The Frontenac Fury Bantam girls travelled to Kanata on March 26-28 to participate in the Kanata Girls House League Hockey Tournament. Twenty bantam house league teams took part in this tournament that included a total of 98 teams from Novice to Intermediate age players. The Bantam Fury won 2 games and tied 1 to advance to the semi-finals against the Kanata Krazies. A 5-1 victory allowed the Fury to move on to the finals and bring home the championship title with a 3-2 win against the Gananoque Royals. Spectators and fans were at the edge of their seat the entire weekend and were treated to really great hockey.

Congratulations, Girls! You deserve it.

Back: Buff Chadwick (trainer), Erica Sortberg (captain), Keighan Chadwick, Nicole Hunter (goalie), Suzanne Allison, Mark Hollingsworth (assistant coach), Kevin Hitchcock (head coach) Front: Brianna Blight, Kelsey Player (assistant captain), Lacey Henwood, Leah Quenneville, Emma Leblanc, Randie Hollingsworth, and Jamie Hitchcock (assistant captain)

The Frontenac Fury Midget C girls participated in the OWHA (Ontario Women’s Hockey Association) Ontario Provincial Championships this past weekend in Mississauga, Ontario. Sixteen midget “C” teams, including the Fury, took part in the weekend tournament that included Novice, Atom, Pee Wee, Bantam and Midget age players.

Thousands of young women from all over Ontario represented their hometowns, hoping to bring home gold. Our girls did not bring home the gold, but played like true champions!

“Who would have guessed that 10 girls from Piccadilly would make it to Provincials?” said Margo Sortberg, mother of Erica Sortberg, team captain. “We are so proud of the team’s accomplishments this season,” added Kevin Hitchcock, head coach. “This was the last time five of the team members will play hockey together. I think there were a few tears in the change room after our final game.”

Throughout the entire tournament there was no more than a five-goal difference between the winning and losing teams in all four pools. All teams were strong and evenly matched. “Our girls should be proud of how well they played, and how well they represented the Frontenac Girls Hockey Association with class and dignity,” said Mark Hollingsworth, assistant coach.

Congratulations, girls, from the coaching staff and your proud parents.

Game scores were: Flamborough Falcons 2, Frontenac Fury 1; Seaforth Stars 2, Frontenac Fury 1; Wiarton Peninsula Wild 3, Frontenac Fury 0.

Back:  Terry Murphy, Charles James, Daryn Bolland, Drew Parks; Middle: Val Allan, Peter Rasenberg, Jennifer Thurston, Tia Cornish, Katie Ohlke; Front:  Ryan Raymo, Brady Douglas, Chris Jordan, Mandy Pringle and Victoria Peeling

On March 31, two school buses filled with students from NAEC went to St. Lawrence College, Kingston, to cheer their classmates on in the Limestone Skills Competition. The competitors were Ryan Raymo, Chris Jordan and Drew Parks (Construction), Brady Douglas (Welding), Tia Cornish and Victoria Peeling (Photography), Daryn Bolland, Jennifer Thurston and Mandy Pringle (Graphic Design), and Terry Murphy and Charles James (Prepared Speech).

All of the students made a very strong showing at the event, which attracted over 400 students from the Limestone District School Board, as well as neighbouring boards.  As several speakers noted, just participating in the event made all the students winners.  

Charles James won the Gold Medal for Prepared Speech, while Terry Murphy garnered the Bronze Medal. Charles will go on to represent the Limestone District School Board Team at the Provincial Skills Competition held in Kitchener in May. Both students spoke on the topic of “Skilled Trades and Technology Careers: the connections to Canada’s future”. Charles concentrated on the field of artificial intelligence, while Terry Focused on the career of a Naval Electronics Technician.

The Photography students were sent out with cameras to take photographs of the competitions, and then processed their pictures to be judged. The Graphics students went with prepared portfolios and displays, and had to “sell” their product to the judges. The Carpentry and Welding students were given instructions and diagrams to interpret and complete a project.

NAEC was proud to have students compete in (and demonstrate proficiency in) five of the categories. The two busloads of students completed a tour of St. Lawrence and went to encourage their classmates in their different endeavours. The Grade 8 class accompanied the secondary students, as part of the process of transition to high school and beyond.

The egg race was a big hit  this last weekend as part of the Central Frontenac’s District 4 Recreation Committee’s annual Bunny Hop. Children entered colouring contests, made Easter crafts, decorated eggs and cupcakes, and participated in numerous games that involved eggs. Chuckles made balloon art and tatooes for the kids and Kevin Merrigan served up barbequed treats.

Centre,l-r Mykayla Wilson (frog), Kirsten Hawley and Aleris Cronk with some of their swim students

Thanks to the efforts of local Red Cross swim instructors Aleris Cronk of Parham and long-time Sharbot Lake cottager Kirsten Hawley there will be over 150 improved swimmers at local beaches by summer’s end.

The two swim instructors, who between them have 13 years of experience teaching youngsters how to stay afloat at local beaches, just celebrated the end of the first of their two fully booked three-week Red Cross instructional swim sessions for the summer.

A celebration was held at the Olden Community Centre in Mountain Grove on July 23 and over 70 participating swimmers and their parents celebrated with a potluck lunch. Youngsters enjoyed the presence of Mykayla Wilson of Sydenham, who attended as the party's frog mascot.

The first Red Cross session took place at Big Clear Lake in Arden and Long Lake beach near Parham.

At the celebration Aleris and Kirsten handed out badges and report cards to those who completed the lessons.

The classes are available to school age children beginning at four years of age and consecutive levels are offered to all ages right up to and including the bronze medallion and bronze cross.

The program’s first aim is to make youngsters comfortable in the local waters they know best. Kirsten explained, “A lot of the kids who attend live around the lakes and beaches and these beach front lessons as opposed to pool lessons are great for them. The location allows us to start with very young kids in very shallow water. We gradually get them comfortable and able to swim in deeper water, usually by the time they are seven or eight years old.” Kirsten commented that the recent switch to a daily, consecutive 15-day program has helped to make their classes more effective overall. “We are now spending a little time every day instead of an hour a week with the kids, and as a result they seem to remember more.” Aleris added that the classes have evolved in a way to keep young swimmers interested and entertained. ”We introduced Swim-quest this year, a kind of obstacle course which we did with the kids yesterday which they loved. We are constantly bringing new games and ideas to the classes, which the kids really seem to enjoy.”

Aleris and Kirsten are obviously doing something right since their enrollment has continued to grow to the point where the classes fill up early. Aleris explained some of the reasons why. “Often kids will respond more readily to us than their parents as far as swimming instruction goes. We seem to know what to say and do to help to encourage them. Also when they see other kids swimming they get inspired.”

The second session of classes will take place at Eagle Lake and Sharbot Lake and both are fully booked.

Theresa, Becki, and Katie Procter, sisters who were born and raised in Sharbot Lake are asking for your support in their efforts to make cancer history. The Canadian Cancer Society has given their approval for a swim event to help raise money to fight cancer. On Saturday, July 31 at 2 pm, the sisters will enter the water at the Sharbot Lake Provincial Park docks and make the 3 km swim to the township beach. The three expect to complete the distance in about one and a half to two hours.

Since elementary school, Theresa, Becki and Katie have been involved in various community and fundraising events, including Relay for Life, United Way, children’s charities, Heart and Stroke and since moving from the area to attend school, they regularly volunteer in numerous ways in their newly adopted communities. Theresa is a graduate student in Guelph, Becki is finishing a post-graduate program in Toronto, and Katie is working as a nurse in Toronto. To pledge online go to http://convio.cancer.ca/goto/hopeswim2010 or you can donate locally at Northern Frontenac Community Services. Please help make cancer history.

Doing “the tree” at Sharbot Lake yoga

Do you ever feel like one of those old-fashioned spiral telephone cords that after much use ends up balling up on itself in a tight, twisted mess, which can only be undone with a certain amount of time and attention? I do, and for me yoga offers that kind of attention, which thankfully can help to undo you.

“Yoga” is a Sanskrit word that refers to a number of traditional physical and mental disciplines that originate in India. For many in the West the word has come to depict a form of exercise that incorporates a number of different poses that increase the body’s overall health.

Two local yoga practitioners, Laura Baldwin and Carol Belanger, are currently offering yoga classes twice a week at the Sharbot Lake Medical Centre to anyone interested in benefiting from this age-old practice. The beauty of these classes are many: 1-they are non-competitive; 2-no former experience is necessary; 3-you don't have to be flexible (for me that is huge); and 4- no matter what level you are at, the positive effects can be felt almost immediately.

Carol and Laura took over the Sharbot Lake class last February from former resident Barb Girard, who formed the group and had been teaching it for a number of years at the Child Care Centre until she moved away. Before she left Barb enlisted Laura and Carol to take the helm so that the classes could continue.

Both Carol and Laura are experienced and enthusiastic yoga practitioners. Carol began practicing when she was pregnant 10 years ago. As well as the informal classes she teaches now, she also makes yoga an integral part of the personal health services she offers in therapeutic touch and energy healing.

Laura began taking yoga classes casually 15 years ago and became more serious in 1999 and had begun a teacher training course that was interrupted when her children came along.

Each has their own individual style of teaching and both aim to gear their classes to participants at all levels. Both are also firm believers in the countless health benefits that yoga encourages, like improved overall heath and fitness, improved circulation, digestion, relaxation, mental health, sleep habits, and boosting the immune system.

If you are looking for a gentle, non-competitive way to increase your overall health, summer yoga is a great place to start. Not only will you learn poses with names like the lion, the tree, the downward dog, the boat and others, you can take solace in the fact that if I happen to be there you will definitely not be the only one in the class who cannot touch their toes.

One-hour classes run out of the Sharbot Lake Medical Centre in the community room in the basement on Mondays at 10am and Thursdays at 4pm at a cost of $5 or $7 each.

For more information call Laura at 613-279-3131 or Carol at 613-375-6448

(Elaine Steele and her husband Rick are the owners of Lost Creek Farm near Mountain Grove)

Canadian Champs Elaine Steele on Zena Warrior Princess (left), and Roxanne Mollahan

On July 1, 3 & 4, I competed in New Lowell, Ontario, as part of Team Ontario in two different National Championship events. I competed on July 1 in the 50 mile Endurance race on Chanticleer Shadow, my 14-year-old Arabian Gelding, and on July 3 & 4 in the 70 mile Competitive Trail Ride on my Pinto Mare, Zena Warrior Princess - a total of 120 miles of riding over the three days.

This was the first time I have competed in the Endurance portion of the Canadian Championships. Riders from nine different countries, including Poland, India, and Great Britain, competed in the Endurance rides. My teammates were Linda Byrne from Arva, Wendy Benns of Pontypool, and Deb McBride of New Hamburg. I finished the 50 miles in 4hrs. 53 minutes, my fastest time ever. Our horses all completed in great shape, and we won the GOLD medal for the teams. I also won the individual GOLD, Linda Byrne (one of my team mates) took the individual silver, and Audrey Lapoint from Quebec took the bronze. I also received an engraved clock for having the BEST CONDITION HORSE, a much sought-after award. Chanticleer Shadow finished this ride in amazing condition, and is ready to go on to the next event of the season.

On July 3 & 4, the temperatures were in the 30s with high humidity for the Competitive Trail Ride. Originally the Competitive Trail Ride was to be 40 miles each day to make a total of 80 miles, but with the heat and humidity, the ride management decided to shorten the trail by 10 miles on the second day, for the safety of the horses. Also, at this level of competition, the competitors are normally not allowed to have any help with their horses while in competition. Due to the high heat and humidity, the president of the association that governs the Canadian Championship Ride made a ruling that we were to have emergency heat relief stations for the horses. This consisted of volunteers going out to different points on trail with barrels of water that we could pour over our horses to keep them cool. The trail was tough with a lot of deep sand, and a lot of dust due to the number of horses on trail. A lot of horses were not able to complete the ride for various reasons. A team for the Competitive Trail Ride consists of three horses and riders, with the two best scores to count. In this event, my team mates were Roxanna Mollohan from Warsaw, and Theresa Falls of Ottawa. Unfortunately, Theresa’s horse was pulled after the first day of competition, so Roxanna and I both had to complete to still have a team. Fortunately, we both were able to finish the ride and we came out with a SILVER medal for the team.

Both events were very tough competitions, and I was very grateful for the ground support that I had at the two rides. I would like to thank my husband Rick for being the Chef d’Equipe and the Team Manager; my son Michael for being my pit crew and my official post. He only started crewing for me this spring at one of our local rides, but he seems to have a real talent for crewing. Thanks also to Meghan White, who helped as my groom, my daughter Mandy who helped with all sorts of behind the scene things, and my 10-month-old grandson Corbin for being there and cheering me on as I passed the finish line.

The GAO's Mary Ann Hayward presents Augusta James of Bath, ON with the Ontario Junior Girls championship trophy

When the final round of the GAO's Investors Group Juvenile and Junior Girls Ontario Championships wound up on July 8 at Rivendell Golf Club in Verona, seventeen-year-old Augusta James of Bath, ON remained true to the words she had spoken two days earlier after round one: “Winning the event would be a realistic goal for me.”

And win she did, becoming the new Ontario Junior Girls Champion.

Her final score after three rounds played in three consecutive days of blazing heat, was even par, four shots ahead of Brittany Marchand of Brampton.

James actually birdied her final hole to bring her score to 1 under par, but the three members of the final groups were assessed a one stroke penalty for slow play.

James and Marchand were battling for first place from the start of the tournament. Marchand carded the best round of the tournament with a two under par 69 on the first day, followed by a three over par 74 on day 2 for a 1 over score going into the final round showdown with James. James had been the picture of consistency, with identical even par 71s on each of the first two rounds, giving her a one shot lead going into round 3.

James extended her lead with a birdie on the par 3 second hole, but then fell one shot behind on the very next hole. She had a double bogie 6 while Marchand made birdie.

By the end of nine holes the girls were tied at two over for the tournament, but then James birdied both 10 and 11 while Marchand went par-bogie over the same stretch, giving James a three shot lead that was never really challenged.

James spoke to the press about winning the Ontario championship so close to home. “It means a lot that the win was close to home but I really wanted this win no matter what and I played out there shot by shot, really trying not to think about that– I'm just really excited to have this win at all, especially knowing that I'm competing against Ontario's best.”

Asked about her shaky first nine on day 3 and how she regrouped mentally, James replied, “I knew I had the shots so I had to just let them show. I wasn't too concerned cause I did the same on the first day as well.”

Her mindset coming into the third day was positive.

“I've been in this position before so I could draw on that and I felt confident. I was 'good nervous' starting out this morning which is something that I am always trying to work on.”

She said she could feel the energy in the crowd at the final hole but, “You have to use that energy in a positive way and not let it make you nervous.”

She said what she was happiest about in her game was that ”everything was decent-nothing was spectacular but also nothing fell apart.” James and Marchand have been playing against each other since they were 9 and 10 years old. Both are signed up to play at North Carolina State University. Marchand will attend this fall and James next year in the fall of 2011.

James is playing this week at a CN Canadian Women’s tour event in Gatineau, Quebec and is the first alternate for the US Junior Girls Championship in two weeks

Another local golfer, Rivendell member Sydney Asselstine placed in a tie for 36th, after a final round 89, to go with scores of 84 and 85 in the first two rounds. On the final day she ran into trouble at the bell hole, number 5 where she had a bad shot off the tee and ended up with a 9. Though she admitted that she was “never really in contention”, overall she was pleased with her play. “I just went out and played my game and tried to put a little competition out there and played as well as I could.”

Members of the club who lined the sidelines were treated to some exciting golf over the three-day event. Long-time Rivendell Club member Roger Dixie of Kingston said, “These girls are sensational golfers. I'm really impressed. I knew they'd be good but I didn't know that they'd be this good.”

The club's owner Ken Harper was thrilled to be hosting the event for the first time in the history of the 32-year-old course.” The girls really seem to be enjoying the course and we've been a long time in making Rivendell into the course that it is. I feel that hosting this event is definitely like a seal of approval, and something we've all been working long and hard towards.”

Club officials believe that the tournament has opened the doors to the possibility of hosting similar high calibre events at Rivendell in the future.

Just a few of many local athletes who crossed the finish line l-r Diane Wowk, Karen Murphy and Danielle Tohill of Perth Road, Kurt Hughes of Verona, and Rob Moyse of Sydenham

The Greater Sydenham and Kingston Triathlon, now in its second year, is growing in popularity and attracting local athletes and volunteers. The well organized and highly scenic event at Sydenham's Point park offers something for all athletes aged two to 82, including an Olympic Triathlon & Relay, Sprint Triathlon & Relay, Super Sprint, Canoe and Kayak triathlons as well a sprint Duathlon. Newcomers wanting to get a taste of the action can also participate in a “Try A Tri”, especially designed for the uninitiated.

Professional athletes also take part in the event and Sydenham's local world champion triathlete Scott Takala competed again this year in the Olympic Triathlon race, which included a 1500m swim, 40 km bike ride and 10km run. Scott successfully defended his title, clocking in at the finish line with a time of 1.03.35.

What really stood out at this year's event was the number of new local participants who also crossed the finish line in various events

In total, well over 500 participants took part this year – which is up 100 from last year. It is an amazing number especially considering that last year's triathlon broke attendance records for a first-time event by Somersault Promotions of Ottawa, who runs the event. Race director Richard Cadman explained, “What happens is the event gets known by word of mouth as participants invite their friends to take part- making it more and more popular year after year.”

Christine McKinty, co-partner of Somersault Promotions, was thrilled with the enthusiasm shown by the local community, who rallied behind the triathlon both as participants and volunteers. “There is a tremendous amount of local support at this event. We have more locals participating as well as more locals volunteering at this particular event than at any others that we run.”

The Sydenham Legion was the event’s official host club this year and provided the majority of volunteers. The Sydenham Lake Canoe Club was also credited for providing boats to assist in the set up of the buoys in the lake. Trousdale's General Store and a number of other local business provided prizes, and the South Frontenac Township Council supported the event by approving its run for a second year.

Assistant race director Maryanne Takala of Sydenham said the event ran without a hitch. “Everything was in place from last year, which always makes things run a bit more smoothly.”

The only change this year was the relocation of the transition zone from the ball field to the football field, which allowed participants more space to get on and off their bikes.

Every participant I spoke to was pleased with the event, the scenery, the courses, and the organization of the races.

The only suggestion for improvement I heard was from one participant who was a bit unnerved during the bike portion of her race due to the large trucks driving on Rutledge Road. When I asked McKinty about that she replied, “Ideally we'd love to be able to close the road to traffic but sometimes logistically that just isn't an option..” She agreed that it could be looked into.

For local athletes looking for a challenge the Greater Sydenham and Kingston Triathlon is a growing trend that looks as though it will be back by popular demand.