Jan. 7
It was medals galore for the local girls of hockey as they teamed up for two golds and a silver at the Oceanside Icebreaker female hockey tournament.
The annual tourney, said Oceanside Minor Hockey Association organizer Sue Street, “was a huge success. We had teams participate in all four divisions, (Initiation, Atom, Peewee and Midget), and our girls did a fantastic job.”
Oceanside’s Atom Female Icebreakers (ages 9-10) finished first to clinch gold in their division, as did the Midget Rep girls (15-17), while the Peewee Icebreakers (11-12) secured the silver medal.
Jan. 14
“These guys just like playing hockey, and I like being the bench boss.”
Dan Dunwoody was in his element sending the boys over the boards, and the Over 60s Parksville Panters’ team carried the play in what turned out to be a tournament classic at Oceanside Place.
Jan. 18
The countdown for the opening ceremonies is on, and world champion wheelchair racer Michelle Stilwell was stoked.
Oceanside’s most decorated Paralympian will be rolling up to the line on Saturday for her first event at the IPC (International Paralymipic Committee) Athletics 2011 World Championships, slated for for Christchurch, New Zealand Jan. 21-30.
Michelle, or Mikey to her friends, family and fans, will be competing in the 100m, 200m, 400m, and 800m on the 22nd, 24th, 26th, and 28th consecutively.
Jan. 25
From New Zealand came word that less than 10 hours after demolishing the field to win the Women’s 100m T52 final in Christchurch, New Zealand at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships, Nanoose Bay wheelchair racer Michelle Stilwell was at it again, smashing her previous world record of 39.51 with a run of 37.12 to win the 200m T52 final on Sunday.
Feb. 1
It was a great day, albeit a long day, for Oceanside’s lads of field lacrosse down at Parksville Community Park, as the hometown Buccaneers out-ran, out-checked, out-hit, and out-scored Pac Rim Bagattaway.
Feb. 8
The pride of Parksville Taekwondo Academy are back home sporting a few nicks and bruises but feeling great after a strong showing at the Junior Nationals in Winnipeg.
In action Jan. 29 to 30 at the big annual showcase were PTA’s Marco Viedas, 16; 14-year-olds Kayla Cochrane, Matthew Landry and Thalia Austin, and Sherman Campbell and Mariah St. Pierre, both 13.
Feb. 15
Oceanside’s Midget Rep Generals found themselves down 2-0 early, but the boys fought back with five unanswered goals and kept their season alive by thumping the Campbell River Tyees 5-2 in front of a loud crowd of family and friends.
The Generals went into the final weekend of the Tier 2 quarterfinals with their backs against the wall, and responded with an inspired 3-0 road win on Friday over the Powell River Kings.
The Generals, said their coach Louis Raymond, “played really well both games — they played their butts off. We knew we had to beat Powell River or we were done — it was do or die, so the kids played with intensity.”
Feb. 18
When members of the 893 Beaufort Squadron took on cadets from across the province in a biathlon competition at Mt. Washington recently, one of them was able to bring home some hardware.
Corporal Travis De Rooy took a bronze medal at the event, an accomplishment all the more remarkable because of the calibre of the competition, said Padre Brian Kirby.
Feb. 22
Ballenas Secondary’s senior girls basketball team qualified for the AAA Island Championships for the second consecutive year — and only second time in school history — over the weekend.
March 1
That Heidi Bromley would make such a big splash in her speed swimming debut at the BC Seniors Games came as no huge surprise given her competitive spirit and deep running connection with water, but being called up to the podium to receive Pacific Sport’s Sport Achievement Award for Masters Athlete of the Year, “was a big a surprise.
“It’s quite a big deal, so it was nice. Being the first one called up and never having been I was a bit nervous,” she conceded recently.
March 8
They weren’t able to play lion killer, but the young Generals were still a handful for the heavily favoured Cougars.
Oceanside’s boys of Junior B hockey saw their season come to an end in Victoria on Sunday as they lost in overtime for the second time in three days against the newly crowned league champions in their best of five semifinal.
March 15
Qualicum Beach B skip Rick Dunn came up three rocks short in his quest for a provincial title, but the 2011 BC Masters Curling Championships were still a slam dunk.
Eight men’s teams and eight women’s teams converged on Qualicum Beach & District Curling Club last week, and local fans of the game turned out en masse to take in some great games.
March 18
The rain may have kept the numbers down but it didn’t seem to dampen the spirits of those that turned out down at the Parksville lacrosse box last Thursday to try their hand at bike polo.
March 25
It was extra reps for Parksville’s first crop of young boxers to come out of the Genesis Boxing and Fitness club, as anticipation for the upcoming BC Bronze Gloves competition, being held in their own backyard in May was building.
Slated for Oceanside Place May 28 and 29, and the final tournament in Boxing BC’s Road To Glory, the BC Bronze Gloves tournament will take over the Howie Meeker Arena for 120 entries and 60 bouts.
In Tuesday’s News:
The Sports Year in Review continues, moving into April, May and June, 2011.