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Scott Taylor
ART DIRECTOR
Debbie Dunmall
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
OV Suvajac
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Cover Photos by: Ian Muir/Rugby Canada
James Carey Lauder/Lauder Photo
Chris Cvetkovic
Morehead State University
Jeff Miller/100 Acre Woods Photography
Tara Miller/100 Acre Woods Photography
Lloyd Louie, Glenn Dickson
Ian Muir/Rugby Canada
John and Fatima Peters
Stafford Studios
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Scott Taylor
Adam Wedlake
Rick Henkewich
Jasmine Van Gerwen
SportsLife is published at least six times a year by
Sports-U Publications. All sales are managed by
Sports-U Publications. All design and layout is provided by
Debbie Dunmall and SportsLife is printed by The Winnipeg Sun.
It’s a New Season
By Scott Taylor
W
elcome everyone, to the
brand new SportsLife
Magazine. We’re a little bit old
and a little bit new, but more
than anything else, we’re bigger,
brighter and I would say, a lot
more insightful.
Our job here at SportsLife is
to fill the void. While Manitoba’s traditional mainstream
media has told the people who organize, follow and play
high school, university and amateur sport that “you’re
not news,” we have respectfully disagreed. We believe
that the stories told by our young and our up-andcoming athletes should be read by everybody. You’ll read
a few of them in this issue of SportsLife.
It’s been a tremendous summer and it’s only going
to get better. We’ve had the 2014 Canadian Age Group
National Swimming Championships at the Pan Am Pool
and two of our best and brightest rugby players, Mandy
Marchak and Amanda Thornborough have been named
to Canada’s Women’s Rugby 15s and are competing at
the World Championship as we speak.
As well, the best high school football players in the
province have already represented Manitoba at the 2014
Football Canada Cup and we’re going to celebrate their
outstanding performance in Saskatoon by presenting to
you a list of the players to watch when the 2014 WHSFL
season begins next month. Oh, yeah, and the league
schedule covers our centre spread so take it out and put
it on your refrigerator. Make sure to get to a game and
see just how good these high school athletes really are.
And please, after you’ve read our new edition of
SportsLife Magazine, please patronize our advertisers.
These people care about your kids and telling their
stories to the world. They deserve your support.
Enjoy the rest of the summer and make sure you take
SportsLife Magazine with you to the lake.
– SCOTT TAYLOR
Editor-In-Chief
Like our Facebook page, Winnipeg SportsLife,
and you’ll be entered to win one of three sets
of four adult passes to the Steinbach Corn Maze!
sportslife / 5
MANITOBA CENTER FOR PERFORMANCE
PROGRAM TRYOUTS AUG 24 & SEPT 7
By Adam Wedlake, Executive Director, Basketball Manitoba
The Canada Basketball/Basketball
Manitoba Center for Performance
Program is a regional training program
that targets potential high level athletes
and provides them with advanced
training and experiences to help them
develop into an elite level basketball
player. The Center For Performance
is the start of the National Team
identification pathway.
Expanded Female Program Set for
Fall for Females Born 2000-2002
Basketball Manitoba is pleased
to announce it will be offering new
expanded programming for females
in its Centre for Performance program
this coming season. The one-year
pilot project will now extend the
training season to add tournament and
exhibition play, allowing the athletes to
develop for elite level competition. The
Centre For Performance teams will play
in select tournaments and exhibition
play in Canada and the United States
during the fall and spring seasons. A
pause in regular programming for the
school basketball season will allow
athletes to fully commit to their school
programs.
The program will include support
from Canada Basketball and the
Women’s National team program in the
form of curriculum and special training
sessions led by National Team coaches.
Regular speed and strength training
will be provided by McDole’s Gym
and the Strength and Conditioning
department of the Sport for Life Center.
Athletes will also participate in special
training sessions with guest coaches
and instructors over the course of the
program.
The Program will see participants
train approximately three to four
times per week from September to
early December and from late March
to late May. The focus is to develop
fundamental skills, athletic ability,
6 / sportslife
universal concepts, and the Canadian
Women’s National team style of
play. Approximately 18 girls will be
selected to the group for training. The
group will divide into two teams for
tournament play to allow for quality
playing time during games.
The training group will be led by
Basketball Manitoba High Performance
Coach Randy Kusano and 15U
Provincial Team Coach Alyssa Grant.
A player identification camp for
the program will take place Sunday,
August 24 at the U of W from 1:00pm
to 3:00pm. The second phase of
the identification camp will take
place September 7 at from 1:00pm
to 3:00pm. A $25 tryout fee will be
collected at the first session. Selected
Athletes will start training early
September.
The program fee will include...
• twice weekly regular on-court
training sessions during fall and
spring seasons
• weekly dedicated shooting practices
from September to May
• weekly strength and conditioning
training sessions from September
to May
• Sport Science sessions
• Special guest coach sessions
• All tournament entry fees
• Russell Athletics Gear Package
• Full accident and liability
insurance coverage
Male Tryouts Announced for Sept.
7 For males born 2000 - 2002
Basketball Manitoba is pleased to
announce the try-out details for the
BOYS Basketball Canada/Basketball
Manitoba Center for Performance
training program for 2014-15. This
year the CP will have a 15U age group.
Male athletes from Manitoba will
be identified on an annual basis to
participate in the Manitoba Region
of the Basketball Canada Centre for
Performance training programs.
The program runs from September
to December before pausing for the
school season. There will be classroom
sessions in January and/or February
before the program wraps up leading
into the 15U Provincial Team try-outs
in May. The program offers a highly
qualified coaching staff trained with
Canadian National Team curriculum.
The program has a heavy emphasis
on developing individual fundamentals
and athletic abilities to prepare them
for next level competition. Players
receive education on sports nutrition,
psychology, strength, agility and
physical testing. CP athletes also
participate in special CP sessions
with guest coaches from a variety of
programs. Past guest coaches have
come from programs including the
Canadian National Team, CIS and
NCAA programs, and NBA skills
trainers.
Male tryouts will be held September
7 at U of W Duckworth Centre from
3:00 - 6:00 pm
Tryout Notes
• $25.00 tryout fee (cash or cheque
payable to Basketball Manitoba)
due at the first tryout.
• All players are to complete
the proper tryout form
– either in advance (found at
basketballmanitoba.ca) or on-site
at the first session.
• Show up at least 20 minutes before
the first session to register.
• No preregistration required
• Basketballs will be provided at
all sessions.
• Players are to come dressed ready
to play!
• Athletes are expected to be ready
to attend both try-out dates as
selections and cuts will be made
after the first try-out and continue
on to the second try-out. l
Manitoba Gold Rush for 17U Male
and 17U Female Teams! 16U Male
Capture Silver; 16U Female Bronze;
Kohler & Tully Named MVPs
The 17U sweep marked the first time in 15
years that a province has won both the male
and female tiles the same year, with the last
being Alberta in 1999.
To add to the Toba medal haul, The 16U
Male team proudly took home the Silver
after falling to the Gold Medallists from
British Columbia, 58-41. Manitoba made
its way to the Gold Medal game by earning
the 2nd seed after a tie breaker needed to
be performed involving Nova Scotia and the
hosts Alberta.
Earlier in the day, the 16U Female team
finished the Western Championships strong
with a Bronze Medal win over Saskatchewan
62-43.
Rounding out the National Tournament
saw the 15U Male team lose a heartbreaking
Bronze Medal game to Nova Scotia 91-86. The 15U Female Team closed off their
tournament in the 7th place game, falling to
the hosts from Alberta 67-31. l
Team Manitoba made basketball history on Wednesday
night by winning an unprecedented TWO National titles
for the first time in the province’s history! The Gold Rush
began with the 17U Female team who over powered
a talented Team Quebec 61-50 to bring home the first
female National title at the 17U level and only the second
of all time (joining 1992 19U Female National Champs).
Following the Girl’s Gold, the 17U Male team took the
court to take on the 3 time national champions from
Team Ontario. Team Toba got out to a early lead on the
favoured Ontario and never looked back, winning 79-61. Manitoba led from tip to final buzzer and took home its
very first male National Championship at the Provincial
Team level in Manitoba’s history!
sportslife / 7
Cvets Pets Committed to Getting
Service Dogs
to Veterans
By Scott Taylor
Photos courtesy Chris Cvetkovic
One of the coolest guys playing pro
football in Canada is also one of the
most important people in the Province
of Manitoba. At least, he’s important
if you’re a military service veteran or a
rescue dog.
Chris Cvetkovic, 36, was born in
Hamilton, went off to play his college
football at Concordia University in
Montreal and was originally signed by
the Saskatchewan Roughriders as an
undrafted free agent. In 2003, he was
dealt to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
and for the 11 seasons, he was the
team’s long snapper.
8 / sportslife
Cvetkovic is a beacon for good in
our community. Sure, he was a football
player, but more importantly, he
operates a non-profit, all volunteer
operation called Cvet’s Pets (www.
cvetspets.com). The goal of Cvetkovic’s
non-profit organization is to raise
money and awareness for animal
rescue shelters in the Winnipeg area.
Recently, Cvetkovic has partnered
with George Leonard of MSAR Service
dogs, in order to assist Leonard in his
endeavors to place service dogs with
veterans and soldiers.
As MSAR seeks homeless shelter
animals for their ‘Courageous
Companions’ program, Cvet’s Pets
will fund and generate starter kits for
the military veteran and their new
companion.
“We try to remove dogs from animal
rescues and then we work with the
Courageous Companions (Cvetkovic is
also on the Courageous Companions
board) team to train the dogs for
medical services, particularly PTSD. We
hold a very special place in our hearts
for the heroes that benefit from the
companionship of man’s best friend.”
With Leonard’s guidance, Cvets Pets
trains the dogs and prepares a starter
kit with everything the dog needs to
join his new companion, a military
veteran.
The initiative has been fueled by
players from across the CFL. Some of
the players lending their voices and
faces to this program include B.C.
Lions runningback Andrew Harris,
Edmonton Eskimos defensive
linemen Don Oramasionwu and
Eddie Steele and Winnipeg Blue
Bombers runningbacks coach
Buck Pierce.
As well, Best West Pet foods,
the official Cvets Pets pet food
supplier, helps Chris and his
partners fund raise for this and
other projects.
“Both Cvet’s Pets and MSAR
will strive to raise awareness of
the benefits animals can have
on those suffering from PTSD
(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
or other stresses,” Cvetkovic
said. “To donate funds that will
go towards Cvet’s Pets ‘Courageous
Companion’ starter kits, please visit
the Cvet’s Pets website and click
Donate Now.”
For more information about these
organizations please visit www.
msarservicedogs.com or www.
woundedwarriorproject.org. l
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sportslife / 9
Yarish Wins Two Golds and a
Bronze At Age Group Nationals:
Says Good-Bye to Manta Swim Club
By Scott Taylor
Photos by James Carey Lauder
Wyatt Yarish had a wonderful time at
the 2014 Canadian Age Group National
Championships. In fact, the 18-yearold Manta Swim Club freestyler won
three medals – two golds, and a bronze.
It doesn’t get any better than that.
However, he also did something
he was sure he would do eventually,
but perhaps not as quickly as it’s
come to pass. The Grant Park High
School graduate who now attends
the University of Calgary finally said
good-bye to his Manta teammates and
coaches.
“I’m at the University of Calgary
now and this year, after my first year
of university, I thought it would be a
good idea to come back and swim with
Manta,” he said. “But next year, I’m
10 / sportslife
just going to swim with the university.
Eventually you have to grow up and
go away. Manta’s been my club for my
entire competitive swimming career
in Winnipeg, but I’m a university
swimmer now and I’ll stay at the
university next summer.
“I have only four years as a
competitor at Calgary and I want to
make the most out of it. I didn’t have
the best short course (the 25-metre
pool) season this year and I’m going
to work on that. My goal is to make
an international team. The Olympics
would be great, but I don’t think about
that and don’t expect it. I just want to
swim internationally for Canada. ”
On the final day of the national age
group championships in Winnipeg,
Yarish won Manta’s – and Manitoba’s –
only medal of the evening. It was also
Manitoba’s final medal of the meet and
it was a bronze in the 16-18-year-old
boys 400-metre freestyle. He finished
in a time of four minutes 59.66 seconds
and it capped a terrific final meet with
his Manta Swim Club at his “own” Pan
Am Pool.
His coach, Tom Hainey had nothing
but praise for the gifted competitor.
“We kind of thought this would
be a big race for Wyatt and he got
the medal,” said Hainey. “He’s a
distance freestyler who was pleasantly
surprising in the shorter distances in
this meet.
“But the thing about Wyatt is, he’s a
beast. His work ethic is tremendous.
He’s a dream athlete for a coach. If I
put it on the board, he’ll do it. Nobody
works harder and he’s only going to get
better.”
Considered a distance specialist –
any race from 400 to 1,500 metres – the
teenaged Winnipeg swimmer found
success in shorter events at the age
group championships in late July.
He won gold on Day 1 in the
16-18-year-old boys 100-metre fly in a
time of 56.04 seconds and then on Day
3, on Friday night, he won gold in the
16-18-year-old boys 200-metre fly in a
time of 2:03.23.
“Interestingly, he was not a
contender for a medal in that event,”
said Hainey. “He’s more of a distance,
400-, 1500-metre swimmer. It was a
big surprise for us. He had a monster
swim.
“We kind of hoped that if Wyatt
was in the top four in the race with 50
metres to go, he might have a chance
to get a medal. Well, he was, and over
the final 10 metres he used his distance
experience and pulled ahead. It was a
great win for Wyatt.”
As for Wyatt himself, he had no idea
the he’d won the race until he got out of
the pool.
“As Tom said, I wanted to be in the
Top 4 or 5 with 50 metres left and I
thought I’d do well,” he said with a
laugh. “Well, I hit the wall and thought
Id’ done really well. I thought I might
have finished second or third. But I
didn’t look at the board until I got out
of the pool. That’s when I looked up
and saw the result and said to myself,
“Hey, I won!’ It was pretty cool.”
For Hainey, Yarish has been one of
the best swimmers he’s coached at
Manta. The young man might not have
been the most talented, but he was the
hardest working.
“He came to us when he was about
10,” said Hainey. “I didn’t think, at
first, that I’d see him this summer.
But I was pleasantly surprised when
he returned to us this year. It’s been a
pleasure having him around. You won’t
find a guy who works harder or is more
dedicated. He deserves all the success
he achieves.” l
“
about Wyatt
the thing
is, he’s a
beast
”
sportslife / 11
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12 / sportslife
Winnipeg’s
Posthumus
Has Big
Summer
With the Bulls,
Signs in Japanese
Pro League
NOW OPEN!
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Great for:
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By Scott Taylor, Photo courtesy of Morehead State University
Winnipeg’s Rebounding Beast, Chad
Posthumus, has now played in the
NBA. Well, at least he played with
the Chicago Bulls in the NBA’s 2014
Samsung Summer League in Las Vegas.
However, there is more to it than
just a couple of weeks in the Summer
League. As a result of his play in
Vegas – 13 points and 10 rebounds in
48 minutes of play over a four-game
span – Posthumus signed a one-year
contract with Levanga Hokkaido
Sapporo of the National Basketball
League of Japan.
Posthumus, a 6-foot-11 center who
played his high school ball at River
East Collegiate, played the past two
seasons at Morehead State University
in Kentucky. Last season, in his senior
year, he averaged 11.0 rebounds in just
25.7 minutes per game, good for fourth
best in the NCAA. However, he led the
country in rebounds per 40 minutes at
17.1 as well as rebounding percentage
at 25.2 per cent.
Posthumus also averaged 9.6 points
per game and was named to the
All-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC)
Third Team, leading his team to the
OVC Tournament semifinals. He was
invited to the Portsmouth Invitational
Tournament this April and was recently
invited to pre-draft workouts with the
Toronto Raptors as well as the Chicago
Bulls.
A diabetic who has come a long,
long way, Posthumus, 23, is the son
of former University of Winnipeg star,
Diana Quartel (her 1986 team at the
U of W is in the Manitoba Basketball
Hall of Fame). He’s always been a
gifted baller and in his senior season
at River East, he averaged 39 points,
25 rebounds and seven blocked shots
per game. In Grade 11 and 12, he was
a provincial all-star while also playing
football, soccer and hockey for the
Kodiaks.
“I don’t think I’ve reached nearly
my potential yet,” Posthumus told
kentucky.com. “I’ve only been playing
serious for about eight, nine years…
so there’s room for improvement and
more potential to be found.
“I know I have to be more patient on
offense. Sometimes I rush a little bit,
which throws my shot off, doesn’t allow
me to make a good move. I’ve got to
slow down with that. And getting my
foot speed up for defense a little bit.
Sometimes I have trouble guarding
smaller men.”
After graduating high school, he
played two seasons at the University of
British Columbia before transferring
to Morehead State. Although he
went undrafted, there is always an
opportunity for a 6-foot-11, 280-pound
rebounding beast.
“Chad has improved his game every
year, dating back to when we started
recruiting him,” his college coach
Sean Woods said. “Chad has terrific
size and a knack to get rebounds. The
pro game is played at a very fast pace,
but I’m confident Chad will make the
necessary adjustments.” l
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Commissioner Rick
Henkewich Excited About
Coming WHSFL Season
By Scott Taylor
Rick Henkewich doesn’t get overtly
excited about a lot of things. In fact,
if there is one thing that doesn’t make
him jump up and down with delight,
it’s the annual chore known as creating
a schedule.
When you have more than 40
teams playing high school football in
Manitoba, making up the schedule
isn’t easy. When you have travel – from
Brandon all the way to Fort Frances
– to be concerned about; you have
everyone’s desire to play at least one
game at Investors Group Field; and
you have teams moving from one of
the four divisions to another it’s pretty
much impossible to make everybody
happy.
This year, however, Henkewich is
fired up. There is something special
going on in every division at one
time or another and as a result, the
commissioner is ready to do cartwheels
and sing Disney songs.
“I’m looking forward to a lot of
games this season,” said Henkewich
enthusiastically. “Take the Currie
Division (A Division) in Week 1. It
features the annual Minto Bowl
between Tec Voc and Daniel Mac. But
the best part about it is that Tec Voc
looked great in the spring and Daniel
Mac is a favorite in the Currie this
season. It’s going to be a great way to
start the season.
“Meanwhile, Week 1 has Crocus
Plains from Brandon playing its first
home game as a Potter Division (AAA
Division) school against Murdoch, a
young team that went to the Potter
Division final last year.
Murdoch has to replace quarterback
Drenin Bush and Crocus is starting
without runningback Victor St. Pierre.
It’s going to be an interesting way to
start the season.
Two other brand new Potter Division
teams – Grant Park and Sturgeon
Heights – will face each other at
Sturgeon to open the season. As well,
Churchill plays its first season in the
Vidruk Division (AA Division) after
years in the Potter against Steinbach, a
team that is rapidly becoming a Vidruk
power.
“Week 2 features Vincent Massey
Winnipeg playing Murdoch in its
Homecoming game,” said Henkewich,
“while in Week 3, the games to watch
will be Vidruk’s River East Kodiaks
against the Garden City Gophers at
Garden City.
“Week 5 will feature Vidruk
powerhouses Garden City against
Steinbach in Steinbach and Churchill
at St Paul’s.”
In Week 6, it’s the annual Laping
Bowl between St Paul’s and Oak Park
and the first ever Potter game between
Vincent Massey Brandon and Crocus
Plains.
“Week 7 is always interesting
because it’s the final week of the
regular season week and it usually
holds playoff implications,” Henkewich
said. “I expect a huge Potter Division
game will have Vincent Massey
Winnipeg at Oak Park and in the
Vidruk, the big games should be River
East at Steinbach along with Garden
City vs. Churchill at 7:15 at the Bison
East Field. I’m excited about those two
games.”
The quarterfinal games will once
again be held at the home fields of the
Top 4 teams in each division on Oct
23 and 24. The JV Quarter Finals are
Oct. 27 and the JV semifinals are Oct.
31. Semifinals for Varsity go on Oct.
30 and the Finals are Nov. 6 for the JV
and Currie Divisions and Nov. 7 for
the Vidruk and Potter. The finals are at
Investors Group Filed.
“It’s going to be a great season,” said
the Commish. “I can’t wait for it to
start.” l
sportslife / 15
2014 WINNIPEG HIGH SCHOOL FOO
Week 1: (Currie BYE – Maples)
Bombers @ Home (Sept. 7th); Bisons @ Sask (Sept. 5)
September 3:
Garden City @ Beaver Brae (MS Game) @ 3:00 pm
September 4:
Fort Frances @ Neelin
Murdoch @ Crocus (MS Game)
Grant Park @ Sturgeon
Kelvin @ St. Paul’s 2
River East @ Portage
St. John’s @ W. Kildonan
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
September 5:
K. East @ Miles Mac
Sisler @ VMC–Bdn
Churchill @ Steinbach
Dryden @ Elmwood
Tec Voc @ DMCI
St. Norbert @ Lorette
Dakota @ Oak Park (MS Game)
St. Paul’s 1 @ VMC–Wpg (MS Game)
@ 4:00 pm (E. Side)
@ 4:30 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm (IG Field)
@ 7:15 pm (IG Field)
Week 1–A: Tue. Sept. 9 – Neelin @ Maples @ 5:00 pm
Week 2: (Currie BYE – Neelin)
Bombers @ B.C. (Sept. 13th) Bisons @ Home (Sept. 12th)
September 11:
St. Norbert @ W. Kildonan
St. Paul’s 2 @ River East
Dakota @ Grant Park
Miles Mac @ Portage Elmwood @ Tec Voc
Lorette @ DMCI
Oak Park @ Crocus
St. Paul’s 1 @ Sisler
@ 4:00 pm
@ 4:15 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:15 pm
September 12:
Beaver Brae @ Churchill
Sturgeon @ VMC–Bdn Kelvin @ Garden City Steinbach @ K. East
Maples @ St. John’s
Fort Frances @ Dryden
@ 4:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm (Nomads)
@ 5:00 pm
September 13:
Murdoch @ VMC Wpg
@ 3:15 pm
Week 2A: Sept. 16 – Dryden @ W. Kildonan @ 5:00 pm
Week 3: (Currie BYE – Dryden)
Bomber bye week; Bisons @ home (Sept. 20)
September 18:
K. East @ Beaver Brae
Elmwood @ Neelin
Grant Park @ VMC–Wpg
Crocus @ Sturgeon
Steinbach @ Kelvin
St. John’s @ St. Norbert
Tec Voc @ Lorette
@ 3:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
September 19:
Maples @ Fort
VMC–Bdn @ Murdoch
Portage @ Churchill
R. East @ Garden City
DMCI @ W. Kildonan
Sisler @ Oak Park
@ 4:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm (Broncos)
September 20:
Miles Mac @ St. Paul’s 2
Dakota @ St. Paul’s 1
@ 1:00 p.m.
@ 3:15 p.m.
Week 3A: Sept. 23 – Lorette @ Elmwood @ 5:00 pm
Week 4: (CURRIE BYE – Lorette)
Bombers Home (Sept. 27th); Bisons @ Calgary (Sept. 26th)
September 25:
Kelvin @ K. East
Oak Park @ Sturgeon
Crocus @ Grant Park
Churchill @ R. East
Neelin @ St. Norbert
St. John’s @ Tec Voc
@ 4:30 pm (E. Side)
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
September 26:
St. Paul’s 2 @ Beaver Brae
Dakota @ VMC–Bdn
Steinbach @ Miles Mac
VMC–Wpg @ Sisler
Garden City @ Portage
St. Paul’s 1 @ Murdoch
W. Kildonan @ Elmwood
Fort Frances @ DMCI
Dryden @ Maples
@ 3:00 pm
@ 4:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm (E. Side)
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
@ 5:00 pm
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16 / sportslife
OTBALL LEAGUE VARSITY SCHEDULE
Week 4A: September 30 – NO GAME
Week 7: (Currie BYE – St. John’s)
Bombers home (Sat. Oct. 18th); Bisons @ home (Oct. 17th)
Week 5: (Currie BYE – Tec Voc)
Bombers @ Ottawa (Oct. 3rd); Bisons @ Alberta (Oct. 4th)
October 2:
W. Kildonan @ Neelin
VMC–Wpg @ Sturgeon
Miles Mac @ R. East
K. East @ Portage
St. Norbert @ Maples
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
October 3:
Lorette @ Fort
St. John’s @ Dryden
Beaver Brae @ Kelvin
Garden City @ Steinbach
DMCI @ Elmwood
Crocus @ Sisler
Murdoch @ Dakota
VMC–Bdn @ Oak Park
Churchill @ St. Paul’s 2
Grant Park @ St. Paul’s 1
@ 4:00 pm
@ 4:00 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm (Bison East)
@ 5:00 pm (Broncos)
@ 5:00 pm
@ 7:15 pm
Week 5A: October 7 – Tec Voc @ St. Norbert @ 4:30 pm
October 16:
Grant Park @ VMC–Bdn
R. East @ Steinbach
Dakota @ Sturgeon Garden City @ Churchill
St. Paul’s 2 @ K. East
Murdoch @ Sisler
St. Norbert @ Elmwood
October 17:
DMCI @ Dryden Beaver Brae @ Miles Mac
Portage @ Kelvin
W. Kildonan @ Fort
Neelin @ Tec Voc
Maples @ Lorette
St. Paul’s 1 @ Crocus
VMC–Wpg @ Oak Park
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 5:00 pm (Bison East)
@ 7:15 pm (Bison East)
@ 3:30 pm (E. Side)
@ 5:45 pm (E. Side)
@ 8:00 pm (E. Side)
@ 3:00 pm
@ 3:30 pm (E. Side)
@ 5:45 pm (E. Side)
@ 4:00 pm
@ 4:00 pm
@ 4:00 pm
@ 4:15 pm
@ 5:00 pm (Broncos)
QUARTER–FINALS:
Bombers Home (Sat. Oct. 25th): Bisons @ Regina (Oct. 25th)
Week 6: (Currie BYE – St. Norbert)
Bombers @ Edmonton (Oct. 13th); Bisons BYE (Oct. 11th)
October 23rd & 24th: (lower seed @ higher seed – TBA)
October 9:
Elmwood @ Fort
Crocus @ VMC–Bdn Sisler @ Grant Park
Miles @ Garden City
W. Kildonan @ Maples
Dakota @ VM Wpg
Beaver Brae @ Steinbach
Portage @ St. Paul’s 2
@ 4:00 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 5:00 pm
SEMI–FINALS:
Bombers @ Calgary (Sat. Nov. 1st); Bisons @ Home (Nov. 1)
October 10:
Tec Voc @ Dryden R. East @ Kelvin
St. Paul’s 1 @ Oak Park
Sturgeon @ Murdcoh
Churchill @ K. East
Neelin @ DMCI
Lorette @ St. John’s
@ 2:00 pm
@ 4:30 pm
@ 5:00 pm (Broncos)
@ 4:00 pm (E. Side)
@ 6:15 pm (E. Side)
@ 5:00 pm (IG Field)
@ 7:15 pm (IG Field)
JV Q–Finals: Oct 27th (lower seed @ higher seed – TBA)
JV Semi: Oct. 31st @ Bison E. Field (5:30 pm & 7:45 pm)
Oct. 30th & Oct. 31st – @ IG Field
Week 6A: Oct. 14 – Fort Frances @ St. John’s @ 4:00 pm (E. Side)
WHSFL CHAMPIONSHIP BOWL FINALS:
Bombers: Bye (Nov. 8th/9th); Bisons TBA (Nov 7th or 8th)
November 6th:
5:00 p.m. – Junior Varsity “Home Run Sports Bowl” @ IG Field
7:30 p.m. – Currie Division “CanadInns Bowl” @ IG Field
November 7th:
5:00 p.m. – Vidruk Division “Free Press Bowl” @ IG Field
7:30 p.m. – Potter Division “ANAVETS Bowl” @ IG Field
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18 / sportslife
Local Umpire Starts
His Pro Career at Age 59
By Scott Taylor, Photos by Tara Miller
Henry Lemoine umpired his first
amateur ball game in Winnipeg in
1995. It would not have been very
memorable for most people, but for
Henry, it was a trigger. Suddenly, a very
good 40-year-old amateur baseball
player had found himself a new
calling.
“It was 1995, my daughter was nine,
she’s 28 now, and she was playing a
softball game,” Lemoine recalled as if
it were yesterday. “Nobody showed up
to umpire, so I volunteered. I did the
game, loved it and got the bug. And the
bug never went away.”
Early last month, 59-year-old Henry
Lemoine umpired his first professional
baseball game. He was the third
base umpire in Game 1 of a threegame series at Winnipeg’s Shaw Park
between the visiting Grand Prairie
AirHogs and the Winnipeg Goldeyes.
It was a milestone. No one in North
America, at any level of baseball, can
recall if any person over the age of 55
had ever made it to pro baseball for
the first time.
“There are a lot of older guys
umpiring pro ball, but they came
through the ranks as guys in their 30s
and 40s,” Lemoine said with a smile.
“When I went to Pro Umpire Camp
in Shreveport, La., this spring, they
looked at me and I’m sure they said,
‘bull$#*!’ They didn’t want to believe
that a guy my age, coming for the
first time, could do it. But by the end,
Lance Schoenwald from Pro Umpire
Camp and Kevin Winn, the director of
umpires for the American Association,
must have seen something because
here I am.”
And with that, Henry Lemoine was
able to add, “professional umpire,” to
his remarkable sports resume.
A member of the Manitoba Baseball
Hall of Fame, he was an outstanding
basketball player and curler, as well.
And while he played competitive
baseball into his 50s, this father of
three daughters – 28-year-old Michelle
and 26-year-old twins Krissy and
Karen – is now going to concentrate on
umpiring.
“I always dreamed of umpiring a
game at Shaw Park,” he said. “So when
I went down to Shreveport in March,
I was very serious about it. Bob Blad
from Rapid City, Man., a good friend
of mine accompanied me and after a
couple of days there, we got to umpire
four NCAA Division III college games
at Centenary College. I came out of it
with the opportunity that I have now.
“But even though they now call me,
‘professional umpire,’ things haven’t
changed that much. I did a peewee
game in Norwood the other day
and I worked just as hard at that as I
would any game at Shaw Park. I take it
seriously and I love every minute of it –
no matter what level I’m working.” l
sportslife / 19
The WHSFL Pre-Season
By Scott Taylor
With WHSFL Commissioner Rick Henkewich and a Panel of WHSFL Coaches
Photos by Lloyd Louie, Jeff Miller, Glenn Dickson and James Carey Lauder
Winnipeg High School Football League
commissioner Rick Henkewich is
often left speechless by the play of the
athletes in his league. And for those
who know Henkewich, that’s somewhat
hard to imagine.
But Henkewich, who starred in
the league as a player and was later
successful as a coach, has long believed
that the best young football players in
Manitoba play in the WHSFL and every
season, these athletes impress him
even more.
“I’m amazed at how talented and
physically gifted these young athletes
are,” said Henkewich before sitting
down to determine the Top 10 players
in the WHSFL for 2014. “I don’t think
we can narrow it down to 10, but if you
want to do it, well we’ll give it a shot.”
Henkewich gathered together a
group of the top coaches in Manitoba,
went over the scouting reports,
checked all the stats and then tried to
come to consensus on the best players
in the province.
It wasn’t easy.
However, Henkewich has never
been a quitter so, on top of a list of
19 honorable mentions, he and his
coaches plus a few outside advisors,
have pieced together a list of the most
skilled, most exciting and most gifted
players in the province.
And that’s what we have for you
here at Sports Life. It’s our first annual
look at the Top 10 high school football
players in Manitoba. And while we
know that not everybody will agree
with our inaugural list, we also know
that no one will say that any of these
young men “can’t play.”
Fact is, the list is exceptional and for
your satisfaction, we present Sports
Life Magazine’s inaugural list of the
Top 10 High School Football Players in
Manitoba. l
Cassidy Obijiaku
WR/SB – Vincent Massey
Brandon:
One of our few consensus picks, Obijaku
(pronounced: Oh-Bee-Jack) is big and fast and
provides an outstanding target. He also isn’t
afraid to catch the ball over the middle and
has tremendous hands. When he gets into
open space, it’s unlikely there is anybody in
the WHSFL that can catch him. He’s 6-foot-3,
200 pounds and runs the 100 metres in 11.0
seconds. He is the prototypical CIS wide receiver who just happens to
be playing high school football. Oh yeah, and in May, he won four gold
medals at the Brandon high school track meet.
Derek Dufault
Dakota – DE:
When the website TopProspects.ca selected
Dufault to its annual all-star team last
season According to Stefan Hirsch wrote:
“Derek Dufault from Dakota Collegiate is
a junior DE that is an athletic edge rusher
with an extremely high motor. Dufault
makes plays all over the field for the
Lancers and co-led the AAA Potter division
with 10 sacks on the season.” Dufault is
6-foot-3, 226 pounds and is a monster coming off the end.
20 / sportslife
n Top 10
Mason Bennett
DE – Vincent Massey
Winnipeg:
The best defensive player in the WHSFL, the 6-foot4, 225-pound Bennett has speed, quickness, a high
football IQ and a desire to get to the quarterback.
“I just love to hit,” said Bennett. No kidding. He’s
already visited Queen’s University and UBC and
had conversations with the University of North
Dakota, North Dakota State University and the
University of Wyoming. “A stalwart DE that’s cuts
an imposing figure off the edge for the Trojans,” said TopProspects.ca scout
Stefan Hirsch. “A class of 2015 prospect and an Under-18 Team Manitoba
player who makes big plays in the backfield and is equally strong against
the run or pass.” There are some great defensive players in this province, but
Bennett might be the best.
Matt
Kaneski
OL – St Paul’s:
Kaneski, 16, the
left guard for the
powerhouse AAA St.
Paul’s Crusaders, is a
6-foot-1, 280-pound
Grade 12 star was the
first Grade 10 player at
St. Paul’s to make the
AAA team and the prestigious “500 Pound Club.”
In 2011, he was selected as the best offensive
lineman at a camp in Chicago and then played
in Dallas Cowboy Stadium as an “All American”
in the O-D Youth Bowl. In 2013, he represented
Canada against the Americans in the Eastbay
U-15 Youth All-American Bowl in San Antonio
and then dominated the U-16 Blue-Gold game
in May where his play “blew away” Team West
coaches who said his skills “are exceptional” for
his age.” Former Blue Bomber Obby Khan says
Kaneski is “one of the top prospects coming out
of Manitoba”.
Jared Lazarenko
DE – Murdoch MacKay:
Coaches call this guy, “a stud.” Some
even say Lazarenko could be called, “the
next one.” He’s 6-foot-4, 235 pounds
and can start on both sides of the ball.
Of course, he can also play linebacker if
need be. Lazarenko started his football
career as an 11-year-old with the
Transcona Nationals. He was originally
a defensive tackle but by the time he
got to Murdoch, he’d been moved to outside linebacker in a 3-4
set. When the scheme changed, he went back to what he calls
“my natural position at defensive end.” So natural, he was one of
the best players on a team that reached the finals of the WHSFL’s
Potter Division. It’s been said that he’s a very smart player and
a great leader. He’s strong against the run, gets pressure on the
quarterback, can play both sides of the ball, play on special teams
and he’s very athletic with long arms. He is, indeed, “a stud.”
sportslife / 21
Zack
Williams
OL – Murdoch
MacKay:
He plays both ways for
the Clansmen and has
already to committed to
the University of North
Dakota for the 2015 NCAA
season. He’s a rock solid
6-foot-3, 250 pounds and
made his mark at the recent Football Canada Cup as
an offensive lineman. He’s already been named to
Canada’s national Under-18 team and was an all-star
at the Canada Cup.
Riley Bernier
OL - Grant Park:
At 17, he’s a rock-solid 6-foot-3, 240 pounds
and he’s even become one of Grant Park’s best
basketball players. This coming season, Bernier
will anchor an offensive line that Grant Park
head coach Doug Kovacs says could be one of
the best in the Winnipeg High School Football
League’s Triple A Potter Division. Bernier has
already drawn interest from three university
teams. He’s visited with Coach Brian Dobie at
the University of Manitoba, has had a conversation with the coaches at
Carleton University in Ottawa and even Minnesota-Crookston has come
calling. He already knows that he wants to study law.
Brady Oliveira
RB – Oak Park:
He’s a 5-foot-10, 225 pound runningback who will
play NCAA Division 1 football next season. Not
only is he big, he can run like the wind. And as
this fall’s WHSFL season approaches, all eyes will
be on the return of a prodigal runningback who
could blow the entire Potter Division campaign
wide open. Last season he played at Canada Prep
south of Toronto, but after receiving a scholarship
offer from the University of North Dakota, he
decided to return to Oak Park. “I don’t want to commit to anything yet,” he
said. “I’m very thankful that I have the offer I have from UND, but I want to
wait and see if anything else happens. I worked so hard to get this I just
think there has to be something else out there. I’m working really hard
with Recruit Ready and I’m sure more opportunities to play NCAA football
are going to come my way. But I’m very thankful for what I have now.”
22 / sportslife
Honourable Mentions
(Alphabetical)
Bryson Boschemen
QB – River East
Logan Boyd
OL – Crocus Plains
Tristan Bredin
OL – Murdoch MacKay
Elijah Caparros
QB – Sisler
Cody Cranston
DB – St Paul’s
Drake Lesperance
QB – St. Paul’s:
Now the No. 1 QB with the St. Paul’s AAA team,
Lesperance is in his second season with the AAA
Crusaders, but his fourth season of playing QB at St.
Paul’s. At 6-foot, 190-pounds, he has a strong arm and
runs well. According to his coaches, “As a young QB
Drake needs to continue to improve his reading of
defences.” That should be easy. After all, football is a
major part of the Lesperance family’s life. Drake’s older
brother Connor is a safety at the U of M, dad Brett is
the referee-in- chief as well as a coach and player in the Manitoba Flag Football
League and even Drake’s younger sister, now a soccer player, was a pretty good
flag football player herself. “As he continues to mature as a young man, Drake’s
natural leadership will continue to emerge and develop further,” said his head
coach Stacy Dainard. “We are fortunate to have Drake in our program.” Indeed.
Ray Cruz
DL – Vincent Massey
Nikko De Forte
PK – Oak Park
Kevin Ebron
QB – Daniel Mac
Andre Elison
WR – Oak Park
Zach Goring
QB – Kildonan East
Liam Grace
WR – Murdoch MacKay
Reid Irwin
OL – Sisler
Peter LeClaire
QB – Grant Park
James Najduch
LB – Oak Park
Ethan Diakow
Will Reimer
QB – Churchill
The Oak Park Junior Athlete of the Year in 2012-13,
Diakow led the Raiders JayVee team to the WHSFL title
that year. He’s an honor roll student, a track star and
an outstanding basketball player who was Oak Park’s
football MVP last season. Just 5-foot-10, 175 pounds,
he plays quarterback and defensive back and seldom
comes off the field. As a passer last season, Diakow
finished the year with 45 completions in 97 attempts
for 600 yards in his team’s eight games. He threw
two touchdown passes and five interceptions as the Raiders finished 3-5 on the
season. He also carried 112 times for 505 yards (a 4.5 yards-per-carry average) and
five touchdowns. He’s an all-around player and one of the most talented athletes
in the WHSFL
Luke Sperry
LB – St Paul’s
Jh’Quin Swan
WR – Sturgeon Heights
Maxx Toutant
LB – St Paul’s
Trevor Wright
RB – St. Paul’s
QB/DB – Oak Park:
sportslife / 23
Marchak, Thornborough
off to France
for World Cup
By Scott Taylor
Photos courtesy of Ian Muir/Rugby Canada
Mandy Marchak grew up watching her
dad and her uncles play rugby for the
Saracens at Maple Grove Park. As she
got older, she fell madly in love with
the game.
Later this month, she’ll head to
France to lead Canada in the IRB
Women’s Rugby 15s World Cup in Paris.
A 10-year veteran of the national team
program and a member of Canada’s
2016 Olympic Women’s Sevens,
Marchak will be joined on Team
Canada by another Manitoba player,
Amanda Thornborough of Brandon.
Thornborough, 24, is a graduate
of Vincent Massey high school and
is a former member of the Brandon
Barbarians rugby side.
Marchak, meanwhile has come a
24 / sportslife
long way since the days when she ran
track at the University of Manitoba.
“I grew up at the field at Maple Grove
Park watching my dad and my uncles
play,” she said, via telephone from her
home in Victoria. “There was no girls
rugby team for me to play on in high
school until I got to Grade 11 and Grant
Park decided to start one. But I had a
stress fracture in a vertebra and missed
my entire Grade 11 year.
“So I only started playing rugby in
Grade 12 and since then I’ve had so
many people help me get to where I
am today. But it was Steve and Tracy
Erickson, my coaches at Grant Park,
who gave me the confidence to take
the game as far as I could.”
Late last month, Canada’s Women’s
15s Head Coach Francois Ratier
announced his 26-player roster for the
IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup. It’s the
biggest event in International Women’s
15s and Canada has appeared in all
six tournaments dating back to the
inaugural event in Wales in 1991.
Canada’s best performances at
the World Cup include fourth place
finishes in 1998, 2002 and 2006, before
dropping to sixth in 2010. Canada also
played host to the 12-team event in
2006 in Edmonton.
Ratier’s roster features other 2010
veterans, including: Marchak, team
captain Kelly Russell, Kim Donaldson,
Barbara Mervin, Julia Sugawara,
Brittany Waters and Julianne Zussman.
For Marchak, 29, getting to another
At press time, Mandy Marchak and
Canada’s National Women’s Rugby
Team were about to face England in
the Gold Medal Final of the World
Championship in Paris, France.
World Cup is just part of a plan that
began a decade ago.
“I’d always played a lot of sports, but
at the University of Manitoba, I joined
the cross-country team,” she said with
a laugh. “My coaches didn’t think I
looked like a cross-country runner so
they suggested I join the spring team
so in my second year at the U of M, I
ran the 400 and 800 metres.
“At that time, I started playing
women’s club rugby with the
Wanderers and I just loved the game
and at 19, I was invited to an Under-23
national camp in Edmonton. I was
there for three months and I met the
best people, people who are still my
closest friends today. They said to me,
‘Why don’t you come out to B.C. with
us, live on the Coast and play rugby?’
So I got on the phone and talked to
my parents and they said, ‘Yes, let’s do
this.’ And I’ve been here ever since.”
Marchak is considered “a strong,
physical runner.” She plays 12 or 13
(inside or outside centre) and because
her combination of power and speed
she knows that “my job is to go
forward.”
In France, Marchak and Team
Canada were placed in Pool A with
Spain, Samoa and England. They
obviously needed a strong showing in
each of their three pool games in order
to advance out of the qualifying round.
Against Spain, Canada held a 2 – 0
record with victories at the 1991 and
2006 World Cups. Samoa, meanwhile,
was an unknown opponent. The two
teams had never faced each other in
international competition.
Canada’s final game of the
Qualifying Round was played on
Saturday, Aug. 9, against the 2010
World Cup 15s runners-up from
England.
Marchak couldn’t be more excited.
“It’s an exciting time for our
national team programs because we
finished second at the Sevens World
Championships last year,” Marchak
said. “We have a very good chance
to win gold in the Sevens at the 2016
Olympics. Women’s rugby in Canada
is very good right now and this World
Cup in France will be an important
event for us.” l
sportslife / 25
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26 / sportslife
Barish and B’nai
Brith Bring Baseball
to Everyone
By Scott Taylor
Photo by James Carey Lauder
Earl Barish will be 71 on Monday and
he just can’t stop working. The man
who has Manitoba’s iconic Salisbury
House Restaurants running like a
thoroughbred these days is also a
man who can’t stop doing the good
work of B’nai Brith or treating the
underprivileged with honor and
respect.
In fact, on Sunday, Aug. 24, at 1;30
in the afternoon, he’ll be at Shaw Park,
running his annual gift of baseball to
the city’s less fortunate as the Winnipeg
Goldeyes take on the Sioux Falls
Canaries.
Earl has bought, sold and distributed
more than 1,540 tickets to the event,
but he’ll also be on the concourse
handing out Sals Nips, donuts and ice
cream to the not-so-fortunate folks
who get the tickets that Earl and his
fellow philanthropists at B’nai Brith
buy. It’s a win-win-win situation and
that’s ALL Earl Barish.
In fact, “The Afternoon with the
Goldeyes” project was founded and
originally organized by Earl, the past
chairman of B’nai Brith Canada’s
executive board. This is the sixth
annual event and started after Earl
threw out the first pitch at a Blue Jays
game in Toronto.
“I was chairman of the national
executive board at the time and it was
B’nai Brith Day at the Blue Jays game,”
Barish explained. “They asked me to
throw out the first pitch so I flew into
Toronto for a Blue Jays-Yankees game.
I was driven out of the bullpen on a
golf cart and met the mascot at second
base. I remember, the mascot was
going to catch my pitch and I asked
him how hard he wanted me to throw
it. He said, ‘throw it as hard as you can.’
And I threw him my best fastball.”
Barish took that experience back
to Winnipeg where he owned the
old Winnipeg Cyclone professional
basketball team. After Barish
disbanded the Cyclone, he decided to
take the B’nai Brith game back to its
roots – baseball.
And it’s a big day. B’nai Brith offers
free Goldeyes ticket packages to
organizations that service different
needs in the community – Andrews
Family Centre, Anishaabe Child &
Family Services, Arcane Horizon,
Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Boys &
Girls Club, CancerCare Manitoba,
CEDA, Cerebral Palsy of Manitoba,
Children’s Rehab Foundation, Dasch
Foundation, Deaf Resource Centre,
Epic Opportunities, Family Dynamics,
Gojo Gym, Goju Karate, Good
Neighbours Active Living, Habitat
for Humanity, Immigrant Centre
Manitoba, Intertribal Child & Family,
Jewish Child & Family Service, Jocelyn
House, MacDonald Youth Services,
MacKinnon’s Y-Not? Anti-Poverty,
Main Street Project, Making Waves,
Manitoba Down Syndrome Society,
Manitoba Foster Family Network,
Marymound, Meals on Wheels,
Movement Centre, Multiple Sclerosis
Society, NEEDS, New Directions,
Norwest Co-op, Opportunity for
Independence, Osborne House,
Project Echo, Ronald McDonald
House, Rossbrook House, SCE
Lifeworks, Shalom Residences, Siloam
Mission, SMD, Special Olympics,
St. Amant, Variety the Childrens
Charity, Waves of Glory Church, West
Broadway Youth Outreach, Winnipeg
Child & Family and Winnipeg Harvest.
“He gives everyone a hat and a
Goldeyes souvenir with their ticket, as
well,” said Goldeyes assistant general
manager Regan Katz. “Earl Barish is
one of the most philanthropic people
I know.”
No doubt about that.
“It’s a complete afternoon at
the Ballpark at no charge to those
attending,” said Barish. “Each person
will receive a package which consists
of a ticket to the game, lunch, a
commemorative B’nai Brith baseball
cap and a Goldeyes 20th Anniversary
rally towel.
“It’s become so popular with our
service organizations that this year
we’ve had requests for 60 wheelchairs.
The Goldeyes normally have spots
for only 24 wheelchairs at their
games, but Regan (Katz) make sure
we had a few more sections in order
to accommodate all the wheelchair
spaces we needed.”
There is an incredible amount of
work that goes into the staging of the
annual B’nai Brith game at Shaw Park.
So at 71, why does Earl keep doing it?
“B’nai Brith is a service
organization and I’ve been at it for
40 or 50 years not because it’s just a
Jewish organization but it involves
our entire community,” Barish said.
“This particular B’nai Brith
program truly exemplifies our
commitment to our whole
community here in Winnipeg. It is
one of the most rewarding days that
I have experienced each year for the
last six years. It’s just a wonderful
afternoon.” l
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sportslife / 27
Nicholas Peters: Working to
Make Football Dreams Come True
By Jasmine Van Gerwen, Photos Courtesy of John and Fatima Peters
It’s quite amazing when someone
can calculate out their life plan and
accomplish their football dreams in the
matter of only a few short years. There
are never enough words to quantify
a person’s drive and ambition for the
sport he or she loves.
The interesting aspect of young
Nicholas Peters’ football career is the
incredible number of goals he’s already
tackled in the game and he still can’t
legally drive a car.
At the tumultuous age of 13 he’s
already focused on his life’s goal. Of
course, he’s had the same aspirations
since the age of three. Football peaked
his interest as a toddler. In fact, he
would put on his cousin’s helmet
and play the game with his dad, John
Peters.
At the age of six he started to play
for the St.Vital Mustangs and once
he turned 11, his parents, John and
Fatima, saw his dedication and
recognized his natural skills and
registered him for the Offence/Defense
Camp at Northern State College in
Arizona. These camps are offered in a
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28 / sportslife
from 8-14 and opportunity to improve
their games and each group of kids is
paired up according to their birth years
and by the positions they play.
The event is a full time commitment
during the week the kids attend and
with a special invitation, Nicholas, a
runningback, was allowed to stay in the
College dorms for three nights. During
his time at the camp in July, Nicholas
and the boys got up for a grueling
three-hour early morning practice,
then the boys would play in teams for
the remainder of the day. The players
spent seven hours a day in the Arizona
heat, battling to determine who would
earn positions for the All American
Bowl.
As a result of his determination
and hard work, Nicholas was named
the MVP at the O/D Camp in Arizona
and was invited to play in the 2012
All American Bowl in Houston, Tex.,
during the Christmas holidays. In
2013 Nicholas was referred to the O/D
camps, which were then held Kansas
City. From this round of training camps
he won the Performance Award and
once again earned a spot in the
All American Bowl, this time in
Orlando, Fla.
While still playing for the
Mustangs, Nicholas was able
to achieve his short-term goal
and has now been accepted into
St. Paul’s High School for the
2014-2015 season. Just 13, he’ll
step in and start with the Junior
Varsity Crusaders this fall.
As far as his long-term
aspirations are concerned,
once he completes St.Paul’s he
hopes to earn a scholarship to
a University in the United States
and, maybe, someday, play in the
NFL. Since he was old enough to
cheer on his favourite team, the
Minnesota Vikings, he’s dreamed
of playing in the greatest football
league in the world. Nicholas has
had the pleasure to attend three
Vikings games, one of which
while he was in Houston. Not
surprisingly, his favourite player
is Vikings All-Pro runningback
Adrian Peterson.
When Nicholas isn’t training
and playing during the season
he trains regularly with Recruit
Ready. This summer, he
played in the Red River Cup at
Investors Group Field and was
one of the youngest players in
the inter-provincial Under-16
tournament.
During
the football
season, Peters
practices four times
a week, two-to-three
hours each training
session. Like most
athletes, Nicholas
has developed his
own pre-game
preparation rituals,
which involve
watching prerecorded Viking
games, listening to
music and eating
doesn’t even talk to his family until
after the game. He takes football very
seriously and fortunately, he hasn’t
endured any serious injuries aside
from the bruises, jammed fingers, and
body aches that often happen after
training sessions.
When asked what he believes he has
accomplished and where he sees his
career heading, Nicholas said: “If you
want to succeed in your life dream, you
need to work hard and give 110% each
time you’re out on the field.”
Words to live by for any young
football player. l
protein (he
loves bacon).
By game time,
he’s in “the
zone” and is
so focused, he
sportslife / 29
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30 / sportslife
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