Sports
Hockey School
Banner year for ADHS athletics Retiree Stan Ball honoured with special presentation SHERRY HAAIMA sherry.haaima@metroland.com
The Arnprior District High School athletic awards banquet is always a happening affair, but there was more to celebrate this year than most as students, parents, teachers and coaches gathered Monday at the St. John Chrysostom parish hall in Arnprior. ADHS athletic director Phil Moore thanked parents, coaches, staff and administration for their support and hard work over the year. Alicia Pan and Chanelle Fortin are this year’s top female athletes and top male athletes are Jesse Andrews and John Buffam. Melissa Farmer received the E.A. McIntyre Award and Special Olympian Greg Murdoch received a special presentation of a football jersey. HEART (hustle, enthusiasm, attitude, resilience, teamwork) award winners are John Leslie and Brandon Terrell. Colin Hood OFSAA school sport awards went to Alicia Pan, John Buffam and coach Sarah Spratt. Teacher Heather Colbert received a plaque to commemorate
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Arnprior District High School’s top male and female athletes for the 2010-2011 season are, from left, Jesse Andrews, Alicia Pan, Chanelle Fortin and John Buffam. Photos by Sherry Haaima her retirement. Moore outlined a wealth of accomplishments from the 2010-11 season, which included an EOSSAA win and silver medal at the provincials for senior girls rugby and the ADHS senior football team going all the way to capture the Ontario title. “The boys of fall made the town sit up and take note and even proclaim Redmen Day. They are Lanark/Renfrew EOSSAA and National Capital champs,” said Moore. Other highlights include: Rowan Morris and Grant Des-
jardins headed to OFSAA for cross-country; a UOVHSAA golf championship; a UOVHSAA championship for senior girls rugby; a UOVHSAA and EOSSAA championship for junior girls basketball; four wrestlers sent to OFSAA; a county championship for the alpine ski team; a UOVHSAA and EOSSAA championship for the junior boys basketball team; UOVHSAA and EOSSAA wins for Alicia Pan in badminton; tennis gold at UOVHSAA in junior boys singles for Mike Shoveller and gold for Andrew Rueckwald and Brendan Stashick in junior boys doubles; a UOVHSAA championship for senior girls and senior boys soccer; and a county championship, ‘AA’ EOSAA championship and impressive showing at OFSAA for the track and field team. Teachers Brian Reid and Sarah Spratt treated the crowd to a version of Taio Cruz’ Dynamite – adapted to chronicle the impressive year of sports at the high school.
short time at a school in Guelph before landing a 10-year stint at rival school RCI from 1982-1992. In 1992, Ball returned home to teach physical education with his mentor Wayne Oattes. “Stan’s strength as an educator and department head was his willingness to lead by example,” said Moore. “He was great at volunteering to help where needed and was exceptionally good at motivating kids to reach their potential and at recruiting kids to give something a try.” Moore praised Ball’s hard work over the years and said he counts him as a friend. “Stan’s philosophy about teaching phys. ed. was not to confuse them and make it fun to be active and healthy. I especially liked hearing the kids repeat Stan’s five rules: one - show up, two - show up on time, three - show up prepared, four - don’t talk when he is talking and five - don’t die.”
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He wondered about the bright future of the sports program, which might one day include new tennis courts or a rowing club that practices at the head pond. “Anything is possible because this is a program that runs on tradition,” said Ball. ADHS has had the support of the community for 135 years, said Ball, as well from countless administrators, staff and parents. Their time, resources and energy are appreciated, he said. “And the most important thing – the athletes – who have always been there to put the play into Redmen pride,” he said. Ball outlined some of the things he will not miss as he prepares to retire, including bus rides from Madawaska Valley in a snowstorm and ignorant fans. “I will not miss cutting kids whose hearts are bigger than their abilities,” he said. He said he will miss Oattes Field, with its blue sky and pine trees. “What an inspirational place to play,” he said. “I will miss the infinite possibilities that exist just before the opening kickoff, jump ball or the crack of the starter pistol. He encouraged potential future coaches to get involved. “Grab a whistle and make the tradition continue,” he said. “Thanks for the memories.” See next week’s ChronicleGuide for the full awards listing.
ALWAYS A REDMAN STAN BALL TRIBUTE
ADHS athletic director Phil Moore presents retiree Stan Ball with a Richard Gill clay relief sculpture depicting Ball’s time as a football coach.
The evening also included the presentation of a lifetime achievement award to retiring teacher and coach Stan Ball, who received a Richard Gill clay relief sculpture, much praise and some ribbing in a special tribute. Ball, whose father was a science teacher and coach at ADHS for more than 30 years, had an impressive sports career while he was a student from 1970-1976. Ball graduated from Queens University and worked for a
Ball said his love of ADHS never wavered. “Once a Redman, always a Redman,” he said. He told the crowd that a picture of exists of him at six months old, taken in November 1956, in a baby carriage alongside the old football field at ADHS, where his father was coaching football. During his career, Ball said, there have been two different football fields, the track has been resurfaced three times, there have been four floors on the McEwan gym and the weight room has been in five locations.
Special Olympian Greg Murdoch and athletic director Phil Moore share a hug after a presentation to Murdoch recognizing a year of significant accomplishments in and out of the pool.