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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-02-11, Page 14Page 14 Times -Advocate, February 11,1998 Parsons skating way to Milan Lindsay Parsons is a member of the Synchronicity precision skating team that's bound for Milan for an international meet By Craig Bradford T -A Reporter LUCAN — Precision skating is .taking Lindsay Parsons places. .Parsons, 17, hoarded a • plane at Toronto's Pearson Airport yes- terday, along with her Syn- chronicity teammates, bound for Amsterdam and then Milan for the Spring Cup International Precision Skating competition this weekend. She'll he back on Feb. 17. The Medway High School Gr. 12 student debuted with Syn- chronicity's senior team last year and has skated competitive pre- cision for seven years with both the Lucan and llderton skating clubs. Parsons is also an accomplished Singles- skater, completing her gold figures last season for the triple .(she earlier completed her gold dances and free skate), though she has given up individual skating to concentrate on precision. - Parsons' and her teammates` ti-- c=us has paid oft with a fourth at the Canadian Precision Skating Cham- pionships at Halifax last year. . They'll need that concentration as the season heats up after Milan the Canadian Precision Cham- pionships are March II in Ottawa, and if they finish in the top three there, the World Championships in Bordeaux, France from April 8-12. So far this season, the senior Syn- chronicity team has garnered a gold and bronze at the Ildcrton Classic (held at London's Tholnson Are- nt), fourths at the Waterloo Gold Medallion and Newmarket Win,- iffiest in-terfest and the silver at last week- end's Western Ontario Section competition in Kitchener. Last year Synchronicity won more medals and competed in Lake Placid. The team is off the pace this season because of injuries, Parsons said. In '91, Parsons and thc rest of the Ildcrton Juvenile Mini -Jets _Ton 'o medals. Lucan's Lind- say Parsons shows off just some of the many medals' she's won in her skating ca- reer. team/won provincial silver. Parsons listed the comradery with the 29 other Synchronicity mem-' hers as the most enjoyable part of her experience with the teani so far. "It's fun, ' she said. "We all get along. we don;t fight." That's a good thing becatisc'thc team spends 'a tot of time together ' , three hour practices' three times a week (one hour off ice for cho- reography , and two hours on ice) and five times a week during the competition season. Parsons said she is excited about heading to Milan and meeting skat- ers from around the world. Syyn- Looking up Free thrower. Stephen Central School student Robin Ham- mond, 10, throws a basketball high into the air hoping she makes a basket at the Knights of Columbus Free Throw competition at South Huron District High School on Sat- urday. Winners, age 10 (shots made): Usborne School's Nathan Cann (9), Precious Blood's Erin Tordoff (3); age 11: Precious Blood's Eric Denomme (9), Usborne's Jessica Bray (9); age 12: Exeter Public School's Cam Murray (11), McCurdy School's Thu Ha; age 13 (6): Precious Blood's Tim Meidinger (9), Mount Carmel School's Bridgette Roe - lands (8+4); age 14: South Huron's Kyle Farwell (13), Ste- phen's Melissa Stire (8). Each shooter had 15 shots, ex- cept for the age 13 girls — a tie forced five more shots for the pair. These shooters return to South Huron on Saturday starting at 9 a.m. for the District 68 competition versus the winners from Zurich, Strathroy, Lucan and Parkhill. (photo/Chantall VanRaay) chronicity will be skating against teams from such far-flung places as Australia, Denmark, Japan, South Africa and Russia. The precision skating world hopes to build upon its international competition base and hopes to become an Olympic sport for the 2002 Olympics. "It's an honor," Parsons sal about representing her country "Not everyone can get to do this." Competing at such a high level takes its toll on the rest of an ath- lete's life. Parsons' dad Gary, a for- mer hockey player of note, has been behind his daughter every step of the way. While her strides with' the pre- cision ,team occupies almost all of her time now, Gary said his daugh- ter's main goal was to'get her triple gold in singles. "h was a hard road and it took a lot of determination," he said. "You have to pick yourself off the ice a lot. Her legs have been black and' blue since she was a little girl." Determination is just one part of becoming a lop precision skater, Parsons said. "You have to have the skills to express yourself on the ice," she said. ;You can't go out there and not be confident. You have to want to go out there and show what you can do." Gary said his daughter's'dedica- tioh is starting to pay dividends with the ' trip to Italy. Lindsay agreed. "All the hard work and dedica- tion is paying off," she said. "All those early ,mornings and Saturday, night practices were worth it." ,Parspns credits Carol Moir, her singles coach, for showing her the way: "She taught me how to skate," she simply said. 'During the off season, Parsons is a sweeper on the Medway senior, girls soccer team and plays for Lu - can Minor Soccer. This Week inpo s.. P r Chiefs sweep Elora and Irish and Hawks playoff bound - page 15 • Silver Stick winning Lasers honored at Irish game - page 16 Call Sports Reporter Craig Bradford with your sports tips (519) 235-1331 • Fax (519) 235-0766 Here's how to hold It. Biddulph Central School Gr. 7 student Ryan Nickles, left, gets some advice from Medway High School OAC student Dan Maguire on how to hold a football when running at the ,Medway football seminar at Biddulph School last week. Maguire, Matt Trud- gen and Ryan Dukeshire, all Medway football players and originally from Lucan, took the time to fill in future hopeful football players at Biddulph School on behalf of new Medway junior football coach Brad McGhie: Future Medway football workshops for Lucan-area ele- mentary students (all at Medway): Speed Sprint clinic, Feb. 25, 5 p.m. -7 p.m.; cost is $15 (T-shirts extra); limited to first 30 athletes to sign up; call 482-4587 to register. Winter foot- ball sJcills clinics (all 2 p.m. -4 p.m. at Medway): offensive, Feb. 15; defensive, Feb. 22; ad- vanced offensive/defensive, March 1; cost is $15/session, $30 for all three, $50/family; call McGhie at 660-8418 for more information. Lucan ball tourney rates slashed By Craig Bradford T -A Reporter LUCAN — Lucan wants to host your baseball tournaments and have cut their rates to prove it. The baseball tournament fee for '98 will be $200/weekend or $100/ day dawn from $300/weekend and $150/day in '97. Village council found out about the rate cut, at last week's council meeting. Councillor/arena management board member Perry Caskanettc said the arena board approved the rate cut because some ball groups arc going to Ailsa Craig and other centres that have lower rates for tournaments. Other sporting notes from the meeting: Better run The arena operating deficit has steadily been dropping in recent years which arena manager Paul Dykeman says is a sign that capital projects paid for in the arena bud- get and by Booster Club donations have paid off. "We're running more efficient," Dykcman said. The energy bill today is essential- ly the same as it was 10 years ago but revenue is up double, especially when it comes to ice rentals, he said. The use of staff has also be- come more efficient with only one staffer required most shifts com- pared with two or three in the past. The estimated '97 arena oper- ating deficit is about $7,700, Dyke - man said, but may come in at $5,000 after thc audit is done in May. in '96 the audited deficit was $9,283 and in '95 it was $24,465. To show just how much better the arena is run today compared with the past, compare this year's pro- jected deficit with the over $80,000 deficit in '88. The arena's four municipal users, Lucan and the townships of Bid- dulph, McGillivray and London split the deficit payment. Skateboards welcome? Caskanette said the believed icy reception of skateboarders using part of the arena grounds for their activities may just be a perception. He said the idea wasn't simply dis- missed during discussions at last month's arena hoard meeting and skateboarders may be able to use the northwest portion nf •the arena grounds that is unpaved now hut may be paved in thc future. The arena board also wants to find out how many skateboarders would use a. potential facility. Cas- kanette said the idea may be some- thing the new recreation committee can mull over. Leave that button,alone Dykeman thinks he knows who has been damaging the handicap control on , the automatic door. .About $4(X) has been spent so far to fix/replace the metal button. Dyke - man has sent Ietters•to the parents of the young offenders 'he thinks have been vandalizing the control. Dykcman has also implemented a new non -loitering policy at the are- na entrance. You break, you pay ' Dykcman is looking into 'other municipalities' policies -when it comes to hall rental prepayment and pay for damages after a -rental. Meet your board The finalized Lucan Arena Man- agement hoard is made up of chair- person Rob Taylor, - vice - chairperson Roy VanKastcren, Cas- k:tncttc, Lucan councillor Reg Crawford, Paul Hodgins and George Marr of Biddulph 'Town- ship. London Township's John Walls and McGillivray Township's Mike Conlin. Lucan soccer sign-up time LUCAN -- Though there's still snow on the ground, it's time to think of warmer temps and soccer. Registration for Lucan Minor Soccer is at Lucan Community Memorial Centre on Feb. 28, 9 a.m.-noon, March 5, 5 p.m. -8 p.m. anis March 7, 9 a.m.-noon. Cost is $50 for those age 6-9, $55 for age 10-19 and $100 for adults. There will be a table set up for (hose wishing to self old cleats and other equipment. Contact Sue Pike, 227-1111, for more information. High School sports round --up B -ball and v -ball seasons winding down EXETER — The boys basketball and girls vol- leyball seasons arc wrapping up with playoffs for both starting next week. Panther boys basketball teams have two matches left: today at St. Ann z.'s and Monday at home ver- sus Seaforth. The midget final tournament is on Thursday, the Huron semi-finals on Friday, the Huron finals on Feb. 25 and the Huron -Perth finals on Feb. 27. WOSSA 'A' is at Oxford -Elgin on March 6-7. The highly anticipated Huron -Perth all-star games arc on March 10. in play .last week, the senior boys made it to the semi-finals at the St. Thomas Parkside tournament on the weekend. The Panthers beat Woodstock Col- lege Ave. 45-21 in their first game. Jeremy Va- nEsbroeck put up 16 points and Derck Ethcrington added 10. The seniors fell to eventual tournament cham- pions Parkside in the semi-final 59-52. Darryl Romphf shot for 16 points with VanEsbrocck and Etherington hitting for 10 and 14 points re- spectively. East Elgin got the best of the seniors in the third place game and gave the Panthers a 54-36 loss. Va- nEsbroeck scored 13 points and Ethcrington and Ryan Beattie had eight each. in league play, the juniors and midgets travelled to St. Anne's. The midgets kept up their winning ways with a 51-46 final. Kyle Farwell lcd the Pan- thers with 19 points and 15 rebounds. The juniors ran into foul trouble in the second half and eventually fell to St. Anne's 63-33. Nic Bailey had seven points and Ben Forrest added six. In exhibition play at home early last week, the midgetsfell 72-46 to a strong. St. Mike's squad. Tom Phouttharath and Hcnny Pfaff each had eight points and Farwell and Gary Sauder each had seven. The girls volleyball Huron semi-finals were yes- terday after press with the final set for tomorrow. The Huron -Perth championship is Feb. 19 at Strat- ford Central, the Huron -Perth WOSSA 'A' qualifier Feb. 20 at St. Marys with WOSSA 'A' finalsalso at St. Marys on March 6-7. OFSAA 'A' action is at Dorchester on March 11-12. The senior girls narrowly missed making it to the playoff round at the Godcrich tournament on Sat- urday. The Panthers werc ticd for third with two other teams at the end of pool play but were elim- inated on points. Lisle Geurts and Arlene Inlakhana played well for South Huron. The midgets didn't fare well at the London Rant- ing tournament on the weekend but put up good ef- forts versus St. Marys (a 15-5 win) and Saunders (a 15-10 loss). In final regular season league action, thc seniors one four of six games against St. Anne's and Gode- rich last week and finished in third place. The juniors also took four of six from St. Anne's and Godcrich and finished the season at 19-11 Lind- say Haberer and Erin Robilliard made fine passes from the hack row and Kelly Stevens madc an ex- cellent block. Chcrissc Knip almost won the first match on her own with seven straight point -winning serves. The midgets took two of three from Goderich and one of three from St. Anne's.