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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1989-08-01, Page 15•jt •• . Page 2B - The Wingham Advance -Times, Aug. 1, 1989 1-• 1^ - • n, , '1, • • :4341#0e0,: THE WINGHAM PEEWEES won a recent tournament at Goderich. Team members and coaches are: back, Ken Balzer, coach, Ken Hogg, Jonathon Balzer, Murray MacLeod, Ryan Leibold, Shane Pegg, Bob Sangster, manager; front, Danny McPherson, Chris Patterson, Shawn Daw, Jason Evans, Eric Deyell, Brett Sangster. (Photo courtesy of Ann Hogg) MOVED PHASE 111 UNISEX HAIRSTYLING ' has moved from Zehrs Plaza, Wingham to 16 PATRICK STREET (red brick house across from Dr. William's office) OPEN FOR BUSINESS, as usual TUESDAY AUGUST lst SEE YOU IN THE NEW LOCATION BEV AMENT,357-1992 SPECIALS Effective July 31 to August 13, 1989 Berol, 12 pc. Back to School Kit 2.39 Mirror Image, 80 pg. count Exercise Books .99 Clearasil, 200 ml. Daily Face Wash 2.99 Salon Selectives, 350 ml. Shampoo or Conditioner ... . 2.99 Clear 40's, Fabric 40's or Plastic 50's Band-Aid Bandages .... . . . 2.19 3.59 Polident 48's Denture Cleansing Tabs . Sinus medication, 12's Sine-Off 2.39 Sure' N Natural, 30's or 26's Maxi or Super Maxi . . 3.99 -• dirmiiiiiimeossesssesiememenemmi TRIANGLE DISCOUNT PATENT MEDICINES* COSMETICS * rastAcco Open 3 a.m. to 9 p.m. Weekdays ; Sundays Noon to Six Bares are on roller coaster The Shoppers' Drug Mart -spon- sored Bluevale Bares played in the Auburn tournament recently. The team defeated West Wawanosh 8-2 in its first game, then went on to the 'A' division where it managed to sneak past Sebringville 7-6. However, by Sunday the Bares lost their fight and gave up their third game to Benmiller by a count of 9-4. The team lost another close one during the final week of the regular season. The Bas ere downed 5-3 by the Atwood.'This was a scoreless game until the fifth inning when the Bares got their only runs. But Atwood managed to bounce back with two in the fifth, one in the sixth and another two in the seventh. Last Wednesday night at home, the Bares scored more than enough runs to beat Clifford by a score of 15-0. It was what you would call a real up-and-down week for the Bares. This week's winners were Jim Thompson and John Thompson. PERRY'S PUMPKIN PATCH Farm Fresh Produce RR 1, Wroxeter Pickling Cucumbers Pick your own or ready picked Cabbage & Broccoli available Call 335-3259 1 1/2 miles north of Wroxeter on Co. Rd. 12 or 3 miles south of Belmore .144 J. Bloemberg ready to return for his second NHL season 13y Margaret Stapleton Small-town kids can make it in the big time if they have a dream and the will to pursue it — just ask Jeff Bloemberg of Wingham, a young man who has had his dream realized of playing in the National Hockey League. Although today Jeff calls Wing - ham his home base, several area centres try to lay claim to him, including Drayton, Alliston, Lis- towel and even Belgrave. And there's little doubt why — at 21, Jeff 'is gracious and a superb defence - man to boot. These days find him training at the home of his parents for the upcoming season, as well as teach- ing at hockey schools. He played several games for the New York Rangers last season and returns to the "Big Apple" for training camp early in September. "Everything is up in the air," admits Jeff. A strong contender last year in the NHL, the Rangers had a dismal playoff and were quickly eliminated. The coach and general manager fired, the team was like a ship without a captain and it showed. The team is back to "square - one", says Jeff, as it now enters a rebuilding phase. However, he does not see that as a disadvantage. "The ball is in my court now. I just have to be in the best shape possi- ble and with the best attitude." His job now is to impress the right people, to prove what Jeff Bloemberg can do for the New York Rangers. "The ball is in my court now, I just have to be in the best shape possible and with the best attitude." Born -at, tistowel, Jeff spent his early:years in!Droyton before the family moved to Alliston and then to the Wingham area. He started playing hockey early and quickly grew to love the game. "I always wanted to be a hockey player. I remember when they said they wanted to take out body checking, I was devastated." Jeff was nine or 10 years old at the time. Young Jeff soon started to show promise on the ice. After playing in Drayton, Alliston and for two years in Belgrave, he came to Wingham as a second -year Bantam, but already was playing up with the Midgets, the Junior 'C' Ironmen and even the Intermediates. It was about this time that his size and defensive moves caught the eye of the Listowel Cyclones Junior 'B' team. He played there before going to the North Bay Cen- tennials Junior 'A' team. Last May he signed with the New York Rangers and played with them for the first time Feb. 17 of this year. Although many people have helped Jeff develop his hockey skills throughout the years, two stand out. He owes a debt of gratitude to Bert Templeton, coach of the North Bay team, for helping him with his game and for just knowing when to put him on the ice. Today Jeff says he believes that his coach's influ- ence was probably one of the OffigeOGN 13oovja§ 71/eirAwie are, Or Ready Picked RASPBERRIES New Hours: Mon. -Fri. 10 am to 8 pm Saturday 10 am 1o5 pm Please call 528-2900 for crop conditions. 411.11MMINIV • • biggest reasons he made it to the NHL. Another person who stands out in Jeff's hockey career is Wilfred Haines, his coach at Belgrave for two years. He too taught Jeff, as well as the other boys on the team, so much about the game of hockey, breaking it down into fundamen- tals and bringing out the best in every player. "I always wanted to be a hockey player. I remember ukgra they said they goaated to take out body checking, I was devastated." Choosing hockey as a career meant making sacrifices in life. At 21, Jeff has spent almost one-third of his life away from his family. He • knows he has missed out on some special times with his parents Rudy and Louise and brothers Jeremy and Jason, but leaving home to pur- sue a hockey career was a choice he made on his own. Living away from home makes you grow up quickly, says Jeff. Although you have the freedom to do as you want to, you have to make the right decisions. Living with good families along the way helped, he adds. Last year he went to Colorado to play for the Rangers' farm team there. One Saturday night in Febru- ary, the coach came into the dress- ing room after a match and congrat- ulated Jeff on a good game and asked him offhandedly if he would like to go to New York. At first Jeff was taken aback, but realized it was his big chance. The next day he was in New York City, sitting on the bench alongside Guy Lafleur and other childhood heroes. "These were guys I was in awe of; I used to fight for their hockey . cards," "These were guys I was in awe of; I used to fight for their hockey cards." But there was no time to ask for autographs. Jeff finds the NHL brand of hockey very quick and very intense — go, go, go. But in a way, it is easier because the team works like a finely -tuned machine with everyone doing the right thing at the right time. • For a boy from small-town Ontario, New York must have pro- vided some eye-opening surprises. Although Jeff admits it is like a "whole other world" there, it seems unlikely that he will let fame and fortune go his head. When asked about the well-pub- licized drug and alcohol problems of some young players, for exam- ple, Detroit's "bad boy" Bob Probert, Jeff says he feels Probert, and others like him, never had true happiness to fill the empty void. And what is true happiness for Jeff Bloomberg? His relationship with God, he answers. It will help him through the temptations. A born-again Christian, Jeff is involved with HMI, Hockey Min- istries, already having spent one week at its London hockey school. A Ranger teammate, Bob Froes, got Jeff involved with HMI, which he thinks is great because it focuses on developing the skills of young hockey players, as well as develop- ing their spiritual side. "To be a good hockey player, you have to be on the ice. To be closer to God, you must read the Bible and pray" Jeff says he sees so many paral- lels between hockey and Christiani- ty. "To be a good hockey player, you have to be on the ice. To be closer to God, you must read the Bible and pray." In addition to the HMI hockey school, Jeff also is assisting at the Pike Lake school this summer. What does Jeff hope to be doing five years from now. Naturally, he wants to be playing hockey, for the Rangers preferably, but would be happy to be playing good, consis- tent hockey. Ers future plans also ineltffle hering-aid idircation. Jeff iiainits'' - he never was a "model student", but realizes he must have some- thing to fall back upon once his professional hockey career ends. Today, he is leaning toward kinesi- ology and hopes to take some upgrading courses next summer. In the meantime, however, he is taking everything a day at a time. "It's important to keep in mind that you can be happy with any- thing in life. Don't be afraid to take a chance and do what you can do." JEFF BLOEMBERG of Wingham will attend a New York Rangers' training camp early next month in New York. He played several games for the team last year and hopes to be in the line-up this fall. Jeff played minor hockey in Drayton, Aliliston, Belgrave and Wingham, Junior B in Listowel and Junior A in North Bay before signing with the Rangers last year. HELP 1111.: KIDNEY FOUNDATION IN THE FIGHT FOR LIFE. fclf)11E..Y roUNDrO4oF CAt/ADA. mv..••••";, •—• .77: 4 VISIT THE WINGHAM SALES ARENA AND SEE IT ALL 3571730 -•••`•9$:'9 •• • •• , • •