RIVERS
BANNER August 21, 2015
ersary v i n Celebrating our 107th An
Gazette-Reporter Serving the Rivers, Rapid City and Oak River areas for 106 years
Volume 108, Issue 7
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Hockey school makes $13,000+ By Hall Sveistrup For five days (Aug. 3-7) the seven dressing rooms at Riverdale Communiy Centre (RCC) in Rivers were filled to the brim with 96 hockey enthusiasts participating in the fourth annual RCC hockey school. As in the years past, the school was directed by Derek Laxdal, head coach of American Hockey League’s Texas Stars. Laxdal’s instruction staff consisted of four phys-ed teachers: Craig Anderson from Betty Gibson, Tyson Ramsey from River Heights, Troy Hickman from Linden Lanes/Alexander and Bruce Helgeson from Rivers school hockey academy; goalie coach Riley Lamb is the goaltender for AAA midget Yellowhead Chiefs; other instructors were Riley Shamray, AAA midget Chiefs and Calgary Hitmen draft choice, Meagan Strung, power skating instructor and three Brandon AA midgets: Brendan Kokorudz, Colton Bates and Keaton Jameson. The staff was assisted by four local players: Morgan Ramsay of Yellowhead AAA female midgets; Haylee Anderson, MacKenzie Dawson and Connor English, all Rivers Jets midgets. Upon registration, each young participant received a black or green jersey and a wooden ball, designed to improve puck control. In addition to numerous locations in Manitoba, participants came from Medicine Hat, Alta., Langenburg, Sask., Vancouver, B.C. and Minot, N. D. The 81 boys and 15 girls were divided into three groups, aged five to nine, 10-13 and an advanced group aged 10-14. Each group received two 75-minute on-ice instruction each day where they were taught and practised skating, puck control and shooting, one session of stick handling, passing and shooting (on the curling rink’s cement surface) and one session of high tempo dry land training, held in Redfern Hall and conducted by Helgeson. A highlight of the school was an Aug. 6 visit from two Ottawa Senators, former Brandon Wheat King star Mark Stone and a member of the 2014 Memorial
Cup champion Edmonton Oil Kings, Curtis Lazar. The pair, who related extremely well with the camp’s youngsters, conducted an on-ice session with each group, followed by an autograph session and posing for an individual photo with each participant. On Friday afternoon, the arena was packed as families attended a one-hour inter-squad game staged by each of the three groups. After each game, participants gathered with their families where they received prizes in the free draw of framed autographed photos of the NHL stars, Texas Stars hockey sticks, caps, T-shirts, lunch bags, banners, hockey cards and bobble heads. During the school’s five days, 43 dedicated kitchen volunteers worked 70 two-hour shifts and kept the canteen humming to satisfy the appetites of players and spectators. In addition to the usual hockey rink fare, canteen workers also served a menu special each day: Monday was chili and a bun made and donated by Don and Diane Marriott, Eleanor Madden, Sharon Herndon and Diane Wareham; Tuesday’s hamburger soup and bun was prepared and donated by the Sveistrup family; Wednesday was pulled pork on a kaiser bun; Thursday’s macaroni and cheese was made and donated by the Marriotts; Friday was leftovers. Morning snacks included Tara Bray’s cookies and Donna Morken’s muffins. Perry and Lisa Russell of Clearwater donated 60 pounds of ground beef which was used as an ingredient in taco salad, and was sold out by noon on Friday. The canteen generated a profit of $2,119 , which gave proof that volunteerism in Riverdale Municipality is alive and well. Camp co-ordinators appreciated the co-operation of facility manager Navi Gill in personally providing an immaculately cleaned kitchen and for fulfilling all requests made of him during the school’s five days. In his closing remarks, Laxdal thanked participants, parents, coaching staff and assistants,
Photo by Jessie Bell
L/R: Two members of the National Hockey League Ottawa Senators team, Curtis Lazar and Mark Stone, were in Rivers in early August autographing pucks, sticks, jerseys and pictures, and working with children who registered for one of two annual hockey schools held here each summer; the second school is the Bruno Corbin Hockey Camp, a national program which keeps its profits.
Photo by Hali Laxdal
L/R: Curtis Lazar amnd Mark Stone, top left corner, do on-ice exercises with the kids .
canteen co-ordinators, kitchen workers and facility staff for their hard work in making this year one of the most successful hockey schools. Co-ordinator Don Marriott echoed Laxdal’s
sentiments and extended his sincere appreciation to the camp director. A cheque totaling $13,640 from the school’s profit has been turned over to Wayne Wareham, co-chair of Rivers
Recreation Facilities Review Committee. Next year’s school will be hosted Aug. 1-5; four registrations have already been received.