WHSFL Player of the Year, Brady Oliveira leads

Fall/Winter Issue 2014
Winnipeg Edition
sportslife
Live . Play . Connect
WHSFL Player
of the Year,
Brady Oliveira
leads Oak Park
to the Title
sportslife
Live . Play . Connect
sportslife
Live . Play . Connect
sportslife
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Contents
12
WHSFL
Championships
4 / sportslife
06the starting line-up 14 Basketball star
Hottest News Stories in
Manitoba Sports
09Sport’s-U
Sign Up Now for Spring Football
10 FLIGHT DECK Program
Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries
11 Winnipeg’s Ogoms
Honoured as NCAA Tournament
Approaches
Travis Krahn
Loving the Game
16 Ringette4u
Popularity Climbing or Dropping?
18 Shelly Paton
Best in the World
21 Manta Swim Club
The Future is Now
12 High School Football 22Your Community
Championships
Oak Park Wins Potter Title
Billboard
Show Your Support Locally
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
COVER PHOTO:
Jeff Miller
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jeff Miller/100 Acre Woods Photography
Tara Miller/100 Acre Woods Photography
Kelly Morton
Manta Swim Club
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Scott Taylor
Caitlyn Gowriluk
SportsLife Team
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 that time of
the season
By Scott Taylor
W
e have reached the
official arrival of
winter and the big switch
that comes at the end of
November every year is
already upon us.
The football season
has ended and the Oak
Park Raiders, University
of Manitoba Bisons and
St. Paul’s Crusaders were
among the big winners.
The volleyball season ended with the Provincial
Championships in November and now we’re into the
2014-15 basketball season. The Wesmen, Bisons and all
the high school leagues are kicking it into gear.
As we say good-bye to the fall season, we say good-bye
to so many remarkable performances. As you will learn
in this issue of SportsLife, young Te Jessie might be the
next great Manitoba football player, but you certainly
can’t ignore the brilliance of our cover boy, Brady
Oliveira. Oliveira had a season for the ages for the Oak
Park Raiders and when he and his teammates held on to
beat a terrific team from St. Paul’s, it was one of the most
memorable moments in the history of the Winnipeg
High School Football League.
It’s pretty hard to ignore the outstanding play of the
Mennonite Brethren Hawks senior varsity girls volleyball
team, too. A team with only eight players was trimmed
to seven when the province’s top player, Katie Friesen,
was injured. But the Hawks persevered and finished No.
2 in the province.
From lacrosse star Jared Courchene to cross-country
champion Jay Ort to hockey goalie Devan Johnson and
to University of Winnipeg basketball star Travis Krahn,
the seasons are changing. Courchene and Ort move
indoors and Johnson and Krahn move into the spotlight.
It is ever thus. And make no mistake, we here at
SportsLife will be there to report on every minute of it.
– SCOTT TAYLOR
Editor-In-Chief
sportslife / 5
the
Starting
Line-Up
By Scott Taylor
SportsLife Magazine
brings you the red-hot
news stories in Manitoba
sports. Photos by Jeff and
Tara Miller and James
Carey Lauder
Sturgeon Heights Star Now Playing at Liberty University
Jared Courchene was named Male Varsity athlete of the year at
Sturgeon Heights Collegiate in 2014. It wasn’t surprising. After all,
Courchene was the best hockey players in the Winnipeg High School
Hockey League and also one of the finest lacrosse players in the
province.
Courchene, who lives in Winnipeg but whose family hails from
Sagkeeng First Nation, was the Most Valuable Player of the Platinum
Promotions Division of the WHSHL this season. He was also the
Huskies MVP. He was also a member of the 2014 aboriginal Team
Manitoba that finished fourth at the National Aboriginal Hockey
Championship in Kahnawake, Que.
As well, Courchene is a remarkable lacrosse player who led the
Huskies to the MLA provincial high school lacrosse championship. He
has formally committed to a lacrosse scholarship at Lincoln Memorial
University in Harrowgate, Tenn., where he is now studying sciences.
Goldeyes Pitcher Stays in Winnipeg to Curl
Lefthanded relief pitcher Brendan Lafferty had his
second straight outstanding season for the Winnipeg
Goldeyes in 2014. He led the American Association in
appearances with 55 games and pitched 50.2 innings
out of the bullpen. He had a record of 0-3 with six
saves and a 2.66 earned run average.
And despite the fact, he was born and raised
in Southern California, he has decided to stay in
Winnipeg for the off-season. He’ll help the Goldeyes
with some ticket sales, work as the public address
announcer for St. Boniface Riels Jr. hockey games and
curl on a team with a bullpen catcher Josh Drews,
clubhouse assistant manager Jake Zelenewich
and Goldeyes radio play-by-play announcer Steve
Schuster, another American who has no curling
experience.
“We’re 4-0 already,” said Lafferty with a smile.
“Pretty good considering Josh and I are lefthanded
curlers.” Pretty good considering two of the curlers
on the team have virtually no experience at all.
6 / sportslife
how tough are you? FMG’s tactical challenge is coming
It’s still 10 months away, but the Tactical Challenge just might require 10
months of training in which to prepare. On Aug. 22, 2015, at The Forks in
Winnipeg, you will have an opportunity to participate in a competition
that is also a re-enactment of what Canadian Armed Forces went through
during the Second World War and other missions over the course of their
proud history. You will not only prove you’re in the best physical condition
of your life, you will also prove you’re the toughest hombre in the West.
And you might even learn a little Canadian history while you’re at it.
Organized and presented by Facility Marketing Group, the same people
who bring you the Dragon Boat Races every year at The Forks, FMG’s
Tactical Challenge will offer the toughest road race you’ve ever entered.
While the U.S. Marine Corps’ Warrior Dash is tough, it’s not even in the
same league as FMG’s Tactical Challenge.
“This is not for the faint of heart,” said organizer Scott Walker, a former
member of the Canadian military. “This is for athletes who really want to
test their limits. This is for people who believe they have what it takes to
experience the same types of challenges our troops faced in actual historical battles. This is for men and women
who are not only tremendous athletes but hard-nosed, confident and very, very tough. It won’t be easy to finish.
We understand that it might not be easy to start.”
Ort Finishes High School Cross-Country Career Undefeated
Jay Ort, of the Carman Collegiate Cougars cross-country team might be the best athlete to
come out of Carman since Eddie Belfour. The Rural High School Athlete of the Week back
in late October, Ort is a 5-foot-10 racer who won his fourth consecutive gold medal at the
Provincial Cross Country Championships. He went undefeated in MHSAA cross country
competition throughout his four years of high school.
“One of his main talents leading to his success is that he can get out of bed in the morning
to train,” said Cougars coach Lyle Myers. “He is an extremely hard worker, which has paid
off with this tremendous accomplishment of winning four consecutive championships.”
Ort is a Grade 12 student who maintains a 97 per cent average. He also participates in
badminton, and track & field.
no one has won more matches than garth pischke
Back in late October, the University of Manitoba Bisons
men’s volleyball team swept the University of Regina
Cougars. However, it wasn’t just “another win,” for
the men’s volleyball team. Head coach Garth Pischke
set the North American all-time coaching match win
record for men’s volleyball with his 1,240th overall
victory.
“This was not just another match,” said Pischke
following his team’s remarkable win. “I am thinking
about a lot of very good players and teams and all
the memories. It has been fun to be a part of it. It was
cool to win and break the record at home. For me, it
would not have been as special and emotional if it was
accomplished on the road. I was happy our team won
in front of family and fans.”
Pischke’s 1240 wins is also the most by a head coach
in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) history.
sportslife / 7
johnson proves that skill matters, not gender
The Stonewall Collegiate Rams boys hockey team got off to a great start this season. In
fact, the Rams opened the season 2-0 on a pair of shutouts by goalie Devan Johnson.
Johnson is a small goalie, just 5-foot-6, but she has plenty of skill and a gigantic
heart. That’s right, “she.” A Grade 12 student who is in her third season as the Rams No.
1 varsity goalie, Devan maintains a 90 per cent average and back in Grade 10, led the
Rams to the championship game of the Winnipeg High School Hockey League.
“Devan is a leader on the hockey team, not only by her play, but her work ethic,” says
Rams coach Kyle Nixon. “She’s a first-on-the-ice, last-one-off-it kind of athlete, and
any team success for the Rams is directly a result of her performance in net.”
Pendrel, Garrigan Win National Cyclocross Race
Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) and Mike Garrigan (Van Dessel-POC) won maple
leaf jerseys emblematic of the female and male winners of the Canadian Cyclocross
Championships at the Forks late last month.
In both elite races the strongest riders established front groups early. Pendrel gained
the lead in lap two and maintained it, holding off teammate Maghalie Rochette and
British Columbia’s Sandra Walter (LIV Canada) after Mical Dyck of Stan’s NoTubes washed out on a grassy offcamber corner that challenged the men’s elite field as well.
Garrigan, who led from the first lap, barely held on to win the men’s elite race In fact, it came down to a nailbiting finish as hard-chasing Geoff Kabush (SCOTT 3Rox) and Winnipeg’s Michael van den Ham (Trek Red Truck
p/b Mosaic Homes) nearly caught Garrigan. In the end, it was a great day for racing.
Oak Bank’s Ryan Blair off to National Drive, Chip and Putt
Winnipeg’s gifted golfer, 11-year-old Ryan Blair spent the summer of 2014
competing all over the United States in the PGA of America’s Drive Chip & Putt
competition. After a spectacular performance, Blair was one of 80 competitors –
out of 40,000 – to earn a trip to Augusta to compete in the National Finals during
the 2015 Masters Championship at legendary Augusta National Golf Club.
In fact, the Masters will kick off this coming April with the Drive Chip & Putt
National Finals. The 80 youngsters will be grouped in four age categories: 7-9, 1011, 12-13 and 14. Each age group will have a boys and girls division. Ryan, a lefty, is
the only boy from Canada to qualify. Full coverage of the finals will be broadcast by
NBC sports on the Golf Channel.
“Ryan is a very pleasant young man with similar interests to most 11-year -old boys,” said his dad, Jeff. “He plays
hockey in Oak Bank, where we live, for the Springfield Ice Hawks and attends Grade 6 at the Springfield Middle
School. He’s a pretty normal young kid except for the fact that he is going to compete at Augusta National.”
University of Winnipeg On Board for Stadium Concept
Rick Henkewich, the commissioner of the Winnipeg High School Football League, has
for some time promoted the idea of a 5,000-seat stadium for high school football on the
field at Tec Voc. It’s a perfect spot and it makes so much more sense – in terms of optics –
than playing big games at Investors Group Field. That place is just too big for high school
football.
Henkewich’s dream has garnered plenty of support although the look of the building plans has changed over
time. Currently, plans are being made to build a 2,000-seat stadium at Tec Voc and because of that, support is
growing.
In early November, University of Winnipeg athletic director Doran Reid told SportsLife that he was behind the
plan as a soccer venue for the Wesmen teams. Henkewich has never had a problem sharing his dream with the
soccer community. In fact, this marriage might be exactly what the project needs to get jump started.
8 / sportslife
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or call Coach Dean at 204-890-7339
sportslife / 9
Amateur youth
sports teams
attend Jets and
Blue Bombers
games through
MLL Flight Deck
program
By Winnipeg SportsLife
Yusef Hawash coaches the varsity
football team at Churchill High School.
His wife, Stacy, coaches the defending
provincial girls basketball champion,
Vincent Massey Trojans. Together, they
have been part of the Manitoba Liquor
and Lotteries Flight Deck program at
Winnipeg Jets games.
“Stacy took her basketball kids one
night and on another night, I took the
football players, Grade 9-12 kids, from
Churchill,” said Yusef. “They absolutely
had a great time. They were all really
excited when the Jets introduced us
and put us on the big screen.
“I’m certain many of our kids had
never been in MTS Centre, let alone
seen a live NHL game. We had a great
time.”
Yusef’s feelings about the
Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries
Flight Deck program have been
echoed by hundreds of coaches
across the province. After all,
during the past three years,
hundreds of amateur youth sports
teams from across the province
have been delighted to attend a Jets
or Blue Bombers home game as part
of the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries
Flight Deck program.
“We are thrilled to bring these
young athletes together to share in
the Winnipeg Jets experience,” says
Larry Wandowich, Chief Community
Relations and Marketing Officer for
Liquor and Lotteries.
“Communities from across Manitoba
have really embraced this opportunity
to send their youth to these games.
It’s a tremendous team-building
experience, and a chance to celebrate
the volunteer efforts of coaches and
assistant coaches.”
Each of the Jets home games this
10 / sportslife
season will see Flight Deck host 24
youth and their coaches. These young
athletes represent various sports –
not just hockey – and will enjoy the
collective excitement of cheering for
the Jets in the Flight Deck’s designated
section.
The Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries
Flight Deck launched in October
2011 beginning with
the Jets’ 2011/2012 season. To date,
more than 3,600 young amateur
athletes and their coaches from across
the province have been thrilled to
attend a hockey or football game from
the Flight Deck.
Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries has
a long history of supporting sport in
Manitoba and is committed to helping
community organizations through
event sponsorships, fundraising
support and volunteerism.
“Our kids had a great time,” said
Hawash with a smile. “The kids loved
every minute of the experience. We
had our photos taken, got on the
big screen and really enjoyed the
game. The kids were
excited. It was a great,
great night.” l
Winnipeg’s Ogoms
Honoured As NCAA
Tournament Approaches
By Scott Taylor
St. Mary’s Academy graduate, Alicia
Ogoms, has come a long way since she
was named MVP led St. Mary’s to a
provincial crown in 2011.
On Tuesday, the daughter of former
University of Manitoba basketball
stars Laura Kwiatkowski and Joe
Ogoms received All-Pac 12 women’s
volleyball honorable mention. It was
her first conference honorable mention
nod. She was a Pac-12 All-Freshman
honorable mention in 2012.
Ogoms leads USC in hitting
percentage (.370) and ranks fourth
overall in the Pac-12. She also leads
the Trojans in blocks (0.99 bps) and
set career highs in every statistical
category this season.
Ogoms, a 6-foot-4 junior middle
blocker, also received Pac-12 AllAcademic honorable mention
this season and was a member
of the all-tournament team
at the Community Bankers
Volleyball Classic.
Ogoms was the top-ranked
high school volleyball player
in Manitoba as a senior.
She was named MVP of the
West Winnipeg Athletic
Conference and was selected
to the All-Manitoba Team.
In 2011, she was selected
MVP of the Provincial
Championships where
she led the Flames to the
MHSAA AAAA title.
Alicia played club
volleyball for the Cobra
Volleyball Club under Phil
Hudson and Jon Hykawy
and was named 2012 MVP
of the Manitoba Club
Volleyball Provincials. She
was selected as an All-Star
in the Canadian Open
Club Championship and
was named Under-18 Tier
1 Female Age
Class Player
of the Year as
she guided
CVB to the
Manitoba
Club
Provincial
gold medal.
After an
injury-plagued
season in
2013, Alicia
has emerged
as one of the
top volleyball
players in the NCAA.
The Women of Troy (15-15, 8-12 Pac12) finished 10th in their conference,
but were selected to the program’s 24th
straight NCAA tournament (32nd alltime). l
sportslife / 11
High School Footba
Oak Park Upsets St. Paul’s
in Thriller to Win WHSFL
Potter Title
By Scott Taylor, Photos by Jeff Miller
12 / sportslife
all Championships
Oak Park Raiders quarterback, Ethan Diakow
stood in the middle of Investors Group Field
and tried to think of something to say. He had
just led his team to the Triple A High School
football championship and he was stumped.
“This is priceless,” said Diakow with a
smile. “Words can’t describe the way I’m
feeling right now.”
On Friday, Nov. 7, at Investors Group Field,
Diakow and the Raiders upset the St. Paul’s
Crusaders 17-16 to win the Anavets Cup,
emblematic of the Potter Division Triple A
Championship of the Winnipeg High School
Football League. It was as classic a football
game as most insiders had expected and it
was won with grit, determination and a little
bit of luck.
Earlier in the evening, the Crusaders
Double A team won the Vidruk Division
championship with a 30-6 win over the
Steinbach Sabres. On Thursday, Vincent
Massey (Winnipeg) Trojans defeated
Oak Park 45-20 to win the Junior Varsity
championship while West Kildonan defeated
St. Norbert 12-8 to win the Currie Division
Single A title.
In the Potter final, it was a battle of huge
offensive and defensive lines, brilliant
runningbacks and gifted quarterbacks.
On its opening possession, St. Paul’s
opened the scoring with a 16-yard field goal
by quarterback/kicker Drake Lesperance.
Surprisingly, that was it for the defending
champions – and a team that had won 39
consecutive games – for the entire first half.
In the second quarter, Oak Park did all of
its damage. Brady Oliveira, who rushed for
more than 100 yards against the best defense
he’d seen all season, rambled off tackle for
20 yards and a touchdown to make it 7-3.
Niko DeFonte then kicked a 37-yard field
goal to make it 10-3 and just before the half
ended, Ryan Wolfe powered one yard for a
touchdown after Diakow had hit wideout
Andre Ellison on a 40-yard pass that took the
ball down near the goal line.
In the third quarter, St. Paul’s offensive and
defensive lines took control of the trenches
and the Crusaders nearly came back.
After a long drive sparked by the rushing
of Trevor Wright (who also ran for more
than 100 yards) to open the second half,
Lesperance carried the final yard for a
touchdown and with his own extra point
made the score 17-10. Later in the quarter
Lesperance kicked a 20-yard field goal to
make it 17-13.
With St. Paul’s driving again, Oak Park gave
up a safety to make it 17-15 and just when
it looked like the Crusaders had the Raiders
backed up in their own zone Oliveira broke
off a 38-yard run to move the football in Oak
Park territory.
However, after the Raiders turned the
ball over on downs, St. Paul made its final
comeback with three minutes remaining.
While an injury to Wright nearly stalled their
attack, Lesperance drove the ball down to the
Oak Park 13-yard line with four seconds left.
Lesperance lined up for a 20-yard field
goal, but hooked it left and while it went for
a single point, that was it. 17-16. With four
seconds remaining, Diakow took a knee twice
and the Raiders started their celebration.
“If it wasn’t for our coaches, this would not
have happened,” said Diakow modestly. “Mr.
(Stu) Nixon, Coach (Dave) Black, all of our
coaches, were the reasons for our success.
When we fumbled or I threw an interception
and or we gave up a big play, the coaches
were always there to calm us down and get us
focused. The coaches always had our backs.
The coaches made this happen.”
Oak Park won the title in 2010, but for the
past three seasons, St. Paul’s had dominated.
Last year, the Raiders finished seventh in the
Potter Division, but thanks to the addition of
Oliveira – a former North Winnipeg Nomad
who attended a Prep School in Ontario last
year – and changes to the offense, the Raiders
bounced back to win their third Potter
Division title since the formation of the Triple
A football division in 2006. St. Paul’s has won
five Potter titles, Oak Park has won three and
that tremendous Churchill team in 2008 that
boasted current Toronto Argos linebacker
Thomas Miles, has won one.
In the Double A final, quarterback Riley
Naujoks and big runningback Morgan Wokes
led St. Paul’s to a 16-0 halftime lead and
a relatively easy win over the 2012 Currie
Division champions from Steinbach. Wokes
scored a pair of rushing touchdowns while
Naujoks hit Bruce Stubbings on an 86-yard
pass-and-run play to put the game out of
reach.
The St. Paul’s Double A team has now won
20 games in a row. l
sportslife / 13
Basketball Star Travis
Krahn: Loving the Game
By Scott Taylor, Photos by Kelly Morton
It’s unlikely anyone became as good
a basketball player as quickly as
Winkler’s Travis Krahn did. In fact, he’d
barely been playing the game for a year
when its was suggested to him that he
should try out for the provincial team.
“I was a hockey player in Winkler,”
said Krahn matter-of-factly. “I played
14 / sportslife
a lot of sports when I was younger, but
hickey was my game. I used to go to
watch my older brother play basketball
and I liked the game, but I didn’t start
to play until I was in Grade 9.
“In Grade 9, I attended an AIA
(Athletes in Action) camp and Coach
(Stephen) Tackie from Sturgeon
Heights said to me that I should try out
for the provincial team. So I went out
for the Under-15 provincial team and
made it. I played with the provincial
team at 16 and 17. I really wanted
to get involved with the basketball
community. I fell in love with the game
and I made a commitment to it.”
These days Travis Krahn is a fourthyear shooting guard with a very good
University of Winnipeg Wesmen team.
Just before the Christmas break, the
Wesmen swept the UBC Thunderbirds.
The 90-81 win in the opening game of
the two-game weekend series marked
the first time the Wesmen had beaten
UBC since 2005.
It left the Wesmen at 5-3 in Canada
West and Krahn played a major role
in the team’s success. He played more
than 35 minutes in each game and
scored 13 points in the series opener
and six more in the 77-67 win in game
two.
He has been an outstanding
player for Wesmen head coach Mike
Raimbault for the past four seasons,
but he took a rather circuitous route
getting to the U of W.
“I had a pretty good high school
career and was recruited by coach
Gene Wolverton at Briercrest College
in Alberta,” said Krahn, who averaged
28.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and five
assists in his senior year at Winkler’s
Garden Valley Collegiate. “I was playing
at Briercrest and Coach Raimbault
saw me play and talked to me about
transferring to the U of W. I thought
about it for a short time and decided
to come back home. Now, I’m in my
fourth year and I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Krahn is a shooting guard who was
a high-school bomber. He once scored
51 at Garden Valley. In that game, he
made 14 three-pointers. This season,
he’s averaging 9.4 points in 30.6
minutes per game.
Not surprisingly, Coach Raimbault
has enjoyed having Krahn in the
program. After one year at Briercrest
and four at the U of W, Krahn has
only about three months of university
basketball remaining. Raimbault will be
sad to see him leave the program.
“He’s one of the hardest working
kids we’ve ever had in the program,”
the coach said. “When he was in high
school, he was one of the top players
in the province (ranked No. 6 in his
senior year at Garden Valley) and while
small school players don’t always reach
the level that Travis has reached, he’s
been tremendous no matter where he’s
from. He definitely had to overcome the
small-town stigmas and he’s done it, no
doubt about that.”
He’s also an outstanding student. An
Academic All-Canadian in 2014, his
major is criminal justice and his marks
are off the hook.
“My plan is to go into policing,”
he said. “I’m just waiting for the next
recruiting class and I intend to apply
after graduation.”
But graduation is still more than
four months away. Right now, he’s got
a chance to lead a U of W team to a
conference championship.
“We play in the States on Dec. 13
and then we have the Wesmen Classic
starting on Dec. 27,” Krahn pointed
out. “We definitely have the pieces
on this team to go a long way. We’re a
great team in spurts. But we can be a
dominant force. But we have to work on
our consistency so that we do it for 40
minutes every night. As you can tell, I’m
really excited to see where we’ll go with
this team after Christmas.”
Coach Raimbault is excited about his
team, too, but he’s just as excited to see
how good Krahn can be in his final year.
“He’s just a great kid,” Raimbault said.
“We really love having him here.” l
sportslife / 15
Ringette4U: Popularity
climbing or dropping?
Parents, organizers sound off on one of the sport’s newest programs
By Caitlyn Gowriluk
Last year was an eventful one for the ringette community in
Manitoba; one of these events was the implementation of
Ringette4U, a program for players 3-8 years old.
Nancy Tovell, a parent from St. James, is in the middle of
her daughter’s first year of Ringette4U. Tovell, who has played
ringette her whole life, also has an older daughter playing
the sport – when her oldest daughter first started playing,
however, Ringette4U did not exist yet.
An instructor-led program, Ringette4U focuses on
developing participants’ athletic abilities. By combining
specific lessons and split ice games, program facilitators hope
to expand the skill level of participants while also engaging
them in fun competition.
There are several differences between the age level which is
now the new Ringette4U program and its predecessor (which
was called the Bunnies age group); Tovell lists among them a
stronger emphasis on learning the skills of the game before
the players have to worry about the rules. “I think the way the
program is set up gets rid of a lot of the frustration that often
comes with learning a new sport,” she adds.
At the beginning of the season, each child’s abilities are
assessed to ensure that they enter the program at the right
stage for their development. Each stage is tailored to the
participants’ abilities, and strives to make learning a new
sport and engaging in physical activity fun.
Although many of the changes that came with the new
program were largely considered improvements, “part of
what’s lost with this new program is not making it more of a
team atmosphere,” notes Tovell, explaining that her daughter
is in a level in which each squad is cut into two, so that players
rarely find themselves
playing with the same
girls. This issue is
further amplified in
situations like Tovell’s
where teams with low
registration numbers
are combined. Overall,
however, Tovell
remains steadfast
in her support, and
maintains that she
would still recommend
the program to others.
“It’s still a learning
sport,” she says, “and
it’s still a team sport.”
Nicki Burbank,
Ringette4U Program
Coordinator, has
been involved with
Lexus Remillard and
Lexus Conway
16 / sportslife
the program since its inception and notes that while the
program is successful already, its popularity seems to only be
growing. “I believe that this program reaches a new audience,”
says Burbank. “We have a number of associations that are
getting younger players involved because we have created an
environment in which both the children and the parents can
feel comfortable in.”
Several parents of program participants have already
noted the improvement of the Ringette4U program over the
former Bunnies age group. Jason Coreau, a long-time ringette
parent from Transcona with three daughters involved in the
sport (one of whom is in her second year of Ringette4U) is a
staunch supporter of the program. “I think the best part of the
program is the trained instructors and the skills and formal
coaching that [the players] are getting,” he says, as opposed
to having a parent coaching the team, which was typical in
the Bunnies age group. Coreau, despite being a passionate
advocate of the program, thinks that if anything, the program
could improve their communication with parents. “I know
they’re trying,” he explains, “but there’s just so many questions
that get fired at you from every different parent out there... I
know the feeling of how the program works now, but not all
parents do.”
Burbank notes, however, that communication between
parents and organizers is largely left in the hands of individual
associations. “Every association is going to be different,”
she explains. “I find that associations that promote the
program positively, share information with their parents and
are involved in their program experience, greatly affect the
numbers in their area.”
While complaints about the program seem to be rare,
organizers plan to meet any challenges with proactive
solutions. Laralie Higginson, Executive Director of the
Manitoba Ringette Association, has also been involved with
the Ringette4U program since it began, and explains that
given that it is a relatively new program, there are going to
be ‘growing pains’. She also notes that the program is under
constant evaluation by teams of volunteers. “These volunteers
do a great job bringing challenges encountered by the
program forward and working together to devise solutions to
meet the challenges,” says Higginson.
Despite noting possible areas of improvement for the
Ringette4U program, Coreau emphasizes his preference for
the new program. “I definitely prefer Ringette4U, it’s much
better [than Bunnies] for sure. I think the big problem is that
it wasn’t phased in, and parents that had older kids maybe
felt that they were going backwards... Some of those parents,
especially the ones that had never coached before, didn’t see
the benefit of the fundamental skills they were teaching the
girls.” While Coreau acknowledges where there may have been
missteps in the program, his support is unwavering. “I have
no doubt that when my youngest daughter moves up, she will
be miles ahead of where my older daughters were at her age.
That’s because of Ringette4U.” l
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sportslife / 17
Now That She Has Some
Experience, Winnipeg’s
Shelly Paton is Among the
Best in the World
By Scott Taylor
Shelly Paton will always remind people,
“If you do what you’ve always done,
you’ll get what you’ve always got.”
In 1999, at the age of 35, Shelly Paton
tried something new. It would be
impossible to suggest that it didn’t get
her more than she ever imagined.
Today, Mrs. Paton is a professional
fitness competitor. She qualified to
become a professional at age 49 and
just had a pretty terrific 2014 season.
It’s unheard of, but this is a Winnipeg
woman who found a passion a little
later in life and ran with it as hard as she
possibly could. Now, the rewards are
rolling in.
These days, Paton is a CESP certified
personal trainer who is also certified
through the Manitoba Fitness Council,
with more 25 years of experience
in Fitness. She does the bulk of her
personal training at Strategym, but she
also teaches fitness classes at Image
Fitness on Ness and Urban Wellness
in City Place and also has a number of
private clients. It’s a nice, healthy life.
“I started competing in Fitness in
1999 with no gymnastics experience
just a dance background,” she said
with a sigh. “I was a Yo-Yo dieter and
wanted to get in better shape. I was
teaching fitness classes and personal
training part time back then, as well.
I heard that they were adding a new
category called Fitness to the Manitoba
Amateur Bodybuilding Association.
Until then there was only body building
for women.
“Anyway, I was approached by a
women named Kary Odiatu. Who
knew back then that we would become
such good friends and share the same
goal of being an IFBB Pro in Fitness.
Kary reached her goal in the 90s and I
looked up to her and she was such an
inspiration. Still is
“I joined her gymnastics class, which
was quite the humbling experience. I
was the oldest one there and no past
history with gymnastics. I learned to do
my first handspring at 35.”
18 / sportslife
Shelly did very well in
her first year. Even with
very little gymnastics
experience, she managed
to make the Top 5 at the
CBBF championships.
“It was televised by TSN
then,” she laughed, “ one
of my husband’s favorite
channels.”
She competed for a few
years but would always
just seem to fall short in
the physique round. She
could never seem to make
it onto the podium at the
Nationals. Then, she made
another change.
“In 2010 I decided to
approach a trainer named
Darren Mehling,” she said.
“I told him I would only
compete if I could get
that winning physique,
particularly the coveted
six-pack of abs. This is
where I feel I always fell short and I
would only step back on stage if I had
that six pack.”
Coach Mehling told her, bluntly: “
You will have a six pack,” and while she
didn’t believe a word of it, she followed
everything instruction that came out of
his mouth.
“I never missed a cardio session or
a weight training session and I never
cheated on my diet, unless Coach gave
me the OK to do so,” she said. “Well
I got my six pack and went on to win
the whole show in 2010: Best Routine,
Masters Fitness, Fitness Short and the
Overall Provincial Champion. All at the
age of 45.”
Not surprisingly, she called it, “One of
the happiest and most memorable days
of my life.”
“Coach and his wife, the co-owners of
Freak Fitness convinced me to get back
onto the national stage,” Shelly said. “In
my heart, I really didn’t think I had what
it takes to be a National champion. I
am much older
than most
of the ladies
competing
in Fitness. In
Fitness, there
are no age
categories. I
have always
competed and
still compete
against ladies
as young as 19.
I am 30 years
older than
many of them.
After winning
three national
titles and
Overall Fitness
Champion in
2013, I had finally accomplished my
dream – I had earned my Professional
Card at age 49.
“Darren helped me believe in myself
and assured me that if I did the work
in the gym and in the kitchen, I could
do it. I never gave up and I followed
everything he said.”
Not only is becoming a professional
Fitness competitor difficult, but Paton
accomplished her goal in the midst of a
terribly bad stretch.
“The hardest time I had was in 2011
when I lost both my parents in a matter
of three months,” she said. “My father
in June 2011and my mother in October
2011, both to cancer. The gym helped
me get through, along with my very
supportive husband Bruce. I am blessed
to have such great support from him.
Although he does not compete himself,
he volunteers at every one of our
MABBA shows and plays an integral part
of making our shows run so smoothly.”
After winning the World Qualifier
in 2012, Paton also qualified for the
national team that represented Canada
at the Worlds in Bialystok, Poland in
October of that year.
“This was another fantastic
experience,” she said. “I made the Finals
and ended up in sixth place. It was
amazing.”
In 2013, at the National World
Qualifier in Winnipeg, Paton won the
overall title and earned her professional
card. Not surprisingly, her first year as a
Pro went very well.
“I did my first Pro show in May of 2014
in Toronto and placed in the Top 5 for
physique and ninth in routine,” she said.
“Routine is worth two-thirds of your
score in Pro. In Amateur it is 50 physique
and 50 routine.
“So at the Phoenix Europa Show
last weekend I was in the Top 6 for my
physique, but I had a slip and almost
fell in my routine. So I finished 12th
in routine, ranked much lower than
Toronto. But all in all it has been a
great season. I am just looking to work
harder and improve my routine so that
2015 will be the best year ever and I
can celebrate my 50th birthday on the
Fitness stage.”
It is an incredible story. At age 35 a
woman from Winnipeg decided that
professional Fitness was her goal. At
50, she’s ranked among the best in the
world. You are never too old. l
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20 / sportslife
The Future is Now at Manta
By Scott Taylor, Photos courtesy of Manta Swim Club
When Manta Swim Club head coach
Tom Hainey is in the pool with his
athletes, he doesn’t spend a lot of time
thinking about the future. Instead, he’s
focused on the task at hand – getting his
elite swimmers ready for the nest meet
and the next race.
Thinking about the future is usually a
job reserved for Coach Szilvie Carriere.
She’s the assistant head coach at Manta,
the coach of the Rayzor Performance
team and the person Coach Hainey,
“one of the best teachers I’ve seen.”
“When I’m coaching our elite
performance athletes, I’m focusing
on people like the Simons (Meier),
the Chantals (Van Lendegham) or
the Breannes (Siwicki),” conceded
Hainey. “You have to understand, this
is an elite club. We put two kids in the
2012 Olympics. So at my level, I’m not
thinking all that much about the kids
coming up.
“But this year we’ve had four young
swimmers join our team that we knew
were kind of good swimmers, but we
really didn’t have any idea how good
they were. They were in the group
underneath me with Coach Szilvie and
they’re the graduates of that program.
Coach Szilvie does such a wonderful job
with those kids, I shouldn’t be surprised
with what we’re getting.”
Coach Hainey is “getting” four young
swimmers who are aiming to make
it onto the Western Canada Games
Team and the National Age Group
Matthew Armstrong
Michael Lajoie
Championships in 2015. They might be
only 14-years-old, but as far as Hainey
is concerned, they work hard enough to
be considered future stars and athletes
that will all be recruited by big U.S.
university programs.
Meet Matthew Armstrong, Michael
Lajoie, Ella-Rayne Aguilar and Kaylie
Hardman. They are all 14 and they are
all ready to become the next big thing.
“All four kids train in the same group
and they are supportive of each other
each day,” hainey said. “They all have
incredibly high attendance and are
unbelievably focused for such a young
age.
“When you get young kids, you first
want to know about their ability, but
also if they have the capacity to train.
These kids are training at the same level
Chantal, Breanne and Wyatt Yarish train
at.”
Matthew Armstrong, 14, swims the
distance events and the butterfly. His
ranking in the province in his main
events is either one two.
Michael Lajoie, 14, also swims the
distance events and is a butterfly
swimmer. He, too, is ranked 1-2 in his
top events in Manitoba.
Ella-Rayne Aguilar, 14, also swims the
distance events and the butterfly and
her ranking in Manitoba in her main
events is, once again, one or two.
Kaylie Hardman, 14, swims distance
events and the backstroke and guess
what? Her ranking in the province in
Supporting
Aquatic Athletes
since 1998
her main events
is either one or
two.
“These kids are very impressive
young athletes,” Coach Hainey said
proudly. “They’re workhorses and
when you have workhorses at this age,
you have a chance to train champion
swimmers.”
When Hainey says Manta is an
elite swim club, he’s not kidding.
Just recently, Manta swimmer Angeli
Rengayah was offered a scholarship to
Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
This past year, six other Manta
graduates went off to major university
programs on both sides of the border:
Wyatt Yarish (University of Calgary),
Karyl Clarete (Iowa State), Breanne
Siwicki (University of Minnesota),
Chantal Asselin (Rutgers University),
Anik Chartrand (Delta State University)
and Kendra Hinton (South Dakota State
University) all accepted scholarships to
U.S. or Canadian universities to swim
competitively.
“I know, these new young kids are
only 14 and there is a lot of learning to
be done, but these kids work harder
than most and that’s a key to success. I
think we’re looking at four kids who will
be on the national stage in short order.
“It’s exciting and it’s really exciting
in that they are all ours, local kids who
started training with Manta. These are
all kids who will be recruited by big U.S.
schools.” l
Ella-Rayne Aguilar
Kaylie Hardman
Swimming Matters
1389 Grant Ave., 1 block west of Pan-Am on the corner of Grant and Waverly | Phone: 204-489-1429
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sportslife / 21
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