The Citizen, 2017-06-15, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2017.
Sports
Blyth's Peters recognized as best captain in OHL
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Some serious hardware
The Peters family is no stranger to success on the ice with all three of their sons pursuing
careers in hockey. Alex, the youngest of the three and only one to not play goalie, recently set
the bar a little higher for his older brothers, being recognized as the best captain in the Ontario
Hockey League. Peters received the Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy at a special event at the
Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto recognizing his work as captain of the Flint Firebirds in
2016/2017. (Photo submitted)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Blyth native Alex Peters has been
named the best captain in the
Ontario Hockey League for his work
leading the Flint Firebirds in the
2016/2017 season, receiving his
award last week.
Peters was the recipient of the
Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy
last Thursday night at a special
ceremony held at the Hockey Hall of
Fame in Toronto.
A selection committee chooses the
winner of the award every year,
honouring the OHL team captain
who leads both on and off the ice
and has a passion for hockey as well
as his community. These attributes
had been demonstrated by Renaud
over the course of his OHL career
until his untimely death in 2008, the
result of a rare heart condition.
The award has been presented
every year since the 2008/2009
season and past winners include
Chris Terry, now of the Montreal
Canadiens, Ryan Ellis of the
Nashville Predators and former
London Knight Max Domi, now of
the Arizona Coyotes.
"I wasn't really expecting to win
it, so I was obviously very happy
when I did," Peters said in an
interview with The Citizen.
Peters says that an assistant coach
with the Firebirds used to play with
Renaud and he still speaks very
highly of his character and impact,
both on and off the ice, to this day.
"To receive this award in his name
is a tremendous honour. Having my
name even associated with his — I
feel very privileged," he said.
Peters is the first captain in the
Firebirds' history, taking charge of
Council approves ball park flagpoles
Huron East Council approved the
purchase of three new flagpoles for
the Brussels Community Ball Park,
but not without discussion.
Shawn Daw, executive co-
president of Brussels Minor Ball and
a Brussels Optimist, and Doug
McArter of the Brussels Optimists
both sent correspondence to Huron
East Council asking for the purchase
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Some new gear
The Brussels Optimist Club presented Brussels Minor Ball
with $5,000 in the middle of the organization's major
fundraiser for the year, Brussels Ball Day. The money will
be used for new equipment for the organization's teams.
The Brussels Tigers also provided new jerseys for the
senior teams with jerseys for the younger teams to follow.
Above Melissa Jacklin receiving the cheque from Tigers
team member and Optimist Shawn Daw. (Quinn Talbot photo)
of the flagpoles for the park. The
request was made in light of council
approving the purchase of three new
flagpoles for the Seaforth Optimists
at a recent meeting.
Chief Administrative Officer Brad
Knight, in a report to council at the
June 6 meeting, recommended that
council deny the funding request
from the Brussels group. He said
that while council has helped to fund
projects in the past, those projects
were viewed by staff as being
"critical" to the operation of the park
in question. Flagpoles, he said, are
more of an aesthetic feature of the
park and are not necessary to its
operation.
Knight said that staff would have
made the same recommendation for
the Seaforth Optimist Club's
request, but since council
circumvented the process set out in
its procedural bylaw, staff wasn't
given the opportunity to comment.
The municipality's procedural
bylaw dictates that council is not to
make a decision on a funding
request at the same meeting it is
requested. The reasoning behind that
clause is that it prevents council
from making a "snap decision" or
making "inaccurate comments" in
regards to the request or its
circumstances.
Council, however, opted to
approve the Seaforth Optimist
Club's request on the spot, with no
input from staff.
Knight did say, however, that
because council didn't specify
where the Seaforth Optimist funding
would come from, there was a
solution that could perhaps benefit
all parties involved.
Council decided to fund the
Seaforth flagpoles from the town's
pre -amalgamation reserves, which
are designated for projects that will
benefit Seaforth specifically. He
suggested that if council was going
to fund one set of flagpoles, council
should fund the second set to be
consistent.
The Brussels flagpoles were
funded from the village's pre -
amalgamation reserves as well.
Council approved both motions.
the team in the 2015/2016 season
after it relocated from Plymouth. In
his time with the team, Peters has
been recognized for his mature form
of leadership and has been lauded by
fans for spearheading a number of
initiatives in the community, visiting
local hospitals and founding a food
drive and a reading program.
Ahead of the 2016/2017 season, a
video of Peters making a surprise
visit to one of the team's biggest fans
for her birthday went viral. It was
another example of Peters making a
difference in the Flint community.
"I am very honoured to receive the
Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy,"
Peters said by way of a press release
issued by the team. "It is a
prestigious award, with special
meaning named in memory of a
great person. I would like to thank
the Firebirds' coaching staff and my
fellow teammates for believing in
me as captain, because the way I see
it, we had a room full of leaders that
all stepped up when they needed to.
I would also like to say thank you to
the Renaud family for giving us an
example like Mickey to try and live
up to."
Last season Peters scored 10 goals
and had 24 assists, ending the season
with a plus/minus of +24. He led the
team to its first-ever playoff
appearance, scoring two goals and
one assist in his team's five playoff
games.
Peters is a Dallas Stars draft pick —
the same system his brother Justin is
currently in — but spent last season in
the OHL as an over -ager. He has
now committed to play for St.
Mary's in the Canadian university
system, where his other brother,
Anthony, played for several seasons.
He'll be spending his summer in
London, sharpening his skills and
fitness five days a week ahead of the
next season's camp in the fall.
REPRINTS
OF PHOTOS
taken by Citizen
photographers are
available to purchase.
ALL ARE IN COLOUR
4x6 - $4.00
5x7 - $5.00
8x10 - $8.00
Phone to order
519-523-4792
or 519-887-9114
COMMUNITY LIVING
Wingham Et District
Inspiring Possibilities
Annual General Meeting
Monday, June 19, 2017
Social 5:30 p.m. Meeting 6:00 p.m.
Lucknow Legion,
Lucknow, ON
Please RSVP to 519-357-3562