The third annual Jace Ryan Memorial Volleyball Tournament was hosted in J.H. Kerr School’s Gordon Doak Gymnasium on the first weekend of November.
Twelve teams, representing eight northern Manitoba communities, came to compete in the tournament held in memory of the Snow Lake team’s former captain, Jace Ryan.
Teacher Marc Beaulieu reported attendance was great and so was the overall sense of fair play.
“Communities from as far away as Churchill in the north east, Moose Lake in the south west, and Grand Rapids from the south travelled to Snow Lake for the two day tournament,” said Beaulieu. “Student volunteers from Joseph H. Kerr spent hours operating score tables, and being linesmen. Parents and community members came to support the JHK Tigers in what were some very exciting games.”
Four years ago, former student and star athlete, Jace Ryan was killed in a sudden and tragic traffic accident.
J.H. Kerr principal Steve Deighton talked about the popular teen with Snow Lake’s newspaper, the Underground Press prior to the first annual tournament in 2011.
At that time Deighton noted that while attending JHK, Ryan was quite involved in the school’s athletic program.
“Jace joined our high school volleyball and basketball teams as a gangly, awkward grade 9 student,” Deighton recalled in the interview. “He showed dedication and commitment to his training and his teams.”
The principal noted that when Ryan reached Grade 11, he was chosen as the team captain for both sports, and lead the teams through example, practicing hard, and showing unparalleled competitiveness.
Deighton said the youth always pushed himself to do his very best and expected no less from his teammates.
In dedicating that inaugural tournament, Deighton affirmed that Ryan’s spirit in sport was something that the community’s school would like to remember.
“We decided the best way to keep that spirit going was to offer our future teams a chance to experience the competition Jace loved so much,” Deighton said at the time.
Although local squads were a force to be reckoned with during the 2013 Jace Ryan Tournament, final results didn’t honour the home teams.
The JHK Tigers boys’ team lost in the third set of the final to Frontier Collegiate Institute (FCI) from Cranberry Portage; while the girls lost to Churchill in the semi-finals. FCI’s Raiders team took first place in the girls tournament overall.
Competition
Beaulieu stated that the level of competition was excellent and many games were decided by only several points.
“The staff and students at JHK are very proud of our Tigers,” he said.
Full tournament results can be viewed at www.mhsaa.ca.
In another matter, they were lined up at the doors when the Aurora Borealis Arts Council held their annual Trade Show and Sale in the Lawrie Marsh Hall on the afternoon of Nov. 17.
As is always the case, the sale offered an exceptional opportunity to get ahead of the game and do a little pre-seasonal shopping.
With over 37 tables weighted with merchandise, much of which was hand crafted, the choices were limitless. There was also a good cross-section of Snow Lake’s many home-based businesses on hand.
This annual sale is just one more of the many benefits and indulgences that the hard working folks from the Arts Council bring to the citizens of Snow Lake.
Finally, Snow Lake said goodbye to the town’s Project Manager, Viktar Lazar, during a small farewell party that Lazar’s landlord Louise Cooper, organized for her boarder.
The get together took place in the Snow Lake Motor Inn’s Rose Room. In addition to Lazar and Cooper, those in attendance were Alain Adolph, Tara Semaniuk, Ian Lamontagne, Ricki Semaniuk, and Isabelle and Addison Miller-Lamontagne.
Lazar has been in the Town of Snow Lake’s employ for the past two and a half years and left his position on Nov. 29.
He says that he enjoyed his work and time in the community and hopes to be back for a visit and to do some fishing! In order to say goodbye to the entire community,
Lazar penned a poem that reflected upon his time and experiences in Snow Lake. It was, of course, called Snow Lake, and is below:
Snow Lake – it is a beauty in the middle of nowhere
Only one way in and out of there
Come here once – you’ll love this place forever
And you won’t forget it ever
A place with amazing sunrises and sunsets
Miraculous shining stars at night
Blue daily sky with clouds and tails from flying jets
Beautiful northern Aurora light
Fresh air, soul touching sound of the loon
Wild life around in a bush, mosquitoes,
and camp fire
Pickerel fishing and huge, bright moon
Majesty of calmness, thoughts of hope and
unstoppable life desire
Snow Lake - Town of exploration and mining
business evidence
Town of big expectations with kind and friendly residents
My Take on Snow Lake runs Fridays.
The J.H. Kerr School Tigers in action during the Jace Ryan Memorial Tournament.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GARRY ZAMZOW
