Avery Wolstenholme of the Mavericks passes the puck around a Bow Valley Flames player.

Mavericks goalie Carter Henderson turns away a shot as defenceman Liam Beer (2) checks a Bow Valley Flame.

Chase Provost of the Mavericks picks the bottom corner against Bow Valley Flames.

Rylan Carter of the Mavericks attacks the Bow Valley Flames goal.

Fort Macleod Mavericks fell just short Sunday in their quest to win their own Pee Wee hockey tournament.
Lethbridge Knuckleheads edged the Mavericks 4-3 in the thrilling championship game of the seven-team tournament.
Knuckleheads 1 Mavericks 0
In what proved to be a preview of the championship, Lethbridge Knuckleheads edged the Mavericks 1-0 Friday in the first game of the tournament.
The teams played through 47 minutes of scoreless hockey before the Knuckleheads got the game’s only goal.
Carter Henderson played a strong game in goal for the Mavericks.
Mavericks 4 Stars 2
The Mavericks were back in action Saturday morning with a 4-2 win over Medicine Hat Stars.
Travin Knife scored the only goal of the first period, assisted by Griffin Cook, to give Fort Macleod the lead.
Rylan Carter scored just over six minutes into the second period to make it 2-0 before Medicine Hat got its first goal.
Chase Provost scored, assisted by Liam Beer, with 3:15 left in the period to make it 3-1 Fort Macleod.
Carter got his second of the game with 29 seconds left in the period and the Mavericks held the 4-1 lead until Medicine Hat scored with a minute left in the third.
Henderson made 29 saves in another strong performance.
Mavericks 3 Flames 3
Fort Macleod rallied Saturday afternoon for a 3-3 tie with Bow Valley Flames of Calgary.
After the teams traded goals in the first period the Flames scored twice in the second to go in front 3-1.
Fort Macleod scored twice in the third, with the last goal coming with 23 seconds left to salvage the tie.
Avery Wolstenholme, Carter and Provost were the Fort Macleod goal scorers. London Wolstenholme had one assist.
Mavericks 5 Leafs 1
The Mavericks earned a spot in the championship game with a 5-1 win Sunday afternoon over Medicine Hat Leafs.
The Mavericks took control of the semifinal game with two unanswered goals in the first.
Fort Macleod added another in the second to lead 3-0.
After Medicine Hat got its first goal with 3:46 left in the second period, Fort Macleod scored again, and added the only goal of the third to secure the 5-1 win.
London Wolstenholme had a goal and two assists for the Mavericks, Carter scored twice, Cohen Larson had a goal and an assist and Liam Beer had a single. Haze Sharratt picked up an assist.
Knuckleheads 4 Mavericks 3
The Mavericks were right back on the ice Sunday afternoon to take on Lethbridge Knuckleheads in the championship game.
The Mavericks started strong, leading 2-0 after the first period.
Lethbridge got one back in the second period and tied the game with 7:23 left in the third period.
Fort Macleod regained the lead, but Lethbridge tied it with less and two minutes to play, sending it to a shootout.
Lethbridge scored the only goal of the shootout to win the title.
Larson, Sharratt and Zuri Fox scored for Fort Macleod. Aiden Crosschild, Carter, Beer and Provost had assists.
Henderson was in goal for the Mavericks.

Sam Meech of the Flyers puts up a shot against County Central.

Ryan Cervo goes up for a shot.

Joeper Paguio (4), Jaxon Douglas and Brayden Weasel Fat (5) surround Luke Jackson of the Hawks.

F.P. Walshe staged a fourth quarter rally that fell just shot Thursday against County Central Hawks.
The Flyers scored 28 points in the final 10 minutes but the visiting Hawks held on for a 70-63 Chinook Basketball League win.
Tristan Luther scored 17 points for the Flyers, John Arron Lopez had 16 and Joseph Plain Eagle and Ryan Cervo each had eight.
Joeper Paguio had six for the Flyers, Jaxon Douglas had four, Jared Feyter had three and Sam Meech had two.

Michael McTighe didn’t expect to be on the ice Sunday at the Medicine Hat Kinplex.
But when the call came to represent the High River Flyers at the Heritage Junior Hockey League all-star game, the 20-year-old Fort Macleod man jumped at the chance.
“It means a lot being asked,” McTighe said. “Being recognized by the league means a lot and being able to represent your team and league is special, and it just shows that the work I’ve put in is being recognized.”

The Flyers had tapped leading scorer Jacob Jeffries to represent them but when he wasn’t able to attend it fell to the Fort Macleod Minor Hockey product to suit up.
McTighe, a versatile forward, joined defenceman Liam Thiessen as High River’s representatives at the all-star game.
They joined players from the Cochrane Generals, Lomond Lakers, Strathmore Wheatland Kings, Okotoks Bisons, Coaldale Copperheads and Medicine Hat Cubs on the south division team.
They faced off against the north all-star team made up of players from Rocky Mountain House Rams, Mountainview Colts, Ponoka Stampeders, Airdrie Thunder, Stettler Lightning and Sylvan Lake Wranglers.
“It was a lot of fun,” McTighe said. “Guys worked hard but obviously we were just trying to have fun. You have to take it seriously mainly because of your ego — you don’t want to get shown up.”
McTighe, who leads the Flyers with 15 goals, centered a line with Chandler Aleman of Medicine Hat and Tyler Alger of Okotoks.
That trio helped the south team to a 5-2 victory over the north.
“Guys work hard,” McTighe said of the all-star game. “It’s not the same intensity as a real game, but guys still work hard trying to put on a show.”
“Guys will try stuff they wouldn’t normally try, but they still work hard because you want to win every time you play.”
McTighe has 15 assists to go along with his 15 goals and 45 penalty minutes in 30 regular season games.
The Flyers have a record of 11-16-3 and are in fifth place in the seven-team south division with eight games remaining.
High River sent defenceman Sean Burns of Claresholm and forward Jake Snashall of Calgary to the league’s Top Prospects game Sunday at Medicine Hat.

Planning is under way for the annual STARS Charity Volleyball Tournament.
The tournament, which has as its goal funding one $5,400 mission by STARS, is April 3-5 at the Fort Macleod and District Sports Centre.
“Our approach is always to fund one flight,” organizer Mike Bourassa said. “That’s where we start. We’ve been fortunate the last couple of years to fund two flights.”
Teams pay $400 apiece with a guarantee of four games. The tournament last year raised $11,419 for STARS.
That was enough to fund two missions by the STARS helicopter.
The tournament includes a dinner and dance on the Saturday evening at the Fort Macleod and District Community Hall, as well as a beer garden at the arena on Saturday from 12 noon to 3 p.m.
The tournament will have a new look in 2020 with the addition of a fourth division to cater to casual or “beer league” volleyball players.
Bourassa said in recent years it became evident there is a divide in the recreation division.
Some teams are just not competitive within that division, so tournament organizers wanted to find them a place.
“We don’t want to have those teams not come to the tournament,” Bourassa said.
The answer was to create a fourth division to go along with the competitive, intermediate and recreation divisions.
Organizers hope to attract 10 teams in each division with a maximum of 40 teams allowed in the tournament.
Local businesses are supporting the tournament at five levels: platinum, $250 and over; gold, $100-$249; silver, $50-$99; bronze, up to $49; and door prizes.
Organizers will contact the community groups that undertook volunteer roles with the three-day tournament last year.
They will also begin contacting the business community for donations to the tournament, which continues to grow in popularity.
“It’s fun,” Bourassa said of the main attraction for teams. “People like to be involved in something that is fun — on a lot of levels.”
Contact Mike Bourassa at 403-553-2025, 403-330-3546 or hooter44@shaw.ca or visit Fort Macleod Co-Ed Volleyball on Facebook.
Committee members include Leanne Neels, Lauren Roelofson, Candace Dawson, Chelsie Wolff, Brayden Van Driesten and Lindsey Burdett-Zielinski.

The Fort Macleod Volleyball Club took part in its first youth tournament Saturday at Catholic Central school in Lethbridge.

With only two practices together as a team, the Fort Macleod girls found themselves matched against tough opposition.

“The girls showed so much skill and it will just improve with time,” coach Amy Cook said. “Each one of them has something to be proud of after their performances today.”

Coach Brooklyn Bourassa said the team was nervous but settled down following the first point of the game.

“I was extremely proud of them for keeping a positive attitude throughout the day,” Bourassa said. “With practice their skill set will improve and that excitement will only grow. I have high hopes for the team they will become.”

Fort Macleod opened the tournament against Lethbridge Volleyball Club, losing the first set in a tight 25-22 battle.

In the second set Fort Macleod struggled on receiving serves and fell 25-9.

In their next match Fort Macleod met a strong team in Coaldale Panthers, losing 25-22 and 25-7.

In their third and final round-robin match Fort Macleod took on Lethbridge Ace, losing 25-18 and 25-6.

Fort Macleod placed fourth in its pool and crossed over to take on Brooks Rush, who placed first in the other pool.

The Fort Macleod team put up a good fight but were swept 25-18 and 25-6.

“I thought it went well,” said Mike Bourassa, president of team sponsor Fort Macleod Volleyball Club. “The girls showed a willingness to compete and learn. They should be proud of their efforts.”

Chelsie Wolff, who helps co-ordinate the youth club, agreed.

“Looking at the scores alone it would be easy to assume their failures outweighed their successes, but nothing could be further from the truth,” Wolff said. “They absorbed new skills quickly and demonstrated them under pressure.”

“These girls are just oozing with potential. It gives excitement and purpose to moving forward with the Youth Volleyball Club.

Wolff said the young players benefit from those who coach and volunteer and parents who provide encouragement

The next youth club drop-in club nights at W.A. Day school are Feb 10, Feb.  24, March 9 and March 16.

The Grade 6-7 sessions run from 6-7:20 p.m. and Grades 8-9 goes from 7:30-9 p.m. There is a $5 drop-in fee.

An F.P. Walshe Flyer has an opportunity to play rugby sevens for Alberta.
Sidney Wolff, a 17-year-old Grade 12 student at F.P. Walshe, is one of 33 players invited to the U18 tryouts.
“It’s intimidating but exciting,” Wolff said of being selected. “I am honoured to have been nominated and will do my best at the tryouts.”
The players were long-listed for the Alberta team following the Alberta Regional Championship tournament Jan. 18-19 at Foote Field Dome at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
Wolff lined up at prop and center for the Deep South team and was impressed by the level of competition in the tournament.
“We played against teams that train year round,” Wolff said. “At that level there are very few injuries and the games are tough but run smoothly.”
Wolff took up rugby at the urging of her Grade 6 teacher, Andrew Walmsley, who coaches the F.P. Walshe Flyers.
“He was my teacher in Grade 6 and encouraged me to try out. I was too nervous to do it that year but I did try out in Grade 7 with some extra encouragement from my friends Tess and Hannah.”
Walmsley said Wolff has developed into a top player with the Flyers.
“She works hard to improve her game and to become a student of the game,” Walmsley said. “One of her main strengths is her timing. She has a good ability to spot gaps in the defence and time her runs so she surprises defenses with how quickly she hits the line. She is a fearless player, who is aggressive on defence and never misses tackles.”
Wolff was a multi sport athlete at F.P. Walshe but this year made the decision to concentrate on rugby.
“There is a better team atmosphere in rugby,” Wolff explained. “You are trained to be aggressive and hit people and yet still be respectful and supportive of your team and opponents.”
Wolff decided not to play volleyball and basketball in her Grade 12 year in order to attend the Junior Pronghorns Rugby Academy.
The Pronghorns train three times a week in Lethbridge, and Wolff said the experience has elevated her game.
“Getting out on the field more has taught me more skills and how to better view the game,” she said. “We also meet with a personal trainer twice a week which has taught me discipline with my health and challenges my physical ability.”
That will all help the Fort Macleod youth achieve her next goal of suiting up for the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns.
Wolff’s immediate goal is to make the Alberta team that will play in the Western Canadian Championships.
She is also looking forward to the next high school season with the Flyers.
“This experience will bring a lot more confidence to my high school season,” Wolff said. “Plus I have more skill and strength then I had last year.”
Walmsley said the Flyers will count on Wolff to play a bigger role in their success this season.
“She will be called on to be a very visible leader in our program this season,” Walmsley explained. “She has quietly transitioned into one of our most steady, reliable players but with the large group of strong players in the grade ahead of her hasn’t been viewed as a leader per se. This year with her being in Grade 12 that’s a role she will have to take on. Being successful at a higher level with other high level athletes will give her the confidence to assume that role.”
Walmsley said Wolff will benefit from her Alberta experience by being exposed to new coaches who will teach different aspects of rugby.
Wolff will also have to raise her level of play, competing against other elite players.
The Flyers will have 10 returning players this season with experience at the regional sevens and 15s rugby tournaments.
Wolff encourages more Flyers to take part in the Alberta Regional Championships next year and to pursue their rugby goals.
“It’s not as scary as it looks,” Wolff said.

F.P. Walshe Flyers went undefeated on the weekend to claim the championship of a high school girls basketball tournament at Coalhurst.
The Flyers beat Picture Butte Queens, Coalhurst Crusaders and Kate Andrews Pride to win the Roger Vander Linden Memorial Tournament.
The victory had special meaning for Flyers coach Aimee Sandham, who was a student at Coalhurst school when Vander Linden was a teacher and vice-principal.
“He was a prominent person in the Coalhurst community,” Sandham said. “He coached me in Grade 10, was our vice-principal at the time, as well as a teacher.”
“He was an amazing coach, teacher, and vice-principal. I played in the tournament as a high school player and we had won it the first year it was renamed after him. It has been a dream to be a coach in it and win as well. The girls made it happen.”
The Flyers opened the tournament Friday afternoon with a 55-33 win over Picture Butte Queens.
The Flyers wore down the Queens and put them away in the fourth quarter.
In the semifinals on Saturday afternoon the Flyers beat the host Crusaders 73-61.
The Flyers had lost twice to the Crusaders earlier this season and played with determination to get the win.
That victory propelled the Flyers to the tournament championship game on Saturday night, where they met Kate Andrews Pride.
In a close, physical battle the Flyers prevailed 63-59 to claim the championship.
“It was such a cool feeling, to have a connection to the tournament and also win it,” Sandham said. “The team knew a bit of the story and they worked so hard to make it happen. A really cool weekend.”
The Flyers host their own Blue and White tournament on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-8.

Fort Macleod Mavericks are going to the Atom C hockey provincial championship tournament at Bowden.
The Mavericks punched their ticket to the big dance with a weekend sweep of the Foothills Flyers.
The Mavericks beat the Flyers 12-3 Saturday on the road and clinched the series with a 11-3 decision Sunday at home.
Mavericks 12 Flyers 3
The Mavericks jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first period Saturday and never looked back on their way to a decisive 12-3 win.
Adrian Creighton had a huge day for the Mavericks, scoring six goals and assisting on another.
Jasper Sharratt was all over the scoresheet as he scored two Mavericks goals and assisted on five others.
Hunter Crosschild fired a hat trick and assisted on one Mavericks goal.
Nate De Kok had the other Fort Macleod goal, Lukah Day Chief had four assists and Wyatt Bartek and Lochlan Vandervalk each had one helper.
Chase Nielson faced 31 shots in the Fort Macleod goal as he picked up the win.
Mavericks 11 Flyers 3
The scene shifted to Fort Macleod on Sunday morning for Game 2 of the two-game, total-goal series.
It was a replay of Saturday as the Mavericks scored early and often on their way to an 11-3 win.
The Mavericks led 3-1 after the first period and were up 6-1 after 40 minutes before putting the game away with five third-period goals.
Adrian Creighton scored another six-pack of goals for Fort Macleod, including four in a row over the first and second periods.
Jacob Penner scored two goals for Fort Macleod, Lochlan Vandervalk and Wyatt Bartek each had a goal and two assists and Hunter Crosschild had a goal.
Lukah Day Chief had four assists, Jasper Sharratt and Nolan McDougall each had two and Nate De Kok had one helper.
Chase Neilson was in goal for the victory.

Fort Macleod Mustangs are in a horse race with Nanton Palominos for a spot in the Ranchland Hockey League finals.
Each team won a game on the weekend as their best-of-five semifinal series got under way.
The Palominos won 9-2 Friday in Nanton and the Mustangs rebounded to win 8-5 Saturday in Fort Macleod.
The third game is 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 6 at Nanton.
The fourth game is 8 p.m. Saturday, March 7 at the Fort Macleod and District Spots Centre.
The fifth game, if necessary, is Sunday, March 8 at Nanton. Face off time is not yet determined.
Nanton 9 Fort Macleod 2
Nanton opened the series with a 9-2 blowout Friday on home ice.
The Palominos led 4-1 in the first period and were in front 8-2 after 40 minutes.
Matt Scarth led Nanton with two goals and two assists and Colin Macmurdo had a goal and two helpers.
Taylor McNeil, Josh McCulloch, Robbie McLean, Josh Niwa and Eddie Tracy each had a goal and an assist for Nanton and Kole Comin also scored.
Logan Gabel had a goal and an assist for Fort Macleod and Kody Briggs had a single.
Daniel Wenham faced 23 shots and Nick Lepp handled 14 as they split the goaltending duties for Fort Macleod.
Reid Robinson made 20 saves in goal for Nanton.
Fort Macleod 8 Nanton 5
Logan Gabel opened the scoring a minute into Saturday’s game at Fort Macleod and the Mustangs led the rest of the way in an 8-5 victory.
The Mustangs started strong, scoring two more goals after Gabel’s opener to lead 3-1 after the first period.
Nanton scored twice in the second but Fort Macleod got one of its own to lead 4-3 heading into the third period.
The Mustangs scored goals 10 seconds apart early in the third to go up 6-3 but Nanton fought back with two of their own just over a minute apart.
Fort Macleod added two more in the last four minutes to seal the 8-5 win.
Gabel had two goals and an assist for the Mustangs and Greg Schimanski had a goal and two helpers.
Dylan McCuaig had a goal and an assist for Fort Macleod and Justin Donahue, Adam Stafford, Cole Widdifield and Zane Briggs each had one goal.
Kent Broere had two assists on Fort Macleod goals and Bretton Gabel, Kody Briggs, Brydon Beston and Jadon Porterfield each had one.
Lepp faced 24 shots in the Fort Macleod goal while Reid Robinson was tested 31 times in goal for Nanton.
The other semifinal series is also tied 1-1.
Lethbridge Lightning beat Siksika Buffaloes 8-2 on Friday but the Buffaloes rumbled back to win 9-6 on Saturday.
Game 3 of that series is 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 6 at Nicolas Sheran Arena in Lethbridge, while Game 4 is 8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7 at Siksika Deerfoot Sportsplex.

Fort Macleod Mustangs gave regular season champion Nanton all it could handle, but the Palominos won the horse race to the Ranchland Hockey League championship series.
The Palominos won the fifth and deciding game of their semifinal series 5-1 Sunday in Nanton.
The Palominos advance to the championship best-of-five against Lethbridge Lightning, who beat Siksika Buffaloes in five games.
Mustangs 7 Nanton 1
The Mustangs led all the way Friday in Nanton en route to a 7-1 win over the Palominos.
The win gave the Mustangs a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.
Fort Macleod took a 2-0 lead with goals by Logan Gabel and Dylan McCuaig 28 seconds apart late in the first period. Kent Broere assisted on both goals.
Four minutes into the second frame Greg Schimanski scored a powerplay goal, with Broere picking up his thrid assist.
Four minutes later Jay Many Gray Horses scored an unassisted goal, and less than two minutes after that Logan Gabel scored his second, assisted by Bretton Gabel.
The Mustangs weren’t done yet, as Many Gray Horses scored his second with 6:45 left in the second period to make it 6-0. Adam Stafford assisted.
Nanton snapped Mustangs goalie Daniel Wenham’s shutout bid with 2:24 left in the middle frame when Spencer Barlow-Lakusta scored.
Schimanski scored his second of the night, unassisted, with 44 seconds left to send Fort Macleod into the break leading 7-1.
There was no scoring in the third period.
Wenham made 38 saves to record the win.
The Mustangs put 25 shots on the Nanton goalie tandem of Brady Rouleau and Reid Robinson.
On Friday night the Lightning beat the Buffaloes 4-2 on goals by Laramie Kostelansky, Justin Schmit, James Price and Mike Wirli.
Trevor Pelletier and Justin Fraser replied for the Buffaloes.
Nanton 3 Mustangs 2
A shorthanded goal by Jack Fitzgerald with 1:57 to play lifted the Palominos to a 3-2 win Saturday over the host Mustangs.
The Mustangs opened the scoring with 39 seconds left in the second period of Saturday’s game. Wilbur Yellow Old Woman scored, assisted by Logan Gabel and Jadon Porterfield.
Robbie McLean tied the game 3 1/2 minutes into the third and Matt Scarth gave Nanton the lead seven minutes later.
Fort Macleod tied the game with 2:08 to play on Dylan McCuaig’s powerplay goal. Porterfield and Gabel assisted.
The game appeared headed to overtime until Fitzgerald scored.
Wenham made 33 saves in goal for Fort Macleod while the Mustangs put 19 shots on Robinson.
Nanton evened the series at 2-2 with the win, setting the stage for Sunday’s showdown in Nanton.
Nanton 5 Mustangs 1
Home cooking proved to be to the Palominos liking as they downed the Mustangs 5-1 to win the series Sunday in Nanton.
After a scoreless first period the Palominos took the lead with two shorthanded goals in the second.
Jay Many Gray Horses scored for Fort Macleod late in the second to send the Mustangs into the final period trailing 2-1.
The Palominos did all the scoring in the final 20 minutes, going up 3-1 six minutes after the puck dropped and adding two late markers to clinch the 5-1 win.
Nanton got 23 shots at Mustangs goalie Wenham while Fort Macleod tested Palominos goalie Jeff Gardner 42 times.

Fort Macleod Minor Hockey has created a new award in memory of a long-time volunteer.

The Merv Friesen Volunteer of the Year Award will be presented to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to Minor Hockey as a team official, administrator, board member, volunteer or time keeper.

The award is named for former Minor Hockey coach and volunteer Merv Friesen, who died in February 2019, and was to be presented Wednesday, March 25 during the annual celebration at the Empress Theatre.

“Even though Dad often downplayed his contributions to Minor Hockey when we’d bring it up, he often said those were the best years,” Friesen’s son Corey said in an interview. “It was a huge part of his life.”

Corey, who now lives in Vancouver, was coming to Fort Macleod to present the award tonight until the ceremony was cancelled due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.

“As a family we can’t say enough good things about the community in Fort Macleod and how grateful that we are,” Corey Friesen said, crediting Brenda Vandervalk for her work to establish the award.

Merv Friesen became a coach in 1975 after he was approached by Bruce Friesen and Brian Gervais, who said Minor Hockey needed someone to run the Bantam team.

“I think after my uncles pressured him into it, he was hooked,” Corey Friesen said. “He loved the social interactions. He could talk with anyone and always had time for you. My mom can still recall how it would take hours to get home following a game because he had to chat with every single parents and often even the opposing team’s parents.”

Merv Friesen continued coaching Fort Macleod teams and stayed with it when his sons Corey and Kyle took up the game. His involvement totalled about 21 years.

When Friesen wasn’t coaching he was serving as Minor Hockey president, volunteering on the Fort Macleod Recreation Board and coaching Little League. He also worked on the project to get the new arena built.

“He always told me kids who have the facilities and support to play sports stay out of trouble,” Corey Friesen said. “I honestly think he just loved it and poured himself into anything with Minor Hockey or Little League.”

Corey recalls his father working the phone at home, scheduling games and tournaments and calling parents to let them know what was planned.

Friesen organized raffles, 50-50 volunteers, had trophies and programs made and booked referees.

“My mom remembers his attention to detail was unmatched,” Corey said. “He always thought of everything. Many nights she’d hear him at the dining table at 3 a.m., still writing notes and planning.”

Merv Friesen always gave credit to the men he coached with for making his job easy, including Jack Murphy, Stu Reed, Jerry Widmer, Rod Grant, Rick Randle and others.

“Fort Macleod was an amazing place and it truly was a village of amazingly dedicated parents who were always there to help, like Teddy Larson, Paul Foreman and Bob Hardy doing timekeeping, or Linda Cooper up with a cowbell and doing 50-50,” Corey said. “It was a giant team effort and I know he would be the first to give credit to everyone else.”

Merv Friesen celebrated at the end of every season by making personalized plaques for each player, staining the wood and having a plate engraved with their names and statistics.

He sometimes made year-end programs featuring his own hand-drawn cartoons to make people laugh.

“He knew the fine line of keeping kids humble, and he never let any one kid get too high or too low,” Corey said. “He gave everyone a nickname.”

With a big booming laugh and being comfortable with public speaking, Friesen loved to give speeches which usually made fun of all of his players without causing offence, instead cracking them up with laughter.

When he wasn’t working on behalf of Fort Macleod’s youth, Friesen played commercial hockey with the A&W Root Bears, men’s slowpitch with the Cobras and golfed.

Merv Friesen, who was a realtor for McNab Realty and had a cap and silk screen business, made an impression on the young people he coached, many of whom sent messages while their former coach was battling the cancer that took his life.

“He always made sports fun, and he loved nothing more than teasing us or getting a big laugh,” Corey said. “As many of Dad’s old work colleagues pointed out to me, he always looked after his staff and was always full of jokes. He enjoyed making people laugh and brightening up their day.”

Eric Hardy wrote that he doesn’t have many memories of his early hockey days that don’t involve Merv Friesen.

Brad Dersch wrote that Merv’s passion for the game was infectious and he instilled his love for hockey in his players.

“The man cared, he loved the game, and he made it a great experience for the kids,” Dersch wrote. “I’ll be forever grateful for him.”

Ryan Foreman remembers Merv Friesen as the face of Fort Macleod Minor Hockey. “Grateful to have had Merv in our young lives making us laugh and teaching us life lessons.” 

Wes Widmer, recalling the squeaky Lange skates Friesen wore, called his old coach a legend in Fort Macleod. “As kids, we don’t appreciate the time commitment our parents put into coaching, practices, planning tournaments, travel etc.  However, now we’re older and with kids involved in sports, there is a newfound appreciation . . . very grateful to have Merv in our lives.”

Even a world-wide pandemic couldn’t stop the 18th annual Fort Macleod STARS Charity Volleyball Tournament.

Organizers will make a $10,800 donation to STARS, despite cancelling the 2020 tournament set for April 3-5 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That makes me proud to be a member of this community,” tournament founder Mike Bourassa said.

The $10,800 donation will fund two missions by the STARS air ambulance.

The money comes from donations from businesses, organizations and teams.

When it became clear the tournament, which had 45 teams registered in four divisions, could not proceed due to the pandemic, corporate donors were offered their money back.

All but two told Bourassa and his crew to keep the money — about $8,000 — and give it to STARS.

“Obviously they believe in his tournament and what we’re doing,” Bourassa said.

Teams were given the option of a refund but most wanted to contribute something to the cause, raising another $2,322.

“I was expecting most teams to ask for their money back,” said Bourassa, explaining most players are college and university students whose job prospects are uncertain.

The Fort Macleod Volleyball Club underwrote all expenses that had been incurred and then topped up the fund to $10,800 so Fort Macleod could fund two of the $5,400 missions.

Last year the tournament raised more than $11,400 for STARS.

It also put close to $14,000 into businesses where supplies were bought and community groups that helped out with the tournament, something that won’t happen this year.

“All the businesses and community groups will lose,” Bourassa said. “We hit our goal for STARS but we didn’t hit our goal. To me, making a donation to STARS is an objective but it’s definitely not our only objective.”

“Our main objective is to bring some business to the town.”

Last year tournament organizers gave $1,250 to the rugby teams at F.P. Walshe school for their help setting up and taking down the portable courts at the Fort Macleod and District Sports Centre.

The F.P. Walshe volleyball teams earned $800 for scorekeeping in the tournament.

Organizers are now turning their attention to 2021.

A letter will be sent in December to all the teams that registered for this year’s tournament, giving them the opportunity to register for 2021.

Then registration will be opened to the public. 

Bourassa said while it was a difficult decision to cancel the tournament, it should not hurt the event’s long-term prospects.

“Everybody was so disappointed,” Bourassa said. “They were hoping against hope that we wouldn’t cancel.”

“All of them said they can’t wait for next year. I’m a fairly positive person so I would like to think that things wil be fine.”

The Granum White Sox, who won the provincial senior baseball championship five times in the 1950s, are commemorated in a special cancellation stamp at the post office.

Granum post master Lynn Barrie had the cancellation stamp made to promote awareness of the town’s colourful history.

“Lynn had toured the museum with me and I had told her some of the stories concerning the White Sox,” said Mike Sherman of the Granum Historical Society. “She then approached Canada Post and they agreed to design a pictorial dated stamp.”

The Granum White Sox were the product of area farmer and rancher George Wesley’s passion for baseball.

While farming and ranching in the Wrentham area in the 1930s, Wesley started a team that played in a local league.

When he moved to the Granum area in 1948, Wesley formed a new team, which joined residents to build a new ball park.

About five years after he started that team, Wesley began to bring in U.S. college players to supplement the local squad.

The White Sox played in leagues that included southern Alberta teams from Vulcan, Vauxhall, Picture Butte, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and other centres.

The White Sox were a power, winning league and tournament championships, even when up against top-flight teams from Wyoming, Washington, Oregon and the northwest United States.

“As a boy growing up in Granum I worked for George Wesley during game day chasing foul balls,” Sherman recalled. “George would pay us 25 cents per game providing no balls were lost.”

The college players came from Chicago, Oregon, California and other places.

“This was an era when baseball was played for the love of the game,” said Sherman, who put together a White Sox display for the Granum Museum. “There were no million dollar contracts, no one taking steroids, no corked bats — just pure baseball.”

The White Sox won the Alberta senior baseball championships from 1954-’58.

One of those White Sox players was Pat Gillick, who went on to win back-to-back World Series championships as general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Gillick hitchhiked to Alberta from southern California to play baseball, signing on first with Vulcan and later the White Sox.

Gillick was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011.

“During his playing days in Granum he actually pitched a no hitter,” Sherman said. “Pitching for Granum with a population for 400 to the hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York. What a story.”

White Sox alumni include Dave Gamby, who played for the White Sox in 1951 and went on to play in the National Basketball Association with St. Louis Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers, winning a world championship with the latter, whose lineup included NBA Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain.

Ray Washburn, a righthanded pitcher, is another White Sox player who made it to the majors, playing form 1961-’69 with the St. Louis Cardinals and in 1970 for the Cincinnati Reds.

Washburn won a World Series with the Cardinals in 1967 and threw a no-hitter for them in 1968.

Earl Ingarfield, who made it to the big leagues in hockey with the New York Rangers, played for the White Sox.

Ingarfield returned to Granum in 2011 for the official opening of the White Sox exhibit at the museum.

“Everything was so first class,” Ingarfield said of the White Sox, recalling his team had the best equipment and great travel and accommodations on the road. “Most everybody wanted to play for Granum if they could.”

Ingarfield, who made $125 a month playing for the White Sox, said the team was a fun-loving bunch who got down to business on the diamond.

“We always had a good bunch of guys and we had lots of fun,” Ingarfield said in the 2011 interview. “But when it came game time, everybody competed.”

The White Sox left Granum for Lethbridge in 1959 and a stadium that had lights to accommodate night games, which drew more fan support.

The White Sox joined the Western Canada Baseball League in 1960, with teams in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and won championships in 1960 and 1961.

Mike Sherman is delighted post master Lynn Barrie is helping to celebrate the White Sox’s place in Granum history.

“She deserves all the credit for her community spirit in keeping our history alive,” Sherman said.

Jamie Brown is the most outstanding player on the Lethbridge College Kodiaks women’s volleyball team for the second year in a row.
The awards were announced on-line with the COVID-19 pandemic preventing people gathering for a ceremony.
“It has been an amazing year for the Kodiaks — one of the best ever,” Kodis host Paul Kingsmith said.
Among the accomplishments were one national championship, three Alberta College Athletics Conference championships and more than 60 national and provincial honours.
“I couldn’t be prouder to be a Kodiak,” Kodiaks athletics manager Todd Caughlin said in a news release. “Across the board, our teams and student-athletes achieved extraordinary results this year.”
“We thought it was important that they still get recognized with some sort of awards ceremony, and we want them all to know how proud we are of them.”
The award on Wednesday had special meaning for Brown as she made the shift to left side from setter, the position where she received her first most outstanding player award.
“I had to adjust my entire game over a period of about 12 hours and still be a key player for my team. Receiving this award for the second year in a row for a different position is extremely rewarding and the recognition for my hard work will push me to be even better next time I get to step on the court.”
“I was very proud of my own performance this season as well as my team’s overall performance.”
Brown was also a finalist for the Tim Tollestrup Leadership female student-Athlete of the Year award, which was won by Christine Moser who played soccer, futsal and indoor track.
The 21-year-old Brown was captain of the women’s volleyball team for the 2019-’20 Alberta Colleges Athletic Association season.
“When I first heard that I was a finalist for Athlete of the Year I was initially shocked. Every Kodiak athlete works hard year-round and is deserving of this award so it was an honour to be nominated for an award of this caliber. However, playing the game itself makes all the blood, sweat and tears worth it at the end of the day.”
Brown’s leadership style has evolved based on what her club coach called “serious fun.”
Brown said her leadership style reflects the “serious fun” motto in that she loves having a good laugh at practice and being goofy to make the team laugh.
“However, at the end of the day our goal is to win games and be as successful in the season as we possibly can. This means that when it’s time to perform, we have to put the goofiness into our back pockets and focus on the game and what we need to do to be successful.”
Brown, an F.P. Walshe school Class of 2017 grad, earned the Kodiaks Newcomer of the Year award in her first season, and last year was selected her team’s most outstanding player.
The Kodiaks won nine and lost 15 matches in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference play this season, placing fourth in south division standings. Last year the Kodiaks were sixth with four wins and 20 losses.
“We went through a lot of ups and downs this season,” Brown said. “We were a very young team this year which is a huge obstacle because even though there’s only one or two years of experience separating us from the top teams in the nation, that experience shows on the court so we have to work that much harder to keep up.”
The Kodiaks ended on a high note, winning seven of their last 10 games to technically earn a playoffs only to be bumped by tournament host Medicine Hat College Rattlers.
“Although we didn’t officially make it to provincials, the second half of the season was a major confidence boost for the team and we are set up to have an amazing season next year.”
Brown recorded 390 attacks this season, up from 172 last year, along with 133 kills, up from 74 last year.
Brown also had 179 digs, which matched last season’s total, and 186 points, up from 124 last year.
Brown has a diploma in Natural Resource Compliance and is enrolled in the Bachelor of Applied Science Conservation Enforcement program.
Brown will return to Lethbridge College in the fall to work on her degree.
She has high hopes for the up-coming season, seeing potential in the Kodiaks to make a showing at provincials.
“Being a part of the Kodiak family is indescribable,” Brown said. “The relationships that all of the athletes have made with each other and the support that the different teams have for each other is the most warming feeling.”
“It makes me extremely proud to be a part of such an amazing family and have the opportunity to represent my community.”

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The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) last month named Todd Caughlin as the 2019-’20 Athletic Director of the Year.

In his sixth season with the Lethbridge College Kodiaks program, Caughlin was at the helm as the Kodiaks had one of the most successful seasons in program history.

“What an absolutely incredible honour to receive at this level of collegiate athletics!” said Caughlin, who is originally from Fort Macleod and graduated from F.P. Walshe school.

“An honour like this does not happen without the support of my family — both my personal and Kodiaks family. The support the college has provided over this rejuvenation has been unmatched and I say thank you for all that support. The Kodiaks team I am blessed to work with is outstanding and I’m lucky and proud to be able to try to lead such an incredible team.”

Athletically, the Kodiaks women’s cross country team won a CCAA national championship, while the women’s cross country team, men’s soccer team and cross country runner Sophia Nowicki all won ACAC championships.

The Kodiaks had four ACAC players of the year and five ACAC coaches of the year, among more than 65 CCAA and ACAC medals and honours.

When hired in 2014, Caughlin instituted the three pillars of Kodiaks athletics — academic accountability, athletic excellence and the student-athlete experience.

The Kodiaks excelled in all three areas in 2019-’20. Kodiaks student-athletes averaged a combined 2.91 GPA in the fall 2019 semester, with nearly 80 per cent of student-athletes achieving a GPA of at least 2.5.

Among community initiatives, Caughlin instituted the Kodiaks Leadership Council this season, a group of eight student-athletes (one from each team) who provide input into administrative decisions and lead the way in community initiatives, including public speaking appearances.

“In his time at Lethbridge College, Todd has changed the culture of the Kodiaks,” Lethbridge College president and CEO Dr. Paula Burns said. “I have seen first-hand the change in our student-athletes thanks to his leadership. They are more successful in the classroom and more involved in our local community.”

“This season, I had one of my proudest moments as a president when I sat in a sold out gymnasium for the ACAC men’s volleyball championship match. It was a clear indication of the culture and community atmosphere that Todd has helped to cultivate.”

Caughlin was a volleyball player and coach for the Kodiaks before moving on to a variety of coaching and administrative roles in the United States.

Caughlin re-joined the Kodiaks as athletics manager in August 2014.

Caughlin is chair of the ACAC’s compliance and governance committee and sits on the boards of both the Lethbridge Sport Council and Economic Development Lethbridge.

In April, Caughlin was named the Lethbridge Sport Council’s Sport Administrator of the Year.

Caughlin has been the tournament chair as the Kodiaks have hosted five ACAC championships over the past four years, including the men’s volleyball championship in February.

“I came home after 17 years in the United States with a ton of experiences in hand,” Caughlin said. “And having grown up in southern Alberta, the combination helped lead to the Kodiaks rejuvenation.”

“To be a former Kodiaks student-athlete with the men’s volleyball team, then to coach and now to sit in the manager’s chair has all come together to help me stay driven to make the experiences of the student-athletes and coaches one they will treasure and never forget.”

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The boys of summer won’t be on the diamond this year.

But it isn’t the COVID-19 pandemic that has shut down the Fort Macleod Royals baseball team.

A shortage of players forced the American Legion club to take a hiatus in 2020, long before the pandemic shut down the season.

“We had tried to assemble a team for this year but our numbers were bleak,” explained Rory Snider, who inherited the general manager’s post in December when the person in the position relocated for work.

“We had three players who graduated and a number of players who decided not to return,” Snider added. “Most of these players would have been in their last year and were planning on working instead.”

Snider attended the league scheduling meeting in mid January and tried to assemble a team for this year.

“I had reached out to different communities to see what type of interest there was from the younger players and received very little correspondence back,” Snider said.

“We had five to six players who were committed to play but we could not build upon those players.”

When it became clear the Royals would not field a team in 2020, the players were granted permission to try out for other clubs.

Four Royals — Sean Burns of Claresholm, Josh Conley of Pincher Creek and Colby and Cooper Snider from the Crowsnest Pass — attended a tryout in Lethbridge with the intention of playing.

Then the pandemic rolled into Alberta and teams were ordered to put tryouts and practices on hold.

Last week, American baseball cancelled all regional playoff tournaments and the World Series.

With this season off the diamond, the Royals will attempt to regroup so a team can be fielded in 2021.

People are needed to take on executive roles with the Royals in order to prepare for next season.

The executive will also have to line up enough players to fill the squad, and to put coaches in place.

“I am hoping that there will be enough players to be able to field a team along with other people to step up and take over the Royals association,” said Snider, who plans to step down as general manager.

“It would be a shame if this program was finished so I am hoping that a group of parents will step up and take the reigns.”

To express interest in working with the Royals, contact Rory Snider at 403- 563-9009 or rory_snider@tcenergy.com.

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F.P. Walshe school last week paid tribute to its student athletes.

Year-end awards were handed out June 16 during the annual Blue and White Night, which was livestreamed on Facebook.

The annual awards ceremony could not be conducted in person due to limits on the size of public gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m really happy to be able to do this with you guys and celebrate with you,” assistant principal Randy Bohnet said.

Bohnet thanked staff members Aimee Sandham and Chris Baxter, as well as all the coaches.

Bohnet said the efforts of the volunteer coaches is sometimes a thankless job but is valued by F.P. Walshe school.

“We see it here at the school, the excitement in the kids,” Bohnet said. “We see the impact in the school.”

Bohnet said the assistance of students who volunteered as scorekeepers and officials is also valued and appreciated.

Bohnet said it is important to remember what school sports is about.

“Sometimes we get caught up in the winning and things like that, and at times we might get a little too caught up in that,” Bohnet said. “This is about character building, and building you as a person.”

Bohnet urged the student athletes as they go forward in life to keep things in perspective when it comes to sports.

“It’s a microcosm of life and it gives you an opportunity to face challenges and to face them with dignity and respect . . . and gratitude for those who are providing these opportunities for you.”

Sandham paid tribute to the junior high B boys volleyball team which won its banner, as well as the junior varsity boys and girls basketball teams, which earned the Chinook league’s sportsmanship awards.

Sandham also recognized individuals who received league awards, including volleyball all-stars Payton Van Driesten and John Zmurchyk, basketball all-star Esther Oosterwijk, and basketball and volleyball all-star Sheridan George.

The following awards were presented at Blue and White Night:

Junior High Citizens of the Year: Middle School, Jocelyn Van Herk, Taren Broderson and Joseph Paguio; Grade 9, Breanne Van Herk and Ben Oosterwijk.

Junior High Athlete of the Year: Ben Oosterwijk and Lalaine Mendoza.

Danny Paskal Memorial Award: Logan Markland and Sheridan George.

Danny Van Wyck Memorial Award — Shelby Scout-Bastien and Zelwyn Hugo.

Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball: Most Improved Player, Alisha Larson; Leadership Award: Brynlee Van Sluys; and Most Outstanding Player, Hannah Boot.

Senior Girls Volleyball: Most Dedicated, Shelby Scout-Bastien; Leadership Award, Payton Van Driesten; and Most Outstanding Player, Sheridan George.

Senior Boys Volleyball: Most Dedicated Player, Jared Feyter; Most Coachable Player, Joeper Paguio; Most Improved Player, John Zmurchyk.

Senior Girls Basketball: Dedication Award, Carson Smith; Heart and Hustle Award, Esther Oosterwijk; Most Outstanding Player, Sheridan George.

Senior Boys Basketball: Most Valuable Offensive Player, Tristan Luther; Most Valuable Defensive Player, Joeper Paguio; Leadership Award, Ryan Cervo.

Grade 11 Letter Awards — Payton Van Driesten, volleyball second year; Esther Oosterwijk, basketball first year; Sydney Perry, basketball first year.

Grade 12 Letter Awards — Shelby Scout-Bastien, volleyball first year; Sidney Wolff, basketball first year; Tess Luther, basketball first year; Sheridan George, volleyball third year and basketball third year.

Grade 12 Walshe Plaque — Hannah Poffenroth, Ashley Smith, Greg Burrows, Roy Fournier, Logan Markland, Matthew Possin, rugby; Sheridan George, volleyball, basketball and track and field; Tess Luther and Sidney Wolff, rugby and basketball; Shelby Scout-Bastien.

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George Wolstenholme may have discovered the secret to shaving strokes off his golf game.

Lack of sleep.

Wolstenholme came right off the night shift in the Teck Resources mines Aug. 22 to shoot a 75 to win the club championship at the Fort Macleod Golf Club.

“I was pretty loose,” Wolstenholme said with a laugh.

The Fort Macleod golfer had his work cut out for him, with a field of 50 golfers teeing off for the club championship.

That’s almost twice the number of golfers who played in last year’s club championship.

“The executive decided to offer no entry fee plus a steak dinner and as a result we doubled the entrants,” club board member Jary Plamondon explained. “ We may have the blueprint for future club championships as financially we broke even with enough corporate sponsors to pay the cost for the dinner and prizes.”

Three women teed off in the club championship and the club gave each one a prize.

Wolstenholme outplayed his 11.6 handicap to shoot five over par to win his first club championship, after coming close before but losing in a playoff.

“The course was in fantastic shape,” Wolstenholme said. “Great kudos to the grounds crew and to the clubhouse crew for a fantastic day.”

Hitting fairways off the tee throughout the day, Wolstenholme shot a 38 on the first nine to lead Lance Robinson at 39 and Dan Burrows at 40.

“The conditions were tough in the morning as it was pretty windy,” Wolstenholme said.

Robinson finished with a 77 to place second, two strokes behind the champion.

“It was close,” Wolstenholme said. “I had no idea what others were shooting as they were in different groups.”

Low net champion was Casey Provost.

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The new Fort Macleod Rec Hockey League will face off Monday, Oct. 12.

Six teams of players aged 18 years and older will compete in a season that runs until March at the Fort Macleod and District Sports Centre,

“It’s primarily for fun but at the same time I think it’s going to be competitive,” organizer Rob Luther said. “We want it to be competitive but not dirty.”

The idea of a Fort Macleod rec league has been proposed before, but teams were content to play their own loosely-organized exhibition schedules.

This year, when new rules and restrictions were put in place at arenas to stop the spread of COVID-19, the idea of a Fort Macleod league resurfaced.

“This year everybody kind of jumped on it,” Luther said Thursday. “Everybody loves a good hockey game.”

Games will be played Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Fort Macleod arena.

Teams are guaranteed one game a week and will likely play two games every second week.

Games will be three 25-minute periods of straight time.

Traditional rec hockey rules will be enforced, with an emphasis on good sportsmanship.

Team contacts are Trevor Curran (403-634-5554), Boof Roelofson (403-892-2875), Dustin Grisnich (403-331-8984), Loren Feyter (403-332-3334), Lyndon Van Buuren (403-330-9460), Craig DeMaere (403-795-0965), Jace Norlin (403-892-5869), Aaron Poytress (403-849-7516) and Brad Needham (403-635-6392) are putting their squads together.

The plan is for each team to have one goalie and 12 skaters.

Players looking to join a team can contact the captains. The league will not allow carded players.

People from outside of Fort Macleod and district are welcome to join the new rec league.

Luther said the intention is to keep every team competitive, so trades will be possible.

“We’re going to build the teams to try and keep things fair,” Luther said.

Anyone interested in adding their names to the team’s spare list can contact Rob Luther at 403-308-0458.

Luther is also the contact for anyone interested in working as an on-ice official.

Registration is $250 per player and must be paid prior to the teams playing their first game.

The registration covers ice time as well as a team jersey.

Registration fees can be e-transfered to macleodhockey2020@gmail.com.

The Fort Macleod Rec Hockey League’s Web site is at www.recleague.net/fmrhl.

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Trevor Curran is the inaugural recipient of a new award honouring volunteer service to Fort Macleod Minor Hockey.

Minor Hockey presented the Merv Friesen Volunteer of the Year Award on Oct. 2 during the awards night at Fort Macleod and District Community Hall.

“Merv truly embodied the volunteer spirit and lived it,” presenter Brian Vandervalk said. “He believed in making hockey fun for the kids. He loved nothing more than having fun out there.”

Curran has coached Fort Macleod teams for about 18 years, this past season with the Midget Mavericks.

When Fort Macleod Minor Hockey decided it wanted to honour a Volunteer of the Year, it was an obvious choice to name the award after Friesen.

“I’m grateful to be presenting this award,” Vandervalk said. “For many of us, (Merv) was the face of Minor Hockey in Fort Macleod.”

Friesen, who died last year, first started coaching his younger brother in 1975 and continued as a coach and volunteer for 25 years.

Vandervalk recalled that Friesen eased his own introduction to hockey.

“He was such a loving and caring guy, you could just tell right away,” Vandervalk said of his former coach.

Friesen influenced hundreds of young people as a coach, and also served as president of Minor Hockey and the Fort Macleod Recreation Board.

Friesen scheduled tournaments, co-ordinated the referees, set up the time clock and sold 50-50 tickets — anything that needed to be done to keep Minor Hockey running smoothly.

“He was integral in the lobbying to get the new arena in place in 1976,” Vandervalk added. “He often said the best years he spent were being part of Minor Hockey.”

Friesen would create a nickname for each player, and would make plaques along with a year-end program at his own cost.

Friesen spent hours writing Minor Hockey reports for The Macleod Gazette, and working the phones to book teams and arrange tournaments and schedule referees.

“His attention to detail paid off,” Vandervalk said. “As players we grew to love the game because of the hard work Merv put in and because he cared for all the right reasons.”

Vandervalk said the life lessons learned from Friesen have served his former players as parents and volunteers.

Minor Hockey president Natasha Haluck said the board canvassed the association’s older players, as well as parents and coaches, for nominations.

The selection of Curran as the first recipient was unanimous.

“I was flooded with nominations,” Haluck said. “And every one of those nominations was the exact same individual.”

The nominations praised Curran as a positive force with a calm presence who pushed the teams forward.

Curran encourages his players to keep pushing, never give up, and not to get down on themselves.

In addition to encouraging players to improve each time on the ice, Curran shared life lessons that will be valuable throughout their lives.

The nominations noted that Curran puts in extra time to make them and their teams better, and always exceeds their expectations.

The nominations said Curran is well respected and made an impression with his dedication to their teams.

A former player described Curran as approachable and respectful, made the game enjoyable and demonstrated a love of the sport.

“I can’t think of a more deserving person for this award,” Haluck said.

The award caught Curran off guard.

“I deeply appreciate the nomination and the kind words,” Curran said.

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