A18 TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2013 CHILLIWACK TIMES
Chilliwack Community Sport Hero Awards
KRISTA REIMER
F
or Krista Reimer, figure skating has always been a combination of reward and responsibility. It started from a young age, when Krista would twirl on the ice and shine in front of the crowd during carnival. That was the reward; but it was joined by a deep sense of responsibility, dedication and volunteerism learned from her parents, both of whom were heavily involved with the the Cheam Skating Club. So when Krista’s daughters first hit the ice more than two decades ago, there was no question about whether their mother would also be involved. And along with her sister, and fellow Sport Hero, Kim Kelly, Krista quickly learned just why her parents—and her grandparents before them—had been so active in the skating community. “I just love to do it because I love what it gives back for the kids,” she says. “For me, it’s being able to watch those little ones go out there . . . and achieve their goals and achieve the dreams they have in their minds.” Krista is also a firm believer in the value of figure skating beyond the rink. “It’s a life skill,” she says. “I think sports are very important for the simple fact you learn a responsibility and how to plan and how to organize your life . . . . You have to
It wasn’t always glamorous, but no job was too big or too small for her to tackle
Krista Reimer was honoured at the 2013 Sport Heroes banquet last Wednesday night. be dedicated to the sport, as well as to school.” Over the course of a decade and a half on the Cheam Skating Club’s executive, Krista put her own skills into practice by serving in a number of roles including stints as president, vice-president, ice and
facilities and professional liaison. Krista says she was proud of the steps taken by the club during that time—at its peak, the club boasted 350 members. “I felt we were able to accomplish a lot in bringing back the sport to our community,” she says.
MIKE MCLATCHY
Cornelia Naylor/TIMES
Longtime volunteer and 2011 Sport Hero Sharon Dahl says Krista played a pivotal role at a crucial time in the club’s history. “The club was going through major growing pains and we had an entire turnover of executive members,” says Dahl, who nomi-
Experience the thrill of winning, but learn from the sting of defeat as well
M
ike McLatchy might not be responsible for the success his daughters had in sport but he hopes to be responsible for the success of others. Mike is now coaching soccer to the third group of young girls he has followed through the various levels of Chilliwack FC over close to two decades. And while his daughters started him coaching, they quickly moved on to other activities with great success. His daughter Jenna won a gold medal in wrestling at the 2011 Junior Pan American Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil. And daughter Sarah had success in sport, moving on to music and becoming part of the world-championship winning Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. Mike just wants to give parents and young athletes a taste of what he had as the parent of successful sporting kids. “They got to levels in different sports and different levels of competition where they were given a really good opportunity by having really good coaches and good mentors, which took them to the next level,” he said. When Mike started coaching his daughter, he followed her through the various age levels until she “graduated” from Chilliwack FC.
nated Krista and her sister. “Krista stepped up to the plate and got people to actually run for the executive and got an executive in place. “She stayed with it, doing everything imaginable.” Many of those jobs were of the unglamorous sort without which sporting organizations cannot succeed. “We’ve spent days on her basement floor cutting out carnival costumes, making props, painting fish and making all sorts of stuff,” Dahl remembers. With her children in their 20s, Krista has since taken a step back from the executive but she continues to volunteer at competitions and around carnival time. She has also passed on the volunteering bug to her daughters, Brittany and Kaylene. And while many parent volunteers find themselves rudderless after their children grow up, Krista’s nieces—a decade younger than her own daughters—have renewed her connection to the sport. “I still feel like I’m still involved. The joy hasn’t changed at all,” she says. “I still enjoy watching kids just enjoy what they’re doing—and also looking at their outfits.” She says it’s doubly nice to be able to do all that with her sister and share a common goal “to see the club survive for many more years to come, to have other youngsters have their dreams fulfilled.”
come tenfold. It’s on the rise. Chilliwack soccer is able to produce some of the top players in the valley. We always have sought-after kids.” Mike McLatchy
Mike McLatchy was honoured at the 2013 Sport Heroes banquet last Wednesday night. Then he signed on as a non-parent coach with a new set of girls and carried those players through U11 to U18. This meant the girls that stuck with it didn’t have to re-engage with a new coach every year. “That way they build a sense of
security and a sense of commitment,” he says. “And because you are not a parent, you have to take it a little more seriously. You’re not just showing up because your kids are there.” For Mike it’s all about team bonding and having the girls expe-
Cornelia Naylor/TIMES
rience what his daughters did. As anyone who has played sports knows, there are highs and lows in competition but for Mike the cup is always half full. “I like parents and kids to be able to experience the thrill of winning and the learning from defeat,” he says.
As for the state of soccer in Chilliwack, Mike says it’s amazing, something he credits to the work of the Chilliwack FC board. “Chilliwack soccer has come tenfold,” he says. “It’s on the rise. Chilliwack soccer is able to produce some of the top players in the valley. We always have sought-after kids.” That said, he happily recommends the sport to parents considering what to put children into. “Chilliwack has made it really accessible to play at any level.” Mike is on his third group of girls, and local soccer parents will be disappointed to know that this might be his last. Coaching is a huge time commitment and he will be missed. “Mike is a great ambassador for Chilliwack FC,” says Andrea Laycock who nominated Mike for the Sport Hero Award. “We appreciate all he has done for us over the years.”