PAGE A28 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, April 17, 2019
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Moose Jaw Minor hockey, Warriors announce partnership Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express
The Moose Jaw Minor Hockey Assoc. (MJMHA) and Warriors are officially forming a renewed partnership and sponsorship agreement that would see the AAA team name changed from the Generals to Warriors, along with a host of other efforts designed to create a mentorship and advisory role between the Western Hockey League team and Moose Jaw minor hockey. “For us, we’re really excited about this announcement,” said minor hockey president Patrick Boyle. “We’re looking to create that culture shift within hockey in Moose Jaw, and you have to start at the top. Culture shifts are slow, but we’re showing that we’re becoming integrated with the Moose Jaw Warriors, a world class organization here in North America and Canada, so we want to be very close with them and keep that partnership going. “This sport is so much more than the game itself; it’s the work ethic and the Warriors and their values…this is the direction we’re trying to go.” Boyle added that having the opportunity to work with the vast knowledge and success the Warriors staff have on hand -- especially with the near universal involvement of the WHL team’s experience with Hockey Canada – will only be beneficial. “We’re going to look at doing more coaching development things like having Tim Hunter and Hockey Ted Talks and stuff like that,” Boyle said. “A lot of this came up in conversation with board members and in conversations with the Warriors; there’s some interest there and it’s great we’ve gone down that path.
Moose Jaw Minor Hockey Association president Patrick Boyle offers his organization’s take on the partnership with the WHL Warriors. “It’s great to have that openness between the two organizations and having the two of us working together.” Moose Jaw Warriors general manager Alan Millar wasn’t available for the press conference due to his Hockey Canada duties but expressed his happiness with the deal in a news release. “We are excited that the young men representing Moose Jaw in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA League will now be carrying the Warriors name and wearing Warriors colours,” Millar said. “Our team believes the development of young people on and off the ice and the development of our coaches is essential throughout our minor hockey system. We look for-
A look at the new AAA Warriors jerseys, featuring the WHL Warriors alternate crest on the chest and team logo on the shoulders, indicating the connection between the two organizations. ward to building our relationship with Moose Jaw minor hockey as we enter into this important new partnership.” The importance of the event was on display at the announcement, as mayor Fraser Tolmie as well as city councillors Heather Eby and Crystal Froese were on hand alongside Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA Greg Lawrence. The event also acted as the official reveal of the rest of the AAA Warriors coaching and management staff – former players with the AAA squad Carter Smith, Carter Davis and Evan Schwabe will act as assistant coaches and Jeremy Ebbett will take over as general manager alongside head coach Trevor Weisgerber (see related story).
AAA Warriors looking forward to new era with WHL Warriors New deal expected to have wide-ranging benefit for Sask. Midget AAA Hockey League squad Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express
With the range of organizational changes that have taken place over the course of the last year in the Moose Jaw Minor Hockey Association with the then Moose Jaw Generals AAA hockey organization, there were rumblings of more changes afoot and that came last Friday. The MJMHA and Western Hockey League Warriors announced a new sponsorship deal between the two organizations that would immediately and directly impact the AAA squad – first with a name change to the AAA Warriors (see related story) and also with a host of other benefits to the younger team. New head coach Trevor Weisgerber has liked what he’s seen so far, with the potential for impressive things in the near future. “It’s going to be good,” Weisgerber said. “We’re looking forward to it, obviously the Warriors have been around for a long time and now we’re just piggy backing off them and it’s great.” While there are many aspects of the deal to be looked at and enhanced, just having the potential to work with WHL Warriors’
Members of the Moose Jaw Warriors, AAA Warriors and Moose Jaw Minor Hockey pause for a group photo after the press conference announcing the name change new association between the organizations. Bob Dougall (WHL Warriors board of directors), Patrick Boyle (president, Moose Jaw Minor Hockey), Steven Kesslering (AAA Warriors veteran), Ben Wourms-Rowe (AAA Warriors veteran), Trevor Weisgerber (AAA head coach), Carter Davis (AAA assistant coach), Carter Smith (AAA assistant coach), Jeremy Ebbett (AAA Warriors general manager). coaching staff – head coach Tim Hunter, assistants Mark O’Leary and Scott King -- is going to be a benefit in and of itself. On hand for the press conference were a pair of Generals veterans in Ben WourmsRowe and Steven Kesslering. The duo had an opportunity to model the new AAA Warriors jerseys – featuring the WHL
team’s alternate crest as their main and the WHL Warriors logo on the shoulders – and the initial reactions were nothing but positive. The team recently went through their spring camp and Wourms-Rowe was impressed with what he’s seen so far. “Trevor is obviously a great coach, he has
a lot of experience coaching through minor hockey,” he said. “We’ve had a couple ice sessions with him and he knows how to run a good practice, so I’m excited about it… obviously we haven’t made playoffs the last two years so we have a lot of new kids coming in. There will be a lot of new faces and a new style maybe, so I’m excited.” The event also acted as the official reveal of the rest of the AAA Warriors coaching and management staff – former players with the AAA squad Carter Smith, Carter Davis and Evan Schwabe will act as assistant coaches and Jeremy Ebbett will take over as general manager. “We have a great group of guys, and it’s like I said in the past, it’s all about development for these kids,” Weisgerber said. “I just wanted to make sure that we have a good staff in place so we can work on the development part, and all three of these guys have great knowledge of the game, so I’m looking forward to working with those guys as well and doing what we can to make everyone better.”
Lynbrook open tee-to-green with impressive conditions Greens in near perfect shape despite oppressively cold winter Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express
The Lynbrook Golf Club 18-hole course layout opened tee-to-green this week – yes, tee-to-green – with the greens themselves looking to be in mid-summer shape despite weathering one of the coldest winters in recent memory. “They wintered really, really well,” said Lynbrook pro shop manager Dwight Bearchell. “I guess there was enough snow that they didn’t get hurt really bad and they’re in great shape. It’s looking really, really good…. They dress them in the winter before things happen and those tarps they put on over top, they work to have a little greenhouse effect. So they’re in amazing shape.” Bearchell said even greens superintendent Owen Morhart was surprised just how good of shape things were in once the tarps came off. “And I was surprised, too, I just went out and did a little tour; it might have been a little cool out but things are looking really good,” Bearchell
It might have been a somewhat chilly afternoon, but there were plenty of golfer taking swings on the Lynbrook driving range on Friday. said. “We have no water accumulation, usually in the spring of the year on No. 2 and No. 4, there’s a bit of water off to the sides but it’s really good this year, too.” Players were wasting no time hitting the links, with the course itself seeing a steady stream of early birds taking advantage of the fortuitous conditions. That’s on top of
the driving range, which on Friday afternoon was lined with people taking some of their first swings of the season. “We’ve already had people trickling in here because they’ve been bottled up all winter, so they’re getting their memberships and hitting balls,” Bearchell said. “You could hardly get on the range last Sunday, there were people everywhere.” The main tournament schedule for the season has already been set, with the Senior Men’s on June 19, Canada Day and Civic Holiday tournaments on July 1 and Aug. 5, the Club Championship on Aug. 17-18, 49th Annual Women’s Rosebowl on Aug. 21-22, Labour Day tournament on Sept 1-2 and the return of the Carl Jorgenson Par-27 Classic on Sept. 7-8. For tee times and more information, be sure to call the Lynbrook pro shop at 306-692-2838 or check out www. lynbrookgolf.org.