HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2007-06-06, Page 20Page 20 June 6, 2007 • The Huron
sitor
Sports
Devereaux recalls start in minor hockey
during recent Mitchell sports banquet
Andy Bader
anneniMali
Even though he admitted it felt
strange coming into "enemy territo-
ry", Seaforth native Boyd
Devereaux could sense that he was
amidst winners last Thursday, May
24, at the Mitchell Minor Sports
17th annual Bruce Sawyer male
and female athlete of the year ban-
quet at the Mitchell and District
Community Centre.
Six athletes were nominated by
their respective minor sport, and
the Ontario Minor Hockey
Association (OMHA) 2006-07 `B'
Mitchell bantam hockey champions
were also honoured once more for
their provincial triumph.
Guest speaker Devereaux, a win-
ner himself over his hockey career
both on the international stage with
the national junior team, and in the
NHL with the Detroit Red Wings
and their Stanley Cup champi-
onship victory of 2002, said he was
proud to be on hand and be a part of
smalltown hockey, since he grew up
the same way in neighbouring
Seaforth.
"I remember the moms in the
stands with their unified cheers,
overnight tournaments and hallway
hockey....just a ton of memories," he
said.
"And I remember going deep in
the playoffs and pretty much the
whole town showing up, it's a really
special feeling for
the community,
and I'm sure it
was the same
here."
Devereaux, 29,
who lives in
Bayfield, signed
a two-year con-
tract with the
Toronto Maple
Leafs recently,
and briefly high-
lighted his eight-
year NHL career
which included
stops in
Edmonton,
Detroit, Phoenix
and with the
Leafs last season,
although he
started out in the
minors with their
American Hockey
League (AHL)
affiliate before
being called up
this past season.
"I've been very
lucky," he said,
reflecting on his
career. "There's been defeats and a
lot of victories."
He recalled winning a provincial
championship in junior B in
Stratford, going on to play in
Kitchener in the OHL before being
drafted in the first round of the
NHL draft by Edmonton.
"It was a great place to play...but
we thought Kitchener was a big
city," he joked.
He called his tenure in Detroit
with the Red Wings, his favourite
team growing up, "a life changing
experience" and recalled experi-
ences with players such as Steve
Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan, Nik
Lidstrom, Chris Chelios and Luc
Robitaille as truly memorable.
"I think we'll go down as one of
the most talented teams ever," he
said.
But this past season, which began
with no contract and a stint in the
AHL before his recall with the
Leafs, put things in perspective, he
noted.
"I had a lot of fun, put in some
good minutes and I think it's what I
might have been missing earlier,
getting back to just playing hockey,"
he said, although he admitted being
one of the veterans on the team
made him feel old in a hurry at the
ripe old age of 29.
"When I got the call, I felt I was
ready," he said of his chance with
the Leafs. "Even a chance to play
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one game, just to say I played with
the Leafs would have been good. It's
a great town to play in and I'm
excited to go back. I think we'll be a
dangerous team next year."
Devereaux told the bantam hock-
ey players to never forget their
championship season.
"Being able to win a champi-
onship with a bunch of teammates
is something I'm sure you want to
do again. Being part of a team and
with all the commitment, dedication
and sacrifice put into it...it's defi-
nitely something to celebrate
because it's a great feeling."
Devereaux also acknowledged all
the nominees for the minor sport
athlete of the year award, saying
clearly "you've all got good heads on
your shoulders" and "you know
what it takes to succeed.
"Being a responsible, team player
is only going to continue on in all
aspects of sports and life."
Devereaux also said he can't wait
for his two -and -a -half year old
daughter to get involved in minor
sports once she's older, especially in
similar smalltown minor sports pro-
grams operated so successfully like
the one in Mitchell.
St. Anne's
hoping for
five medals
From Page 18
Brittany Bos and Kim
Hogervorst — claimed third and
the regionals and is the No. 3
seed. With a time of 51.16, the
local girls finished slightly ahead
of the second place team.
"It was a really close run. The
top three OFSAA junior girls'
relay teams are all out of the
western region," Robinson said.
"That's not unusual though,
the western region is pretty
much the strongest across the
board."
Athletes from six provincial
regions will be competing at
OFSAA, held at the Terry Fox
complex in Ottawa June 7-9.
Last year St. Anne's sent five
athletes to OFSAA.
"We're a step up in calibre this
year," Robinson noted. "Last year
we were a medal threat in three
events, but this year it's five.
Hopefully it pays out, but the
nature of the sport is sometimes
it happens and sometimes it
doesn't."
The 148 Golfers who took part
Seaforth Golf Course
Smith Packaging
Tucker's Meat Shop
Archie's Service Centre
Successables Inc.
Coca Cola
Map Art
Sills Hardware
Radar Auto Parts
Bob's Barber Shop
KMM Drainage
UPI Energy L.P.
Box & Smith Funeral Chapel
Peggoty's Bed and Breakfast
Pete's Paper Clip
Seaforth Chiropractic Centre
Sofina Foods
Seaforth Jewellers
Vanden Heuvel Structures
Seaforth Food Market
!/L
Thank you to the following businesses and
sponsors who helped make the Columbo
Classic Spring Scramble a huge success.
Thanks to your generous donations we were
able to give $1,000 to the Heart and Stroke
Foundation and $4,000 to the Seaforth and
Area Food Bank. Thanks Again.
BJM Financial
Seaforth Veterinary Clinic
The Looking Glass
Smith Peat Roofing
United Rentals
Rona Cashway
Progressive Turf
T.D. Canada Trust
Donna's Hair Care
Bloom's 'N Rooms
Culligan Real Estate
Murals In Metal
Olympia Ice Resurfacers
Seaforth UAP
Pepsi
Sanderson Optometry
Seaforth Bakery
N.W.T.F.
Waterlou Manufacturing
Corks 'n' Caps
Brian E. Wightman
Ralph Smith Law Office
Main St. Video
Mike Marion Painting
Russo
Flower Magic
Rick Hogg
Cooper Standard
Prema Thames Valley
Kelly Auto' Service
Sally's Closet
Clarice (Rudy Jansen)
Janet's Donuts
Kissner Group
Bell Canada
Smith Construction
MacDonald Automotive
Intermodal Transport
Evcro Inc.
Coldwell Banker
Cardno's Men's & Ladies' Wear
Norwich Packers
Dick Burgess Photography