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"A Family Tradition for 131 Years" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, April 29, 1997 - 19 Sr ISO) LYM SI DILIES MIST VAY 2: ORTS They aim for Nationals in August Juniors set to hit field with lofty goals for '97 By John B. McClelland Port Perry Star The Port Perry Juniors will hit the diamonds for real in about three weeks for the start of a new fastball season. And this is a team on a mission, accord- ing to general manager Ron Redman The squad is gearing for the OASA tournament in Kitchener this July to qualify as an Ontario rep in the Canadian championships, to be played the following month in Oshawa. "We feel we have a legitimate shot at being at that tournament in Oshawa," Redman told the Star in an interview over the weekend. "That is certainly our major goal for this season," he said. The team has other exciting ventures on tap this summer, said Redman, includ- ing a trip to Fargo, North Dakota, in August to compete in the high quality North American Fastball Assoc. (NAFA) tournament, which brings together some of the best squads from Canada and the United States. The Juniors are already guaranteed a berth in the Fargo event, thanks to a sec- ond place finish last season in a qualifier held in St. Catherines. And this July, the Juniors will take on the New Zealand national squad in a couple of exhibition tilts here in Port Perry when the visitors from the land of the Kiwi bird hold a 10-day training camp in preparation for the world cham- pionships this summer in Prince Edward Island. Redman said that to get ready for these important competitions his squad will play as many tournaments as possi- ble on top of their regular league games in the Oshawa City and District Fastball loop. The team has already started workouts -- in the gym at local schools -- and will take to the lakefront diamonds as soon as weather allows, he said. Aside from his three-man pitching corps, which is pretty well set, Redman said all positions are up for grabs, and the coaching staff will be taking a long, hard look at everybody who shows up for the tryouts. And the competition for spots on the team will be fierce. Redman said the talent pool expected for tryouts is excel- lent, with players from last year's squad. As well, he said, the team is getting enquiries from top-calibre players who are more than interested in cracking a spot in the line-up this season. "We are keeping an open mind (on try- outs). We'll be looking very carefully at everybody. Knowing the talent we had playing for us (last season) or against us, yes, there is lots of talent here," he said. The team lost just two players from last year's squad to overage rules when they turned 23: John Ennis and Jason Underwood. As for the pitching rotation, Redman has three of the best in homebrews: Jeff Card and Chad Venning, and Tara native Sheldon Heber, a big, hard throwing right-hander who played for Port last season. With the demise of the Port Perry Eagles a couple of years ago and the Greenbank Gamblers this season, the Port Juniors represent the only competi- tive fastball in this community beyond the minor ranks. Redman said the fact the Eagles and Gamblers are no more is a sad situation, especially for the Port Perry area which has long been a hot-bed for fastball in this province. He said he really can't pin-point any specific reasons for the decline in mens' fastball in the community, aside from the fact that many players have commitments to work that may prevent them from being in a highly competitive environment for a complete season. But he promises that fastball fans in Turnto Page 20 # CHRIS HALL / PORT PERRY STAR THE GRANDMASTER: Students at Hiryu Bushido Kai received a special treat last Tuesday when 8th degree Grandmaster Kancho Okuyama visited the Simcoe St. studio. Students from both the Port Perry and Uxbridge dojos made the trip to see Fred Walker's, owner of Hiryu Bushido Kali, teacher. ere, the Grandmaster, left, uses Brian Norrish to teach the students a move. Trotter places in European race By Heather McCrae Port Perry Star Village Beretta compet- ed in his first race on April 26 and finished in second place at the Finlandia Ajo in Helsinki. The local trotter, owned by Glenn Van Camp of Port Perry was invited to compete in a number of prestige-laden races in - Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. In a field of nine horses, Village Beretta held the seventh position. The fa- vorite, Zoogin, in the five hole, won the race, tying a track and stakes record with a time of 1:56. A close length and a half behind, Village Beretta crossed the finish line in 1:56.2. Considering this was the local trotter's first race since he and his trainer, Jesse James, landed in Sweden on April 9, Mr. Van Camp felt he raced splendidly against Zoogin, the 1995/96 Swedish and European trotting cham- pion. With purse money being 685,000 markkas ($150,000 US), Village Be- Turnto Page 20 Big changes could be on horizon for minor hockey By John B. McClelland Port Perry Star Port Perry Minor Hockey will soon make one of its most important decisions, and mem- bers want as much input as possible from coaches and par- ents before that decision is made. The issue centres around whether the Association moves to a minor-major system for its rep teams, said Dave Stewart, who is chairing a five person committee that has been looking at the issue all winter and will present its findings to the hock- ey executive May 19 when a decision will be made. Mr. Stewart's committee will hold two meetings--one April 30 for coaches, and the other May 6 for parents -- to get all views on the contentious issue. Both meetings will be at the Scugog Centre Hall (at the arena) from 7 to 9 p.m. "Yes, I would say this is one of the most important decisions minor hockey has made in recent years," Mr. Stewart told the Star in an interview over the weekend. New system here? A minor-major system would mean players on rep (also known as travelling or OMHA) teams would automatically play with members their own age (minors) in their first year in any age category, and then move up to major in their second year. Port Perry now operates its rep teams on an A and B classifica- tion, based mostly on the play- ers' ability rather than their ages. Just why is Port Perry Minor Hockey even considering a move to the minor-major system at * this time? Mr. Stewart said other hockey centres have either gone to this system or are in the process. Cobourg, for exam- ple, a long-time OMHA oppo- nent for Port Perry, will move to a minor-major system this coming fall. Obviously, if more teams in Port Perry's OMHA classifica- tion adopt this system it has ramifications for Port, as B teams with major age players would not be allowed to meet teams of exclusively minor age players OMHA schedules or playoffs. "We (the executive) have been struggling with this (issue) for some time as other centres have gone to the minor-major system," said Mr. Stewart. That's why the committee he chairs was appointed last December to come up with as much information as possible on both the minor-major system, and the status quo in Port Perry. Other committee members include Steve Thompson, a long- time coach with the Port Perry Midget B team, Mark Herold, Dave Roth and Rick Henry, who all have kids in minor hockey here. Committee will report Mr. Stewart said the com- mittee has gathered informa- tion from the OMHA and other hockey centres on the issue and now it's time to hear from par- ents and coaches in Port Perry. The committee will not make a recommendation one way or another to the minor hockey executive, he said: "We will pre- sent the information and data," he said. He stressed that no matter what decision the executive eventually makes on the issue, the data and info collected will help make the association better for the kids. Parents and coaches have told him they are pleased to have the opportunity to provide input to the committee. "Our focus is what is best for the kids; that's it completely," he stressed. He said parents and coaches should make an effort to attend . one of the two meetings to give their views and hear the infor- mation from others and learn what the committee members have discovered over the last four months.