Six locals head to Winter Games

The 2008 Ontario Winter Games began today in Collingwood and surrounding communities, and Rainy River District is represented on several fronts.
For Bantam curler Tirzah Keffer, the opportunity to go arose unexpectedly several weeks back at the Northern Ontario playdowns here in Fort Frances.
The winning girls’ team (representing the Idylwilde Curling Club in Sudbury) earned the berth at the Winter Games.
As it turned out, however, the Sudbury foursome was in need of a substitute player for the Winter Games since one of their regulars was going to be away in Italy on a school trip.
Sudbury coach Brian Gates observed Keffer’s strong play here in Fort Frances (calling her the best girls’ skip at the Bantam playdowns) and invited her to join their team.
Keffer leapt at the chance, who will stay in the Athletes Village in Collingwood with her mom, Peg (who is chaperoning the Sudbury team).
The rink took to the ice at the Collingwood Curling Club for their first draw this afternoon at 3 p.m. (ET). The Thursday and Friday draws will go at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with the medal presentation set for late Friday afternoon.
While Keffer sweeps her way towards a medal, the other local Winter Games participants will take to the squash courts at Canadian Forces Base Borden.
The local contingent makes up five of the eight players on the Northwest squad, which encompasses an area that extends from Wawa west to the Manitoba border.
The Fort Frances “five” includes Steven Boileau in the boys’ under-19 division. Currently a member of the University of Waterloo Warriors’ varsity squash team, Boileau will be attending his fourth-straight Ontario Winter Games.
Meanwhile, Anniss Seid will compete in the boys’ under-15 division.
Seid also is gearing up to play in the Canadian Junior Nationals, slated for April 17-20 in Victoria, B.C.
Competing in squash on the girls’ side will be Samantha Mueller (under-17 division), second-time Winter Games participant Kimika Alexander (under-15), and her sister, Anika Alexander (under-13).
Rounding out the Northwest squash squad are Eric Wetendorf of Kenora (a third-time participant), who will suit up in the boys’ under-17 division, Jordan Olsen, also of Kenora, who will compete in boys’ under-13 division, and Thunder Bay’s Katie Arpin (making her fourth trip to the Winter Games) in girls’ under-19 play.
For the fifth Winter Games in a row (2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008), Mary Beth and Bob Tkachuk of Fort Frances will accompany the players.
The pair have been instrumental in the local Sunset Country Squash Club for years. He will serve as coach of the Northwest team coach while his wife returns as team manager.
Bob Tkachuk said the event is an eye-opener for the local athletes.
“The Games may be the biggest event in the kids’ sports careers or could be used as a stepping stone to bigger and better things in the future,” he remarked.
The Tkachuks, who coach the 35-member Sunset Country Squash junior program with assistance from Al and Sherri Christiansen, also strongly support and emphasize the educational opportunities through squash.
“Squash is big at the CIS [Canadian university] level and is gaining popularity among the U.S. schools, too,” he noted. “But even at that level, school comes first and squash second.
“Squash is really a lifelong sport, with the Masters division going all the way up to the age of 75 in five-year increments,” he added.
The Tkachuks will lead their team into action Friday morning as they take on the Central Region, followed by a Friday afternoon contest with the Toronto Region and a Saturday morning date with the Ottawa District team.
All eight players compete in best-of-five matches, with the top four squads advancing to the medal round and the bottom four to the consolation round.
Play will wrap up on Sunday.