The Elmira Sugar Kings Jr. Hockey Club is celebrating 43 years of bringing entertaining hockey to the Waterloo region, and along the way the program has seen incredible success – both in terms of developing athletes, and in being an active part of the community.  The club’s mission statement emphasizes that players are not only ambassadors of the team, but also of the community. The Sugar Kings organization strives to create an atmosphere where players can develop as athletes while also achieving academic goals and building leadership skills for success in all aspects of life.

Part of being an Elmira Sugar King means being visible in the community; it is important for players to give back while also pursuing the dream of playing at a higher level.  Each year, the Elmira Legion hosts a Hungry Man Breakfast to raise money for its operations, and the Sugar Kings help out by cooking, serving, washing dishes and clearing tables.

In addition to its community mandate, the Elmira Sugar Kings program also represents some of the finest development in junior hockey across Canada, the Ontario Midwestern Conference and the GOJHL.

This season, the Elmira Sugar Kings are thrilled to congratulate two players, Jake Weidner and Brady Campbell, who will be heading off to elite collegiate athletic and academic programs in the NCAA for 2013-14.  Congratulations Jake and Brady!  We truly appreciate your hard work and dedication.

The Elmira Sugar Kings organization has now put out over 15 players to NCAA, OHL and CIS programs in the past three seasons alone.  The club has a proud 43-year history of hockey development, including:

• 17 Players selected and played in the National Hockey League
• 65 Players drafted to the Ontario Hockey League
• 41 Players played in the Ontario Hockey League
• 42 Players NCAA committed
• 46 Players played AHL, ECHL, CHL, SPHL
• 64 Players played OUA-CIS
• 19 Players played professionally in Europe
• 12 Professional coaches

Supporting numerous local Kitchener-Waterloo area players, the Elmira Sugar Kings organization is proud to be an active member of the community and will continue to strive to recruit and develop top players that go on to be successful in North America and around the world.

When you go to a National Championship for the first time in your life, you hope to be at your peak performance for the year. You set goals that are realistic, but you know you are up against the top athletes in the country.

When 11 year-old Claudia Heeney finished as the Gold Medalist for her age group at the Ontario Short Track Speed Skating Provincial Championship, she knew she was at the top of her game. Personal bests in all her distances and being the first place finisher in all her races guaranteed her a spot on Team Ontario for the Canada East Championships, held in Halifax on March 23-24. Not new to the racing world (but new to the idea that competition was anything more than a lot of fun), Claudia reflected on her goals for the remainder of the season and says she felt both excited and nervous about competing for Team Ontario.

The prospect of an exciting new experience, an airplane flight to Halifax and new friends to meet helped fuel Claudia’s competitive spirit. Together with her parents and coaches, she prepared mentally for the mindset needed to race against the high-calibre athletes she would encounter. The Quebec team is traditionally a force to reckon with in the speed skating world. Going into the competition, Claudia maintained her usual composure and focus. Afterwards, when asked how this competition differed from Provincial series racing, Claudia emphasized the challenge of skating against so many strong Quebec skaters.

Claudia’s determination on the ice is evident in every race. “She never backs down, never gives up and seemingly gets stronger with every lap she skates,” explains Claudia’s coach, Patti Walsh. Claudia has many fans in the speed skating arenas that she doesn’t even know, and they see “this little dynamite ball of speed and determination, and they admire that.”

It was exactly this determination and spirit that drove Claudia throughout the competition in Halifax. Although she enjoyed the entire experience of visiting a new part of Canada, bonding with her competitors (and now teammates) from Ontario, and meeting new kids from PEI, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Nunavut and Quebec (even using her French to strike up a conversation), when Claudia stepped onto the ice in her Ontario red, white and black suit she was all business. She was in the mix in every race, fighting to the end, utilizing smart race tactics, looking for the inside pass and employing her signature strong kick to the finish.

The competition consisted of four individual events: 1500m, 400m, 200m pursuit, and 3000m points race. These were skated in heats, semis and finals over the two day event. In addition there was the team relay event, in which Claudia joined forces with three other girls to push Ontario’s first string team through to the Primary finals. Overall, Claudia tied for fifth in the individual competition (behind the expected strong showing of the Quebec athletes). Her best performances were in the 1500m and 3000m, where she placed 4th. When asked, Claudia is definite that the 2000m team relay was the highlight of the competition: “There was such a sense of team, and we rocked! It felt so good to get the silver medal skating against three Quebec teams in the primary final.” Claudia is already looking forward to another year of skating fast, racing hard, and having fun.

Want to know more about speed skating? Come see Claudia and her teammates on ice. The KW Sertoma Speed Skating Club practises at RIM Park from September to March. You can try out the long blades yourself as well. We welcome skaters of all ages and abilities. Learn to Speed Skate Programs run in September and January. A FUNdamentals Speed Skating Camp runs for all skaters ages 5-13 August 23-25, 2013. Visit www.kwspeedskating.com for more information.

The KW Synchro Club is home to over 130 athletes that compete in the graceful but extremely demanding sport of synchronized swimming.  Four of those athletes – 8 year-old Myka Innanen and her 10 year-old sister Alayna, 10 year-old Delaney Davis, and 10 year-old Emma Spott – all have dads who are into a very different sport: hockey.  We asked each of the girls’ dads about what it’s like to be a hockey dad with a synchro daughter.

The hockey dads

Derek Innanen (Myka and Alayna’s dad)

Derek Innanen is a home-grown Kitchener guy who started playing at a young age on backyard rinks and frozen ponds.  His brothers played hockey as well and his family was typical of many others in southwestern Ontario, with his parents driving from rink to rink and city to city for games.  Derek played Rep hockey for the KMHA and went on to a Junior B career with the Dutchmen.  “Hockey meant everything to me,” says Innanen.  After a rough-spell with the Dutchmen, a great playoff year resulted in an unexpected opportunity for him: a scholarship to play NCAA hockey in Michigan.  His college career was followed up by several years playing professional hockey in the East Coast and Western Professional Hockey Leagues, but a string of knee-related injuries eventually led him to leave the game.  After his hockey career, Derek became a police officer and is now an emergency responder in Kitchener-Waterloo, a job that is very dependent on a strong team dynamic – something he learned a lot about during his hockey career.

Brad Davis (Delaney’s dad)

Brad Davis lives hockey on a daily basis – as a scout for the Edmonton Oilers, he spends nearly 150 nights of the year in a hotel room so he can travel the world searching for the next big NHL star.  He was a typical small town Saskatchewan kid who has always loved hockey.  When asked how he first got into playing, he says that “the weather [in Saskatchewan] was certainly made for the game, but more importantly, my dad played in the NHL for years and years.” Brad’s dad, Lorne Davis, had a successful NHL career with multiple Stanley Cup rings (and was a roommate of Don Cherry’s in the minors).  Brad’s father was also a long-time coach (he was behind the bench for Team Canada at the 1980 Olympics) and later became a scout for the Edmonton Oilers.  Brad himself grew up playing minor hockey in Saskatchewan, but just as he was beginning his junior career with aspirations of playing U.S. college hockey, a broken neck abruptly ended his career.  No longer able to play, Brad turned to officiating and became a referee for the NHL for almost a decade.  As that career path came to a close, he received a call from the General Manager of the Edmonton Oilers, asking him to become a scout.  As Brad puts it, “it’s kind of in my blood, because that’s what my dad did…they didn’t have to train me or teach me how to do anything, because I’d grown up with it.”

Steve Spott (Emma’s dad)

Steve Spott is another KW Synchro dad that lives and breathes hockey.  As Head Coach and General Manager of the Kitchener Rangers, Steve has worked with many of the top young players in the world.  “I feel very fortunate to have this career.  I enjoy going to work every day and feel I can make an impact on a young man’s life both on and off the ice.  I take that responsibility very seriously.  The Kitchener Rangers are a world-class hockey organization, and it is an honour to stand behind the bench.”  Long before Steve became an OHL Coach, he played hockey in the Toronto area.  His family had no previous hockey involvement, and he had three older sisters who were in figure skating (which is the first ice sport Steve tried).  Spott says that he “truly believe[s] starting skating without a stick allowed me to become a strong skater.”  After playing minor hockey in Toronto at the AAA level, Steve earned a scholarship to play NCAA hockey in New York State.  He says that playing in the NCAA Division I National Championship in 1990 was the high-light of his playing career.  Following college, Spott played pro hockey in the ECHL/AHL and in Europe.  When his career was over, he worked for the school board and coached minor hockey and later college hockey.  He felt coaching was something he wanted to pursue, and eventually he accepted a position with the Plymouth Whalers and has been coaching in the OHL ever since.

We asked our hockey dads…

Did you want your daughter to play hockey?

Brad Davis: “Maybe it was from growing up being the son of an NHLer and the pressures that were involved in that…because of that I wanted a daughter, because she could find her own way. Hockey is my passion; she gets to enjoy hockey, not feel like there is pressure from it.”  Brad says he didn’t care what sport his daughter played, or at what level, but he felt it was extremely important for her to be part of a team and for her to find her own passion.

Had you ever heard of synchronized swimming before your daughter became involved?

Brad Davis: Brad first saw synchro when his dad (who was watching the very first Olympic synchro event in 1984) called him into the room to watch; Brad remembered being fascinated by the sport at the time.

Derek Innanen: Derek didn’t really know what synchronized swimming was…his first thought when he heard about it was the pool ballet scene from Caddyshack.

Steve Spott: Steve knew Dr. Halliwell at the University of Montreal, who works with Hockey Canada and Canada’s Olympic Synchronized Swimming team as a Sport Psychologist.  “Dr. Halliwell and I have discussed the sport and its difficulty…I completely respect the training and dedication needed to be successful.”

Do you see any similarities between hockey and synchro?

Derek Innanen: Derek has learned a lot about synchro since his daughters started swimming; he loves watching them practice and compete; he says “the reasons I liked playing hockey are the same reasons my kids love synchro.”  He says even though his girls put countless hours into training, both at the pool and at home, they never complain because they love the sport, their coaches and their teammates.  He says the team dynamic in both sports is much the same, and thinks they teach the same life lessons about commitment, competing, work ethic, and how to communicate with different types of people and work together to achieve a common goal.

Steve Spott: “The similarities between hockey and synchro are endless. The sports mirror each other in so many ways. Individual training and sacrifice can lead to team success. Team success will lead to individual success. If there is a teammate that does not give 100% in practice or competition it can have an adverse effect on the team. For an athlete or team to reach their potential, it takes a lot of personal sacrifice and work within the sport. This holds true for hockey players and synchronized swimmers.”

You can visit KW Synchro at www.kwsynchro.on.ca

Photo by Laurie Guild

The Kitchener Lady Rangers sent eight teams to the 2013 OWHA Provincial Championships this year, but were shutout of the medals. The KLR fared much better at the Lower Lakes Female Hockey League championship weekend: the four qualifying teams came home with two gold medals and two silver.

Lower Lakes

The Lower Lakes championship weekend is more difficult to reach than the provincials, since teams must win their division to advance, which usually means surviving three rounds of playoffs.

The Peewee A team finished atop the Central West division, then swept three straight playoff series’ to advance to the final. Only four of 32 Peewee A teams qualified. Kitchener defeated Etobicoke and London in the round robin and tied Markham-Stouffville, before settling for the silver medal with a 4-0 loss to the Stars.

The Midget B squad topped the Central West division to earn a bye in the first round of playoffs. They then swept Caledon in two games and defeated Brampton in three games to advance to the championship weekend from a 29-team B field. Kitchener had a win and two ties in a closely fought round-robin, but advanced to the finals against Cold Creek. After giving the Comets a 4-0 lead in the first half of the game, the Lady Rangers stormed back, but fell just short, losing 4-3 for the silver medal.

The LLFHL had only seven Midget C teams and allowed five to qualify, so the Lady Rangers only had a playoff against two other teams to reach the final. Kitchener had three wins (over West Northumberland, Ennismore and Grand River) and a tie against Lindsay in the round robin. They went on to defeat the Ennismore Eagles 3-1 to win gold.

The Midget BB team finished third in the West division, but then went on a roll in the playoffs to emerge from the 46-team league. They required overtime after the third game to edge South Huron, and then swept second-place Zorra, before defeating first-place Lakeshore (after dropping the first game of a three game series). On championship weekend, the Lady Rangers went 1-1-1, including a loss to Durham West, who they then met in the final. The Lady Rangers prevailed for a 2-1 win to capture the gold medal.

Provincials

The Provincial Championships were held over two weekends: the Senior and Intermediate teams met in Toronto on March 22-24 and the Novice to Midget teams met in Ottawa on April 4-7.  In most age categories, teams must finish first or second in their region to advance; Kitchener’s region includes Waterloo Region and Brant County.

In Mississauga, the Intermediate A Lady Rangers dropped their first game 6-0, but then rebounded with a pair of 3-1 wins to advance to the quarter finals, where they dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to St. Catharines. Meanwhile, the Senior A Lady Rangers dropped three straight to be eliminated in the round robin.

Kitchener had six teams in Ottawa: three lost in the quarter finals and three were eliminated in the round robin. The Bantam AAs failed to advance, despite going 1-1-1 in the round robin. The Midget AAs and Atom As both lost all three games and were eliminated.

The Midget BB Lady Rangers went undefeated in their round robin, but then lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to the eventual silver medalists from Scarborough in the quarter finals, despite holding a 39-9 edge in shots. The Peewee A Lady Rangers finished second in the round robin with a 2-1 record before being edged 1-0 by Ottawa in the quarter finals. The Midget C Lady Rangers dropped their first two games, but managed a 2-1 win in the third game to advance to the quarter finals where they were eliminated by the eventual gold medalists from North Bay.

Sarah Zister, 19 years old, has been playing hockey in the Kitchener Minor Hockey System for over ten years.  Beginning as a house league player, where she was probably one of the worst players at evaluations (as she had never skated before), she has improved her skills and love for the game tremendously, and was able to play Intermediate A last season for the Kitchener Lady Rangers.

During her years with the Lady Rangers, Sarah also had to juggle her high school hockey team (the St. Mary’s Eagles), and still managed to maintain honours marks throughout high school.  While at St. Mary’s Sarah also began to volunteer her time with KMHA through various hockey programs for developing hockey skills for younger girls and boys.  She immediately began to see the difference a volunteer could make in helping a player learn to skate and play.  The younger players really looked-up to her, and Sarah soon began to volunteer in other on-ice programs that were offered by KMHA.

After graduating high school Sarah attended her first year at Wilfred Laurier University and stayed in residence at the Waterloo campus.  Attending all of her Intermediate A team practices and games become a little more difficult, especially since she was not able to keep her hockey bag in her dorm.  The solution was to have her dad bring her hockey equipment to and from practice, or she would pick up the equipment that she needed to attend one of her many on-ice programs.

In addition to playing, volunteering and instructing, Sarah was also an assistant coach to Dan Tsandelis with the Kitchener Lady Rangers Bantam B team last season.  Dan found that having a female, and Lady Ranger, on the ice and on the bench was very beneficial; it helped the younger girls accept and understand the roles and systems that were required.  KMHA is very pleased to see players such as Sarah that have been a part of the Lady Ranger program give back to the same program by helping out as bench/ice staff and referees.  The younger girls in the KMHA system look up to the older girls who wear the Lady Ranger uniform, and they see them as role models for setting their own goal-setting.

In addition to trying to manage her time and make all of her ice-time commitments, Sarah also holds-down a part-time job, fitting in as many hours as she can each week.  She has been working steady for over four years.  All of her ice time, work hours and university requirements don’t leave a lot of time for other things, but somehow Sarah still fits in four-on-four hockey with KMHA each spring and plays pick-up hockey with her dad all year round.

Sarah’s first year of university proved to be quite hectic: weekly practices and games with the Intermediate A Kitchener Lady Rangers, work, pick-up hockey once a week, instructing with Learn to Skate, Lady Ranger Rookies, Skills Development and helping with the Bantam B hockey team all kept her extremely busy.  Luckily, keeping busy is something that Sarah enjoys, and giving back to the Kitchener Minor Hockey system is something that she believes in and feels is part of her responsibility as a Lady Ranger.

With work ethic like hers, Sarah’s future is sure to be a bright one.  Maybe Sarah will be a head coach herself one day, or be involved in developing girls’ hockey programs.  KMHA encourages all its players to give back, and is thrilled with Sarah’s contributions to girls hockey.

Now that there is a break between the Provincials weekend and the start of spring programs, in-between attending classes and studying for exams, Sarah is bored!

Photos by Maureen Gorloff

Stacey Gorloff is used to overcoming obstacles.  When she was just a toddler, she was diagnosed with a motor planning disorder which affects her speech, motor and tactile capabilities; on top of this, she has a language-based disability and a hearing problem, and suffers from epilepsy.  When Stacey’s parents brought her home from the hospital as a baby, she used to scream whenever she was touched, because her brain couldn’t connect her tactile senses to her surroundings.  Doctors said that she would struggle to be able to speak properly, and told her parents not to expect her to ever be able to manage sports (as walking and general coordination would be an issue).

More than seventeen years later, Stacey Gorloff has defied all of the odds and shown through her hard work and determination that all of the doctors’ predictions were well off the mark.   Stacey will graduate from high school this spring with all of her peers, and plans to attend college in the fall.  As the captain of her girls’ rep hockey team, she has skated well past the line that doctors set for her physical abilities, and as for learning how to speak? She seems to do just fine giving speeches in front of hundreds of people as an ambassador for KidsAbility.  Getting to this point hasn’t been easy, but with a supportive network of family and friends, a strong will, and a lot of hard work, she has surpassed all expectations.

Diagnosed at 16 months with Apraxia (one of the youngest people to be diagnosed), Stacey was told she would always have trouble with speech, motor planning and tactile functions.  As a toddler, she began intensive therapy at KidsAbility in addition to at-home therapy with her parents.  She also began working with a private speech therapist, Charlene Vandersluis, for several hours each day.  KidsAbility gave Stacey and her family the opportunity to try some very innovative therapies to help Stacey’s brain better understand what her tactile senses were telling her.  After leaving KidsAbility several years later (she no longer met eligibility criteria), Stacey still remained involved with the organization.  In 2004 she became a KidsAbility Ambassador, attending events and giving speeches about how KidsAbility helped her and her family.  Getting up in front of a crowd of people is difficult at the best of times for most of us, but try doing it with both a hearing and speech disorder.  Even though she was scared to death before getting on stage for her first speech, Stacey got up and spoke anyways, and found that she was able to reach a lot of people by sharing her story – bringing hundreds of people to their feet for a standing ovation.

As she got older, Stacey moved into the regular school system, and though she has always struggled with a learning disability, she has never let that hold her back.  A senior at Huron Heights Secondary School, Stacy will graduate this spring and plans to attend Mohawk College in the fall. Stacey admits that moving away to college is an intimidating prospect; at 18, she is now becoming an adult, and moving away means leaving behind her incredible support group, including her parents.  But Stacye seems more than ready for the challenge.

One of the biggest successes in Stacey’s life has been her ability to overcome doctors’ predictions about her physical limitations.  Her parents were told she would never play sports, but when Stacey fell in love with the sport of hockey as a child, they knew that she couldn’t be held back.  Despite the challenges (it would take her several minutes to get back up if she fell on the ice), Stacey started with hockey fundamentals and then played TimBits hockey.  Eventually, she was asked to try out for a rep team, and she has been a Lady Ranger ever since.

Stacey has been fortunate to work with some amazing coaches and teams during her years with the KMHA, and her current coach, Tim MacKay, and trainer Linda, have had a huge impact on Stacy both on and off the ice.  Tim says that Stacey has always been a talented player, and this year she has stepped-up her game yet again, as she was named captain of her Midget C team.  Stacey has taken this responsibility very seriously, and made it her goal to bring together the group of 17 girls, despite a wide age gap.  With a team that plays as a cohesive group (and which won the league championship this year in their division) Stacey has been very successful with this goal.  When asked how hockey has impacted her life, Stacey says that she owes a lot of her achievements to the game: “I wouldn’t have the confidence I have, couldn’t accomplish what I want to accomplish, without hockey…every time I step on the ice I lose my stress from school, my stress from anywhere.”

Even though it may take Stacey longer than the average person to get something done, and even though she faces far more challenges each day than most of us ever do, she never lets herself get frustrated – she faces each new challenge with determination, and this attitude has allowed her to achieve some pretty amazing things so far.

“Yes I Can” was the slogan of the Special Hockey International 2013 Tournament, and “Yes We Did!” Kitchener hosted the 19th annual tournament March 1416, with 60 teams from 32 communities in attendance. When all was said and done, the event was an enormous success.

Each team got to play four games over the three-day tournament, with nearly every team getting at least one game on The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium main ice surface.  The centre ice pad games were an NHL-like experience which included a giant video scoreboard, the playing of the national anthem, PA goal announcements, and even intermission music before face-offs.  Some players were even so much in awe of the giant running clock on the scoreboard that they forgot about the game going on around them!

Not only was there hockey on the ice, but there were also amazing off-ice events that were a great addition to the tournament. The social interaction between the participants creates amazing memories, as athletes can make new friends and catch up with old ones they may not have seen in a year or more.

Opening ceremonies took place on Thursday at 6:00pm, following the first day of scheduled games. Each community was seated in a designated section in the gold seats of The Aud, and was introduced by a Kitchener Minor Hockey Association player skating on the ice waving the team’s sign. Kitchener mayor Carl Zehr was in attendance to welcome the athletes and their families.  The video board also played welcome greetings by NHL players and Hockey Night in Canada personalities (among others), and crowd clapped and sang along to a great rendition of Stompin’ Tom Connors “The Hockey Song.” The Aud was rocking and a good time was had by all.

The opening party on Thursday evening (titled ‘Hockey Night in Kitchener’) was a great introduction to the German heritage of the region. The Oktoberfest-themed night filled Bingemans and included a traditional keg tapping (filled with apple juice of course!). The closing event (‘MVP – Most Valuable Party’), was a great way to wrap-up the tournament with a full buffet and more dancing!

In between the two parties there were a lot of activities, including Hockey Avenue, which featured various exhibitors from the area displaying their special needs services, as well as interactive games and a silent auction with some great items. The coach’s games on Friday evening were also entertaining. Almost 60 coaches were divided into three teams: Canada Red, Canada Blue and USA/England. It was great that the participants could switch things up and cheer for their respective coaches, just as their coaches always helped them by cheering them on.

Star power also added buzz to the tournament. Bill McCreary, former NHL referee, was the Honorary Chair for the tournament and enjoyed his three days in Kitchener. Each community had an Honorary Captain that cheered them on during opening ceremonies and during their games. Walter Gretzky made a visit to The Aud on Friday, signing autographs and getting his picture taken with fans.

It would be wrong to forget to thank everyone who helped bring this tournament to fruition. A huge thank-you goes out to the management team (some of whom spent as long as three years preparing for this event), the 200+ volunteers who came together in the final several months and during the tournament itself, and to the host associations and sponsors. Without the likes of the Kitchener Minor Hockey Association, Kitchener Rangers, City of Kitchener, Kitchener Sports Association, Rogers Radio Group, Waterloo Region Record, and the whole host of other organizations, the tournament would not have been possible.

During the tournament and for a couple weeks after, media outlets picked up on the tournament, and they honed in on one video in particular: Back in the summer we took a video composed by the Guelph Giants which featured young player Ricco Van Arragon helping Cory Stedman make his way down the ice to score his first goal ever. We combined it with the “Yes I Can” tournament theme song written and composed by Jason Barry and posted it to YouTube. On the last day of the tournament, Saturday March 16th, the video began to take-off. Viewership soared first in parts of Europe, and then it was broadcast on Breakfast television in Toronto, and capped off by airing on the end of Coach’s Corner with Don Cherry on Saturday March 23rd. Various radio stations, blogs, websites and other media outlets picked up on the video as well. It soared to over 500,000 views within 10 days, and continues to rise (albeit at a slightly slower pace). If you haven’t seen the video you can watch it here.

You can also check out many photos from the tournament via our Facebook page SHIKitchener2013 or on our website www.shikitchener2013.ca.

Thanks again to everyone who made this event possible, and all the best to Michigan in 2014! Let’s keep special needs hockey awareness alive!

On Saturday, April 6^th the Ontario Hockey League conducted the 2013 OHL Priority Selection, drafting a total of 299 players over the course of 15 rounds.  Leading the way was the Ontario Minor Hockey League, with 96 players selected from over 23 teams – including the KMHA’s Jake Cascagnette.  Jake’s dad, Joe Cascagnette, talks about the experience of draft day:

“It was a dream come true for two proud parents, one brother, one sister, and one extremely proud hockey player.”  The draft day was a long and exhausting one, but Joe Cascagnette wishes it didn’t have to end.  With his son Jake being selected in the 4^th round (62^nd overall), Cascagnette was over the moon, but the icing on the cake was being drafted by the home-town Kitchener Rangers.  Jake will get to live the dream of every young Jr. Ranger who watches in awe as the OHL Rangers play for a packed crowd at The Aud.

On draft day this dream became a reality for Jake, who was invited to a meet-and-greet with the Kitchener Rangers organization.  The Cascagnettes’ experience at this meeting was amazing, as they encountered incredible professionalism and were able to shake the hands of many people involved with the organization, including Steve Spott, Troy Smith, Murry Heibert, Mike McKenzie, and Dan Lebold.  Jake was allowed to see the Rangers’ dressing room, a privilege held by only a select few.  The day was truly exceptional, and Joe Cascagnette credits the KMHA and the support is has given for contributing to Jake’s success, saying that while “Jake may represent one person, his dream lives in so many young souls playing and continuing to dream.”

Joe Cascagnette started coaching his son at Pre-Tyke, and recalls the days when Pat Doherty (a KMHA living-legend) guided Jake’s first strides in hockey.  Pat’s detailed program and patient instruction started Jake’s development.  As his son got older, Joe remembers how proud he was when Jake got his first Kitchener Jr. Ranger jersey.  In his final years of coaching his son, Joe Cascagnette got to watch Jake go onto Minor Atom A and win the Alliance Championship, learning along the way the values of “Never Give Up and Always Believe.”  The following year Jake was coached by Greg Davis, who guided the team to the OHF Atom Provincials.  This was the point in his hockey career when Jake started to learn the intensity of higher level hockey.  His next coach, Doug Schnieder, helped launch him to another level – his AAA Peewee year with coach Thibodeau.  Jake’s years in Peewee and Bantam helped him gain confidence and progress rapidly.  This past season with Coach Herrington saw Jake overcome an injury and really accelerate from Christmas to season’s end with Coach Herrington’s drive and motivation behind him.

There are many people behind Jake’s success, including all of his coaches as well as those working behind-the-scenes.  The Cascagnettes want to thank everyone within the KMHA organization, from office staff and executive, to rink attendants, referees and time keepers for all that they do to keep the dream alive in Kitchener – one of the best hockey towns in Canada!

Submitted by Carey Brooks

In the synchronized swimming community, May 5^th is a day to celebrate synchro as much as it is a day to celebrate heritage and pride in the Mexican community.  This year, the annual Variety Village Invitational fell on ‘Synchro de Mayo’ and Waterloo swimmers marked it in style capturing 2 golds and a bronze. 

In the 8U team event Waterloo swimmers won by 7 points; a point spread rarely ever seen in the synchro community.   Swimmers are Makenna Brooks, Ashley Dietrich, Riley Flynn, Izabel Mazurek, Lindsay Saulesleja, and Ashton Zimmerman.

Later in the day, the 13-15 team also swam their way to a gold medal with their Egyptian inspired routine.  Swimmers are: Jenna Schell, Claire Stubbe, Maelin Stubbe, Emily Beer, Grace Collins, Sarah Frizzell, Gabrielle Scott, and Sydney Marrese.

Schell and C. Stubbe also captured a bronze medal in the 13-15 duet event.

Special mention also goes out to Brooks (6) and Mazurek (7) who competed in the 10U duet event and held their own against girls 3 and 4 years older and finished 8^th, as well as Avery Noll who competed in the 12U solo event and finished in 7^th.

While Waterloo Synchro only sent 5 of their 23 provincial routines to the Variety Village Invitational due to it’s close proximity to Provincial Age Group Championships May 22-26^th, the club’s results this weekend are a clear depiction of what the remainder of the season holds for the local club.