|
Written by Dylan Purcell
|
|
Monday, February 09 2009, 3:33 PM |
Just a short one this week, as I write from what feels like my deathbed but is likely just a bout of pneumonia . . .
In a month sure to be full of big announcements, the first one comes today when the Lethbridge Hurricanes announce the inductees for this year’s Hall of Fame class.
Nobody in the organization’s front office is talking but I’ve heard we may be seeing a famous group of brothers inducted this year alongside a popular coach. If you haven’t figured out who the coach might be, let me say that his career has really taken “flight.”
•••
I’ve also heard that U of L men’s basketball head coach Mike Connolly has lined up a pair of top recruits. I can’t say anything for sure but one of them made it to YouTube. Just search on “Chestermere Lakers Alley-oop.” It’s impressive and I can already see a healthy Quinn Van Gaalen throwing those passes. Or maybe I see Ken Otieno on the receiving end. Or maybe that Todd Bergen-Henengouwen I’ve been hearing about. Or is that Robbie Olsen?
It’s just wishful thinking that all those kids would stay in Lethbridge to play hoops for the university, but I think I speak for every high school and university basketball fan when I say that if you stay here, you become a big fish. Go elsewhere and it’s often a disappearing act.
This isn’t the local media strong-arming or anything like that. If an NCAA school comes calling, go for it. But remember, too. the fans here love the local kids and the media does, too. It gives young players a chance to grow at their own pace. And Connolly gives those young players a ton of court time. There’s no other school in the CIS that would have given Van Gaalen the playing time he received with Lethbridge last year.
And I know that as much as parents like to say things like “play for a contender,” players just want to play. And I think with a few of the kids from this bumper recruiting crop, the Pronghorns will be a contender soon.
•••
Today marks one year until the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. I know this thanks to a quick conversation with Carol Thibert. Carol’s got a job description from the city (Leisure Services co-ordinator or something) but it does a tremendous disservice to all the work she does outside of that portfolio. While my job description may flatter me, Carol’s doesn’t even begin to describe what she does.
Carol and a group of folks, including the Be Fit for Life Centre’s Winter Walk group will be honouring the one-year countdown tonight at 6 p.m. at Henderson Lake Park in front of the Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens.
•••
Have I mentioned the Alberta 55-plus Winter Games yet?
I might sound like a shill, but souvenir merchandise is available at their office in downtown Lethbridge — Suite 200, 324 – 5 Street South — and it’s being done by a good friend of mine.
Scratch that, Fred Trinh may not want anyone to know we’re friends (for that matter, he may not believe it). But he’s doing a great job with the souvenir merchandise. Athletes and their families will be able to personalize shirts with photos from the competition, coming Feb. 19-22, and I’m thinking you should include a slogan. How about “My Grandma beat yours at Scrabble.”
Or “The 2009 55-plus Winter Games in Lethbridge — They’ll blow you away.” (2008 copyright J. Collin Beazer and Paul Stevenson)
Check out www.55pluswintergames.com for more information. Or just swing by and say hi and take a look at some of the wares. You’ll come away with some nice, reasonably priced swag and a smile.
•••
Take a look at today’s brief story about the Kai Yip Boxing Club and you’ll see that Lethbridge’s Kevin Frank lost to Josh Maser. Maser is the son of the Maser’s who own the Medicine Hat Tigers.
The secret to intimidating anyone associated with the Tigers is simple: Carry a picture of Dwight King around in your pocket. It certainly works on Matt McCue . . .
•••
Finally, congratulations to Casey and Jessie Scheidegger, Kalynn Park and Jayme Coutts.
Southern Alberta should be proud of these young women for their performance at the national junior curling championships.
“No matter how hard the loss, defeat might serve as well as victory to shape the soul and let the glory out.”
— Al Gore
|
