The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Somehow or other my articles last week and this week got lost in cyberspace, but they were actually written, and also very good (even if I am a bit biased). Anyway things are back to normal now and first up is local soccer news. The new field at Foster Park has had its first cut, it still needs another to be at the playing height of just over 1-1/2 inches, but that should be easy now. The fencing contractors from Prince Albert will only come if they are guaranteed four dry days, and with our wet July that just did not happen, but this week looks good and they may be here on Wednesday. The soccer goal posts are almost finished at Frontier industries, and will be in place on Monday, August 18. It just may be that this field will be ready to host the first ladies seven a side soccer tournament on August 23 and 24. The format is designed to give lots of time for games that do not last as long as a regular game, and lots of time for other fun things. Of course who can forget the much awaited game of the year, the celebrity game between the Rob (Mr. soccer) HartÕs selects and KirkhamÕs Titans. Rob has plucked and picked local players who are very good, I will give him that. But I have literally combed Canada and will field a team of athletes from virtually every province. I have recruited Mike Reagan of the Bombers as a general manager, and with my superb Kweens coaching staff and backroom support feel very confident of a Titan result. This game will start at 7 p.m. on August 23. There will be a raffle, plus a collection with all proceeds going to the childrenÕs wish foundation. I may make an appearance on the field, but only if Rob does, if Rob plays, Don plays. The ladies soccer league is in full swing, with four games a week over two evenings. The standard of play is getting better weekly, and with the addition of the Hapnot Kweens, there are lots of players for each team. The Kweens have started regular practice, this week it will be on Wednesday night at Creighton soccer field. If you have what it takes, and want to try out come down early and warm up. This season we have a very good looking squad, on paper I would say that it could be stronger than last season, with strength in depth at every position, and skill levels that equal any team in Manitoba. There is a reason that we made it through to the finals last year and only lost one game in 2007, and with the squad that we have now I feel that a 100 per cent record is achievable. Come out and watch us practice, they are very impressive. The first tournament for the Kweens is in Neepawa on September 13, followed by Swan River on September 20, there will be a home tournament before the zones which are on the first week of October and then we travel to Shoal Lake for the provincials. Returning (I hope) as provincial champions. These girls put a lot of hard work into their game, representing both Hapnot Collegiate and Flin Flon. When you start training at least a month before school starts up, and play twice a week, success is no accident, the whole of Flin Flon should be proud of their Kweens. Next week a report on the Norman boys soccer team playing in the Manitoba summer games in Carman this week. I will be traveling with the team as coach, and will give you the news of their games in the next kick it with Kirkham column.
