Nor’West Soccer sets a good example
Nor’West Optimist Soccer is a volunteer-run, community benefiting, non-profit organization. That’s a mouthful, but what does it mean? It means we bring soccer to local children, and we’ve been doing so since 1979 (only then, it was from Bruce’s garage!). It means that we take the money from athlete registration and redistribute it in order to cover the costs a player incurs for a season of soccer. It means we run a little like a co-op in that most of our volunteers are parents of players that squeeze time in between work, family obligations and carpooling. It also means that we try hard to set a good example for the kids with other projects that have a positive impact, such as:
• Annual Koats 4 Kids drive via Fun Day
• Occasional Red Cross donations (Haiti in 2010)
• Jerseys to Africa, Cuba, Chile & Peru
• Annual Jumpstart donations
• Annual Shoe Scramble – Cleat Swap
Southwest London Baseball a big hit
By Rob Ross
The Southwest London Baseball Association has been providing baseball experiences for kids of all ages for over 30 years. The association relies heavily on dedicated individuals, including more than 20 volunteers who sit on either the Board of Directors or Sub Committees (some of whom have been involved for over 20 years). There are more than 50 trained umpires in the Association, and more than 150 coaches, assistant coaches and parent reps who dedicate their time, energy and knowledge of the game, ensuring that every child can enjoy the great game of baseball.
Most importantly, Southwest London Baseball is about developing young baseball players. And there’s something for everyone, as the Association offers both house league and competitive programs for boys and girls, with ages ranging from 3 to 20 years old.
The success of the Association can be measured by the quality of its players. Teams from the SBA have gone on to compete in provincial tournaments, and some players have even gone on to play professional baseball and for Canada’s Olympic team.
LJK Peewees finding tourney success
By Paul Costa
For many of the London Junior Knights Minor Peewee players, it’s their first year playing together. But that hasn’t stopped the team from enjoying success. In fact, the team has made three tournament finals and won the Regional Silverstick tourney in Stratford. They also advanced to the semi-final of the International Silverstick, losing 4-3 to the eventual champion Barrie Colts team.
The Junior Knights’ Peewee team this year is made up of players from last year’s London Junior Knights Gold, Green and Lambeth teams. The coaching staff has been focused on improving the players’ skating and stick handling skills, as well as anticipation of the play, positioning and competing as a team, every shift of every game.
Coach Dave Weber says he enjoys providing a consistent level of opportunity for players to develop the self-confidence to succeed.
“We create an environment that helps young players succeed and to be better at the end of the year than when they started,” Weber said. “We ensure that our players understand the concept of how personal accountability works in a team, and help them realize that mistakes can still lead to success if you learn from it.”
All the parents and siblings who take the time to get their children to the rink and support the team have been instrumental in creating an environment in which all the kids want to play hard for the team and improve every time they take the ice. As well, there has been an endless stream of behind-the-scenes volunteers that have contributed to the program’s success this year.
Aside from tournaments, the Peewee Junior Knights finished second in league play to the LJK White team, but will have an opportunity to come out on top in the playoffs. The team also played in the Nations Cup this past November, helping Canada to win the overall point series versus the United States.
