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Team throws support behind cancer survivor Minor peewees think pink The teasing and double-takes stop not long can affect a family. "I did it just to give them some awareness after the pre-game warm-up is over. Opponents of the Georgetown minor about the disease," Daquano said last week in the peewee AA Raiders who haven't seen an entire stands prior to the team's first playoff game. group of 11-year-old boys wearing pink skate "When I was in a wheelchair, having limited ability, they saw how (Joanne's husband Mike, along laces before usually get tuned in fairly quickly. "We don't care what people think about the with children Dylan, Dean and Darcy) had to pink," said goalie Dean Daquano, whose mother pitch in a little more with everything at home. You can see there's a change in the team's attitude Joanne has been battling cancer since 1999. "Our nickname is The Pink Blur," quipped now. There is more to life than hockey. You never teammate Tyler Topham, when asked about his know what can happen to your teammate." After winning first-place a Chatham holiRaiders. day tournament, Team manager there was talk Ian McGucken amongst the thought up the minor peewee idea of the pink Raiders that the laces as a show of laces possessed support for 40some sort of magyear-old Joanne -- Pre-game cheer of minor peewee AA Raiders ical powers-- Daquano, who making one skate recently underfaster and score went hip-replacement surgery after two more cancer spots were more goals-- something you couldn't test positive diagnosed. When McGucken discovered that it for at the Olympics. The tourney victory qualified Georgetown for would take several weeks to order that colour of the North American Silver Stick championships in laces, he decided to dye a white set instead. "Our kids get lots of comments at first from Newmarket last month, and the Raiders posted other teams because they don't know the situa- impressive wins over London and Michigan to tion," said head coach Ray Wallace. "But once we start things off. A win against an Indianapolis tell one of the other team's parents or one of their team in the final preliminary-round match would kids what the laces are for, they all think it's a have assured a place in the playoff semi-finals for the very confident Raiders, but alas, for the first great gesture." Instead of purchasing Christmas presents for time, the pink laces didn't come through in a 9-2 each other this past year, team members decided Georgetown loss. The minor peewee Raiders finished in top spot to buy gifts for Daquano, who was in hospital at the time suffering from the agonizing pain of the in the Tri-County league with a 19-5-4 record and deteriorating hip joint. The squad has also slightly trail Brampton 1-0 in their second-round Ontario altered the traditional Georgetown Raider pre- Minor Hockey Association playoff series. As for Daquano, she has set a goal of returning game cheer to demonstrate their enthusiasm. "We are the Raiders and we wear pink. We are to the classroom to teach in September. "We'll see how I'm feeling. We've been thrown the best team in this rink." A Grade 7-8 teacher at St. Catherine of so many curve balls that I don't say that I'm going Alexandria School in Georgetown, Daquano to do something because you never know what's recently spoke to the players in the change room going to happen." --By Eamonn Maher, about her illness, explaining how the breast cancer staff writer that she was first found to have back in May 1999 `We are the Raiders and we wear pink. We are the best team in this rink.' In a show of support for the mother of one of their teammates, members of the Georgetown minor peewee AA Raiders are wearing pink skate laces during their run through the OMHA playdowns. Joanne Daquano (centre of photo) was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago and is recovering from another bout with the disease. Pictured above, surrounding Daquano, beginning in the forefront, moving clockwise, are: Conor McGucken, Derek Thomas, Mark Hirst, Dean Daquano, Tyler Topham, Scott Garvie, Paul Chiapetta, Adam Anderson. Photo by Eamonn Maher Goodtimers almost golden on pond Sign-up session Saturday for roller hockey The Georgetown Roller Hockey League will hold registration for its 10th season this weekend with divisions for players seven years to adults played on Wednesday nights from April to July. The registration will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at MoldMasters SportsPlex. Cost to register is $185 per player (+GST). For more info call Paul Mintha at 905-2594514 or e-mail pmintha@oihl.com, or visit the Website www.oihl.com. Two Georgetown teams made it to the quarter-finals of the inaugural Canadian Pond Hockey Championships last weekend in Huntsville before bowing out to the squads that ended up meeting for the men's championship. The Georgetown Goodtimers put in a double entry for the 110-team tournament, and after winning several games each, both sides were knocked out Sunday afternoon on adjacent rinks. Weather proved to be a challenge as well, with spring-like conditions on Friday and Saturday, followed by snow squalls and 60 km/h winds for championship Sunday. Still, the locals enjoyed the experience and plan on entering four teams for next year's tournament. The Real Goodtimers, consisting of Dave Welburn, Lanny McCabe, Pete Mashinter, Jay Campbell and Mark David, lost in the quarters to the eventual-champion Team Rink Rake Grey Beards from Whitby. The Goodtimers 2nd String, made up of Luc Wood, Brad Davidson, Shane Thompson, Jim Kavanagh and Curtis Hoogendan, were eliminated with a 19-5 defeat to the runner-up Barrie Bruins.