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Exeter Times -Advocate
Wednesday, July 7, 1999
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Contact Sports Editor Craig Bradford
Tel: (519) 235-1336 ext 113
Fax: (519) 235-0766
E-mail: sports q, SouchHuron.com
Page 19
Zurich's Jeffrey lan
full U.S. hockey scholarship
Off to' school: Zurich's Jennifer Jeffrey has been given a full scholarship by
Mercyhurst College of Erie, Penn., where she'll play for the fledgling women's
hockey tear
By Craig, Bradford
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
ZURICH -- Jennifer
Jeffrey and her booming
slap shot are off to a U.S.
college on a full scholar-
ship.
Jeffrey, 18, signed with
Mercyhurst College of
Erie, Penn., on April 27.
In all, the hockey scholar-
ship .is worth
about
$80,000.
"I'm excit-
ed," the
seemingly
unexcited
defenceman
from Zurich
said at her
home last week.
Jeffrey, a South Huron
District High School`grad-
uate, played with the
London Devilettes last
season who won the.
Intermediate `AA' all -
Ontario title.
Before her spin with the
Devilettes, Jeffrey played
four years with the
Bluewater Hawks out of
Parkhill.
She started her hockey
career at age four with
Zurich Minor Hockey. She
played with the boys till
moving to the Bluewater
club.
She said there were no
problems with the Zurich
boys, who treated her like
any other player, but.
some opposing skaters
weren't so nice.
The 5'6", 135 ib. blue-
liner hesitated before.
replying to a question on
what her on -ice strengths
are.
"I've taken on leader-
ship roles," she finally
said. "And I have a pretty
good slapshot."
She later gave up more
with more questioning.
"I'm pretty good at
reading plays and figur-
ing out what will hap-
pen.""
"We've been alt over
with her hockey...I
think I'tt go through a
hockey withdrawal "
- ZURICH HOCKEY MOM
BARB JEFFREY
•
Huron Park teen makes re
HURON PARK — Chad
Smith In the the NBA yet,
but he's on his way.
Smith,13, made the cut
on the :south region ban-,
tam basketball team that
will represent Huron,
Perth, Bruce, Grey,
Middlesex and London at
the Ontario champi-
onships late this summer
where the team will com-
pete against seven ,other
Ontario regions.
Smith, a small forward,
made it past the first
London tryout on June 23
and made the teal at the
June 30 tryout.
By making the team,
Smith is considered one of
the best 12 bantam age
basketball players in the
region. Smith is the only
Huron County resident to
make the team..
"I like it," Smith said
about making the region-
al team during an inter-
view with the T -A at his
Huron Park home on
Monday. "I didn't think I
was going to make it. I
was just trying out for the
fun and the experience."
A recent grad of
McCurdy Public School.
Smith hopes to play bas-
ketball at South Huron
District High School next
school year.
He started playing bas-
ketball in Gr.. 6 by "just
playing. around." He
made the McCurdy boys
' team each, of the last
three years. The team
won the South Huron
regional public elemen-
tary school championship
in '96/97, came second
the next year and won the
title again this past year
after another team was
disqualified due to
unsportsmanlike conduct.
Smith has high hopes
for his b -ball career.
"I want to go to the
NBA," the accurate shoot-
er said. His more down to
earth goals are to play
high school then universi-
ty basketball Stat.
Living legend Michael
Jordan ' is Smith's.
favourite all-time NBA-er,
followed by current star
Koby Bryant of the Los
Angeles Lakers.
Smith hones h1.1 shoot-
ing skills every day at the
McCurdy outside hoops or
at a Mend's place.
on
ball team
Hoop dreams come true. Huron Park's Chad
Smith has made the south region bantam basketball
team and will be the only Huron County representa-
tive on tba elite squad.
Jeffrey's
ultimate goal
is to make
the Canadian
national
women's
hockey team
and play in
the Olympics.
As far as
what she'll be studying at
Mercyhurst, Jeffrey hasn't
decided yet, but is leaning
towards a career in law
enforcement. She will
make the trip to Erie to
register on. July ,17 and
school will start at the
end of summer.
Till then
Jeffrey will
continue
making
money in her
own business
— mowing
lawns in:
4
Grand Cove. Y`.:,
proud of her."
Jeffrey's mom said the
family won't know what
to do with themselves
with Jennifer off at col-
lege.
"We've been all over
with her hockey (while
with Bluewater)," Barb
said. "I think I'll go
through a hockey' with-
drawal."
New to women's hockey
this coming season,
Mercyhurst will play in
Division 1 versus schools
like Rhode Island's Brown
University where.
Hensall's Cara Gardner
patrols the blueline.
Jeffrey is guaranteed a
captain's 'C' or an assis-
tant's 'A' as long as she
keeps up her grades.
Jeffrey said she'll miss
her family and friends
while away at school.
"I'llprobably get home-
sick for a while but I'll get
over it," she said.
Jeffrey was again hesi-
tant when
asked why
she loves
hockey so
much.
"There's no
way to
explain it,"
she said. "I
gone who goes
after their, dream
that's who 1 admire."
- ZURICH 'S
NIFER JEFFREY
She has three Lawn mow-
ers, a truck and a trailer
and her brother Alan, 21,
helps out sometimes. The
Jeffrey clan is rounded
out by mom Barb and dad
Charles.
"Her family and friends
wish her good lucky"- Barb
Jeffrey said. "We're 'yen/
love it. I never get bored
playing hockey."
Jeffrey didn't identify a
single hero or inspiration
she looks up to.
"Anyone ' who goes after
their dream — that's who
I admire," she said.
Her motto? "Smiles are
free so don't save them."
At Exeter beach
Randy DeBiock tries to dig up the ball during the
Canada Day beach volleyball tournament at South
Huron Rec Centre. Leanne DeBlock views the
action behind her husband. DeBlock was a mem-
ber of the Duke and the Daisies Featuring Jeff
team that also featured Jeff and Diane
VanMoorsel.
f