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22-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, Aprit 5, 2005 Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Red Cross scores; with soccer support Judith Dobbs of the north Halton branch of the Canadian Red Cross accepts a cheque for $2,300 for Asian tsuna- mi relief efforts from Milton Youth Soccer Club members (from left) Michael, Jennifer and David Haringa - who rep- resent the organization's three levels, rep, select and house league. A dollar fromn every player registration in February went toward the fund. Minor lacrosse holding its own despite Jr. B team's departure Lacrosse bu alive and well in Milton u t least ut the minor level. Okay. so it's not booming. but ifs hold- ing ils own. -Wc're a lintle ahcad of lant year.' said Susais Grant. president of the Milton Minor Lacrosse Associationi, .spcak- ing in ternis of registration. "The younger groups are looking benter than lhcy bave foîr a %%hile." ls a constant banlie. bowever. she udded. -Wc have difftculty competing ugainst soccer. Last year they had 20 tyke teamns and sic bad difftculty putting together a rep teans. Fundaintally. Milton is a soccer town.* Pant of Uic problero is Uiere arc some mîsconceptions about lacrosse. Grant even had some of bier own when she ivas ut the arena for a soccer function whcn bier kids ivere stîl pluying Uiat sport. -1 saw a kid get cross-cheekeil into the glass and I turned to my husband and askeil wbaî kind of parent wvould let their kid play Uis ame.' shle rccalled. She laughs about it now. but aiso noteil that stutisties show Uiat Uic number of injuries ini lacrosse fi so lois that ts ticd with bowling. She added that once bier kids discovered lacrosse they didn't s.atto1 go back to soccer. The cost to play lacrosse is about the same as soccer. and the season runs from April 1l though June 25 so kids are fin- ished before summiner. Rep teams go a uIte longer. House league and the softie division (learning thc basics and scrimmaging) stant at age four. Rep teams go up 10 the midget age. but it doesn't appear that there ivill be an intermediate team this year. CGrant isn't sure wbether or not that's a product of the junior team ceasing opera- lions here or older kids having jobs or find- 3-on-3 b-bail coming soon lnterested bu a lîntle hoops action! Il so. the Milton Leisure Centre is the place tii be April 23. sî,hen CityWide Sports hosîs its iniaugural three-on-tbree basketball toumrament for mules 16 years of age and up. The Saturda> shoiscase is the first of seseral events planned by CîtyWide. %%bich is in tIse proccîs of brnng a pre- ledit basketball camp to tosî%n. as sîcîlI as- or"auizing a men's sumrmer league. T'hose ssanting to gel in on ncxt nîonth's toumnament are asked to caîl CityWide ut (416) 918-4307 by April 15. bng other aclîvîties. Fîîlding up shop locully last summer the Jr. B Mavericks were supposed to hase moved to Cambridge this season. but thut hasn't ssorked out. "TIse Cambridge mitior organizaîton scas ongînully bebind it.- explained general manager Jîm Gortiz. "But then a ne\% board of dîrectors si as elecîed that dîd tiot upîthlIe misse ut thîs lime.- Goertz is still liopeful they cant sîork something out for nexi yeur and t'. stîll dis- appobinted îhîîîgs didn't îsork out in Milton. 'Teesas the lack of fan support and a luck of support lrom the business comu- nîty. Junior leanus can*t operute siithout both." Another factor is that svhcn Milton fint started thse junior program they ivere the only teamn in the area. When other clubs began operations they started taking asvuy the better players as sîcl., because the Milton lacrosse systein isn't big enougli to support thte junior teani by itscîf. -We isere just getting lcftovers," said Goertz. "And the long-îermn future dîd not look bnighî." The itinor lacrosse sysieni is sîtîl ssîrk- îng to increase participatioin. 'Weere doîîîg sontie marketing thîngs thîs year tii gel lacrosse more ssidely recognized ini iossn.- saîd Grant. "Il maNs just be that people don't knossý shere iii find us." They cani find theni for the final registra- tion nighî ut John Tonelît Sports Centre Thursdav front 6:30 to 9 p.m. -Whitlock set for ' challenge' race Ed Whîtlock won't he battlîng the clock ibis lime around. The world's tinly person 70 or older to complele a marathon in under three *1 hours, doing s0 twice in back-îo-back ' appearances at the Toronto Wuterfront Marathon. Milton's renowned runner is set for a unique challenge race this Sunday in the Netlierlands. Laying down the gauntlet is host Duichruan Joop Rater, a 71 year old svho Ed Whitlock ran 3:02.49 last year itn Rotterdam -where the upcoming showdown will take place. While challenge races are nothîng new to Whiîlock, ibis is the first one he's accepted for marathon competitioi. "It's going to be interesting,- said the soIt-spoken senior, who receîîtly tumned 74. While not quite sure be's up to îiatclîing the 2:54.49 per- formance hie delivered last year in Toronito, Whitlock satd he's had a couple of'solid effots ai sliorter distanices this past ss inter at Yoîrk University and tîtat trainîing lias been gottîg fairlyscî -The scý,eaiher didit really ibis ne doivti - 51s a few days svtth thse lreeiîg ramn. That's sîhat stolps yuîu tn your tiacks,- remarked the local racer, ssho trints up iii tlîree I ur alsy adu uully coer I(X mles a week. -Haydar stili out with ankie injury The. deleîs.ing Cailder Cup chamioni Milssaukee Adiiîirals are headtne tii Haimiltoin thîs sseek. but their productise Miltoti righi si tger ss.oii't be accompu- nyîîîg them. Tbtrd-year seteran [)arren Haydar %vas sidelîned svitlî an ankle injury early lait nîînth -alter catchitiie a rut in the ice during pructice -and is stîll a ssays off f ront retumning tii the hune-up. He'l be staviîîg behîîîd in Milwaukee Darren iti) continue physiotherapy ftor the liair- Haydar line fracture -which. besides a mild concussion two years ugo in bis NHL debut wiih Nashville, represents the f îrst injury of bis career. -Progress bas been pushed back. Tbree or four weeks (of recovery time) wus a little aggreîsîve the doctor told me,- explained thîe 25 year old. 'Hopefully lIlI be back for the playofis,." TMe injury puts the kibosh on plans for a local bus trip to Copps Coliseuro, as ssell as a post-ganie reception for Haydar si ith fainils and friends follossiîîg the first tif tssu meetings svith tbe honietown Bulldogs toniorrosi' esening. Haydar sits tîed for second in teans scoriîîg wvith 23 goals and 25 assists in 56 gaines. Local fencers fare well in London A trio of Mtlton Fencing/Penîaîblon Club members showed îtrongly ut the recent London Ontarto Challenge Circuit fencing esent. N Club coach and usual stindout competilor Jose Hemandez a, top-eighî fixture aIl season- secured bis ;econd bronze .medal of the star tn mnen's epc Meanwhile. Stephen Wîllson osercume a somesvhat sbaky starn to girab an eig-ht-place finish -cuttîng bts bits agaînit in hall throtighI the'baier stages oif competitioit tii crack the toîp I1t -Af 1er a ireeting ssils coac.h 1-emnandez. 1 regained nîy cîimposure and uîutsctîred my oppotuents in the secoind hall., said Wtllsoiî Rounidin- oui the truio isas George Daunt. sî ho uscd the esent u s a ssarîn-up for tlîts summer's Intemnational Penitathlon Masters luvitatinul and pluced 24tb. a deý