Local Sports

This article appeared in the June 17, 2011 edition of the Lethbridge Herald. Winnipeg Jets forward Rick Rypien was found dead in his home in Coleman Monday. Police have said the death is not suspicious. Rypien played hockey in Lethbridge before moving on to captain the Regina Pats in the WHL. Despite not being drafted into the NHL, he eventually became a full-time player with the Vancouver Canucks.

 

Dylan Purcell

LETHBRIDGE HERALD

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The Rick Rypien who stood in the hallway, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot, seemed nothing like the NHL hockey player pummelling opponents on the big screen in the St. Francis Junior High School gym.

The 27-year-old who nervously asked is his aunt "Do I have to talk?" seemed far away from the scowling predator in the Vancouver Canucks jersey who shoved a fan in Minnesota on Oct. 19 last year, an act which garnered Rypien a seven-game suspension.

That contrast is the key to the past 12 months for Rypien.

He took an unorthodox route to being a professional hockey player, after being shunned by both the WHL and NHL drafts, the former Regina Pats captain took advantage of a tryout with the AHL's Manitoba Moose and climbed the ladder from there. His professional career proved to be unorthodox, too.

But not always in a good way. Rypien struggled with injuries and a slight change in role. While he was never going to win a scoring race in junior, he was a gritty, skilled forward in the WHL, managing 19 and 22 goals in 2003-05, his final two seasons in the league.

Almost immediately as a pro, he began the yo-yo lifestyle of a tough guy NHL fighter. He was called up and sent down for almost two seasons, but eventually established himself as a gritty, fighting forward and spent 69 games in the NHL in 2009-10. A long way from doing plyometrics in Aunt Kelly Rypien's driveway.

But the life of a fighter in the NHL isn't all fun and games and the five-foot-11 Rypien took a break for much of the 2010-11 season. The incident in Minnesota, where Rypien shoved a fan, seemed to be a catalyst.

The personal leave was not for substance abuse, and when Rypien returned, he was granted some additional time for a conditioning stint back in Winnipeg with the Moose, but a torn meniscus in his knee meant no action during the Stanley Cup playoffs.

And that's how Rick Rypien found himself standing outside the St. Francis gym while 600 students cheered as his video image scrapped through a handful of Youtube highlights. The Crowsnest Pass native was at St. Francis to hand out athletic awards, sign autographs and return home to the Pass by 11 a.m.

Two out of three ain't bad, as Rypien was late leaving the school thanks to the throng of students asking for photos and autgraphs. Even Grandma was stuck waiting out in the hallway.

But still, that vicious competitor looked nothing like the young man who couldn't say no to anyone - even the paramedics - who wanted a photo or an autograph .

"That's the way he is, that's the way he's always been," said Kelly, who teaches at St. Francis and billeted a younger Rick during his bantam and midget days in Lethbridge. He paid his way by babysitting. And changing the diaper of at least one of the students picking up an athletic award.

"He's not that guy, the one that beats people up on the ice," added Kelly. "That's just his job."

And, when he did speak to the students at St. Francis, Rypien told them not to give up, no matter what. It's a lesson the overlooked Rypien knows well.

But there was another lesson in what Rypien said, one that probably went overlooked by the gymnasium full of parents, teachers and students. Rypien told them they shouldn't be afraid to ask for help.

He wrote it down on a small notebook, like one a reporter would use to write down quotes from an NHLer.

Sitting in his aunt's classroom, hunched over her desk while his cousins Taylor and Matt waited with Austin Weersink.

"Do not be afraid to ask for help," was the simple message.

"I think that's the one that's probably more important," said Kelly.

"I mean, it probably takes more courage to ask for help than it does to play hockey and do what he does."

And Rypien said it was an honour to be part of things at the school. His chance to pass on a few words of encouragement.

"I think after the last year, what I've been through this is pretty easy to handle," he said.

"If you can reach out, maybe put a smile on someone's face or help them or encourage them along the way and maybe change their life. That's the best part of the job."

Rypien said his journey over the past year was a necessary part of getting better. At 27, he said his career is just beginning.

"It's a year where I didn't plan on certain things going the way they did but it's been a great learning experience for me as a person and one of the best things I've been through."

The glib analysis for Rypien's personal leave of absence is mental health issues, but talking to him, it sounds more like stress. The same stress his cousin, Taylor, is dealing with at exam time.

"I've always enjoyed playing hockey. Along the way, there can be a lot of distractions, a lot of pressure not only as a hockey player but in the position I play," said Rypien. "You're fighting guys every night, usually they're a lot bigger than you and that can put a lot of pressure on you.

"Now I can manage those things and I think it's a lot more positive for me."

Rypien said his teammates' run through the Stanley Cup playoffs was thrilling despite the ending, and he was able to be there for parts of it. He even got behind the bench for a game.

Not bad for a kid who played for the Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves and was cut twice during AAA tryouts in Lethbridge. But if looking back on his journey so far causes Rypien any regrets, he isn't saying it.

"Be happy, have fun, you;ve got to have fun," he said. "If you enjoy what you do, it's not work, and that's the way I look at it now."

© 2011 The Lethbridge Herald. All rights reserved.

Dylan Purcell

Lethbridge Herald

The name is more at home on the banks of the North Sea than the mountains of northern Italy, but Ryan Watson’s British surname didn’t stop him from earning his stripes on the Italian national hockey team at the IIHF World Hockey Division I Championship in Budapest last month.
Watson, a Lethbridge kid who still lives in the city during his off-season, has played the past three season in Italy’s Serie A and was a forward on the Italian national team as it won the championship last month. He played last season for Ritten-Renon after a couple of years with Cortina. Both teams are located in the north of Italy.
Thanks to his maternal grandparents, Watson qualified to play for the Italian national team after getting his Italian passport and staying in the country for two years.
“I go with Watsoni for a flourish,” laughed Watson in an interview with the Herald. “It’s been good. I’ve been there long enough that I do a pretty good job fitting in. It’s been pretty good since I came over.”
He made the Azzurri through a couple of warm-up tournaments in nearby Germany and Austria, and then played well as the Italians won the Division I event in Budapest. That qualifies the squad for the IIHF World Championships next season, an event which will pit Watson against the best non-playoff players in the NHL.
“It’s awesome, it’s going to be fun,” he said. “We were pretty excited to get that call up and get a chance to play next year. I’m going to be looking forward to it all year.”
Watson’s a long way from his days as a bantam rep player in Lethbridge. He turns 30 on June 12 and played for the Lethbridge Hurricanes in 1999-00 before moving to the Alberta Junior ranks with Drayton Valley and a professional career which started in Oklahoma City in 2002. He moved around a bit in the Central Hockey League, playing for the Memphis RiverKings and the Oklahoma City Blazers again in 2006-08. Then he made the decision to move to Italy.
“I’m still plugging away. I played a lot before coming here to Europe,” he said. “It was the right decision. I’ve had a chance to live here with my grandfather and I really enjoy that relationship and getting to really know him.
“And to get a chance to play in the world championship was great.”
The tournament was a great experience, said Watson. He enjoyed the tourist stops in Hungary, adding that there were neighbourhoods on the way to the hotel which were impoverished but that the tournament itself was a world-class affair.
“The arena was just amazing. It sat about 14,000 and we had sold-out crowds for every game,” he said. Watson and his team went 4-0 in the tournament, the defensive-minded forward chipping in with an assist.
He’s not fluent in Italian, but can get by with a basic grasp of most words, if not how they get put together into sentences. It probably sounds funny to Italian ears, but his proficiency with the language helps him. That, and he’s sure to mention often that his mother’s maiden name is Fabbri.
“I bring that one out a lot, just to let them know,” he laughed. “I’m proud of it, too. I’m proud to represent Italy. That Canadian team’s hard to make, I’ll play here, though.”
And Watson said his wife has been out to visit him. She’s no slouch athletically, either. Jolene Schweitzer moved on to Oklahoma State University after a stellar career in local soccer and is one of the best players to come out of the local soccer system.
“It’s tough for her to come out here because I’m gone for two weeks at a time. There’s not a lot of wives or girlfriends here for the guys.”
After clinching the gold medal in Budapest, Watson eschewed the hero’s welcome waiting in Italy and flew straight home to Calgary, where his wife was waiting for him.
“I’m happy to be back home,” he said. “I can finally speak English and just relax a bit and enjoy myself.”
And when his Italian team faces Canada in next year’s IIHF World Championship tournament? How does Watson want Lethbridge hockey fans to cheer?
“Well, I think they could probably cheer for me,” he laughed. “Maybe just cheer for the local guy for that game.”
•••
As a note, Watson played bantam hockey with Kyle Peto, who plays for the Colorado Eagles of the CHL. He’s in a playoff series against the Allen Americans, which feature local products Liam Huculak, Colton Yellow Horn and Judd Blackwater. Look for that story later this week.

Dylan Purcell
LETHBRIDGE HERALD
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As the buzzer sounded to signal the end of regulation time in the Lethbridge Hurricanes 6-3 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings, all heck broke loose. Players were gliding around the ice, unsure of where to go or what to do. Fans in the Enmax Centre crowd were staring, mouths agape, at the ice, wondering why the game was over. Why was there no overtime? Why was there no shootout?
Maybe not, but it’s been 13 days since the last time an Enmax Centre crowd could leave the building after regulation and still know the score, and after 21 games featuring at least a minute of overtime, you couldn’t blame the Hurricanes players for not knowing that it was safe to head to the dressing room after just 60 minutes of hockey.
“I think the fans were feeling a little ripped off with only a 60-minute game,” laughed Lethbridge forward Cam Braes after the game. Braes finished with three points, including an empty-net goal which just over a minute left in the game. Braes’ goal put head coach and general manager Rich Preston’s mind at ease, because it lessened the likelihood of a 22nd overtime game.
“It’s funny, I was happy to see that empty netter go in,” said Preston, clearly gun-shy after four consecutive extra-frame games. “Because with a two-goal lead, well, you know how that goes.”
Hurricanes struggled off the bat, allowing a looping, deflected chip shot from Mark Pysyk to elude everyone and float over Brandon Anderson, who made 33 saves in the game. Preston said he wasn’t happy with the start, but as the game progressed, it became obvious the power-play goal was destined. Six of the game’s nine goals came on the power play. The Hurricanes were 3-for-6, the Oil Kings were 3-for-5.
“We couldn’t kill a penalty, they couldn’t kill a penalty, it was nice, though, to see our power play come up big because down the stretch, we’re going to need that,” said Preston.
Two of the ’Canes extra-strength goals came consecutively in the second period. The first one was a Landon Oslanski shot which ripped into the back of the net during a five-on-three and caused some confusion when it was determined the first penalty had not expired. The lengthy delay while the referees went to the replay ended and Oil King Mark Lowe was forced to stay in the box and watch as ’Canes defenceman Derek Ryckman scored a Brett Hull-esque goal from the high slot. Down on one knreee after stumbling, Ryckman nevertheless slid the puck past Edmonton’s Jon Groenhyde, who was subsequently pulled from the period.
“Finally,” said Ryckman about the regulation win. “I think its been four straight games where we went to OT, it’s nice to finally go into the third with a lead and come out with a win.”
Ryckman’s goal made it 4-2. Lethbridge entered the second period with a 2-1 lead after Brody Sutter cleaned up by putting the puck away for his 13th goal of the season in a goal-mouth scramble, and Max Ross scored his 14th when a Michael Sofillas cross was knocked in.
The third period was uneventful until ’Canes forward Austin Fyten charged down the right wing and scored a Glenn Anderson-like goal, cutting hard to the net and lifting the puck past Groenhyde, who was put back in after Laurent Brossoit finished off the second period.
Cam Abney scored to give Preston the two-goal heebie-jeebies before Braes sent the players and fans home early.
“It definitely is nice for the players,” chuckled Braes. “Especially with a game tomorrow. We leave at 10 o’clock so we’re going to get the extra, I don’t know, 15, 20 minutes of extra sleep tonight without the overtime game."
Hurricanes were also energized by the announcement — twice — that the Prince Albert Raiders lost (4-1) to the Kootenay Ice. That puts Lethbridge and P.A. tied for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The 21-28-5-8 Hurricanes and Raiders (25-32-2-3) each have 55 points.
While Preston said he’d rather the score wasn’t announced, Ryckman admitted it revved the players up a bit.
“Yeah, you definitely notice and it makes you want to win the game even more,” he said.
Hurricanes finish the home-and-home series tonight at 7 p.m. in Edmonton.

Dale Woodard
Lethbridge Herald
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Back in 1978, Joey Shackleford kicked off his coaching and teaching career at LCI alongside his former coach and mentor, Jim Whitelaw.
One illustrious 33-year career later, it is apparent the soon-to-be-retiring LCI teacher and coach has had the same effect on the lives of many students and athletes that Whitelaw had on Shackleford.
For that, the school Shackleford first attended in 1969 before starting his teaching and coaching career in 1978 will honour the man who bleeds the Rams green and gold with “Shack Night” when the Rams boys basketball team hosts the Taber W.R. Myers Rebels in Southern Alberta High School 4A Boys Basketball League action tonight at LCI.
But even as he gets ready to step into the spotlight tonight for a ceremony that will include a video presentation during halftime at the varsity game, Shackleford said the spotlight should be on the athletes.
“My thing has always been that it’s always about the kids out on the floor or out on the rugby pitch,” he said. “There’s your product, those are the kids you work with. They practise two hours every day and travel. They put in so much time and effort that to me it’s about them, not me. I realize that I have put in many hours over a long career of coaching, so it’s hard to say how I’m going to react. I may say thanks to everybody or say a few words. It’s going to be a special night, I know that, and I look forward to it.”
Starting his basketball career at Gilbert Paterson Junior High, Shackleford made the move to LCI, where he starting playing for Whitelaw in his high school years.
And after a memorable high school career combined with four years at the University of Lethbridge — where he also suited up the Pronghorns — Shackleford found himself back at LCI in 1978 to begin his teaching and coaching career alongside the same coach he idolized.
“In my first year there I got to coach with Jim,” said Shackleford, who taught math and physical education in his first six years at LCI before focusing on physical education and eventually Law 30.
And success came quickly.
“That year we won every tournament and ended up winning the gold medal at provincials.” said Shackleford.
For the young coach, it was almost a case of too much, too soon.
“I thought ‘Holy smokes, what can a person do for an encore,’” said Shackleford with a chuckle. “The next year we had a strong team and ended up winning the silver medal. But I remember spending the whole summer thinking that I didn’t measure up, so to speak. We won the gold last year and I only got silver (the next year). I didn’t feel very good about myself.”
But 33 years later, Shackleford reflects on those years a little more fondly.
“When I look back now I always laugh about it because there are so many good teams that never made it to provincials,” he said. “You just have to enjoy every moment. After that first year I thought it couldn’t get any better, but it certainly did. Whether it was a strong year for basketball at LCI or not, for me it was always the kids that made it. I was very fortune to have some great athletes come through and that’s been awesome for me. I’ve really enjoyed them.”
And he started that career sharing the bench with the coach he looked up to.
“He was true to himself. He was very much a purist. He always stressed the basics,” said Shackleford of Whitelaw. “When things go wrong you always just go back to basics and cover all of your bases. Whatever the flavour of the month is, don’t get caught up in that. He said you have to analyze your players and what their strengths and weaknesses are and you coach through that. He was a man that really truly believed in the basics of basketball when it comes to shooting, ballhandling and rebounding. You had to put in the time if you wanted to be good at one of those skills or all of those skills, you needed to put in the time and effort at practice. That always stuck with me.”
Another 4A provincial silver medal as well as numerous zone and tournament championships followed over the course of Shackleford’s coaching career and in 1990 he was named coach of the year in the 4A boys league.
But his accomplishments weren’t relegated to the hardwood as Shackleford took part in a one-year teaching exchange program in Helston, Cornwall, England.
There he fell in love with another sport.
“That’s where I picked up the rugby bug,” said Shackleford. “That was a year like no other. I played with a third division team and we ended up making the playoffs that year. We went to the final match (of the Cornwall Cup) and we got to play under the lights at night. For a kid from Lethbridge playing rugby in the home of rugby and ending up winning the championship that year, I pinched myself for a month after that.”
Upon his return to Lethbridge, Shackleford brought his love of rugby home with him.
“I came home and hooked up with the Lethbridge Rugby Club and ended up winning provincials. That was the first time the rugby club had ever won a championship,” he said.
Then, working with University of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s rugby team head coach Neil Langevin, Shackleford and a group including Craig Patton, Bernie Ontkean, Charlie Barton, Charles Anstey, Seamas Skelly, Rich Cuthbertson, Andrew Walmsley, John Seaman and Toby Boulet kicked off high school rugby in Lethbridge.
“At that point I was the only teacher,” he said. “(Many of) those guys were still in university. So I made the proposal to the school board and because we ran a lot of bingos and stuff like that we had some money to fund it. They said we had their blessing and that’s how the boys started.
“Then about two or three years later the girls got interested and the girls league has just exploded with some world-class players. You look at Ashley Patzer and Kelsey Willoughby, she’s a provincial U17 and U19 player national player. There have been some phenomenal rugby players that have come out of that.”
After many years on the sidelines, Shackleford took a hiatus from coaching at LCI to coach his sons, Patrick and Robert, in a variety of other sports.
“So it was a nice break for me to get away and go do some other things with soccer, baseball and volleyball and things like that. I really enjoyed that, especially when you’re working with your own kids,” said Shackleford. “My son was with the Cosmos before they combined with the girls to make the Lethbridge Football Club. We were all over Western Canada. It was nice to travel with the family and stay connected that way.”
But five years ago the Green and Gold came calling and Shackleford couldn’t resist, heading back to the Rams as head coach with newly hired Bruce Carbert as his assistant.
“About two years into that, Bruce and I switched and he became the head coach. I thought with this being my last year of teaching I’ll just ease myself out of it and let him take over,” said Shackleford. “But then Chinook High School opened up and they stole him away. So they asked me if I would coach again, so I’m kind of back to square one when I started my first year of teaching coaching the basketball team. It’s kind of funny how it comes full circle.”
Shackleford insists this retirement is for real this time around.
“I’ll have step aside and let the younger guys take over and just be a fan again,” he said. “I still go to watch football, rugby and basketball games.”
He’s stepping aside after 33 years, but Shackleford noted an LCI tradition that’s going strong.
“We were up in Edmonton last weekend and a kid I coached 25 years ago was at the tournament and he came up to see me. I had a conversation with him,” said Shackleford. “The legacy of LCI sports has a long reach. We see kids from all over Western Canada to down in the States.
“It’s good we have that Ram pride and it still percolates. It’s good to see.”
NOTES — Shackleford is the son of Bob Shackleford, a Lethbridge icon who ran several theatres, including the Paramount, for his father, former Lethbridge mayor A.W. Shackleford. . . . Among the players coached by Shackleford in rugby is Lethbridge Herald sports editor Dylan Purcell, who passes on his congratulations to the coach and teacher.