The Westerner for January 17, 2011
Meeting: chair, Mike Ryan; music, Jim Spalding; grace, Brian
Attendance/Guests: 31 including Allan Plesnarski, Duncan MacDougall (guest speaker); Tyler Neilsen, Fred Kraft
Greek Dinner: February 27 @ Koutouki Taverna, Gateway Blvd & 45th Avenue N W; cocktails 17:00, dinner, 18:00, contact Bob Lamoureux for reservations
Wine & Tappas: This Friday evening (January 21) commencing at 6:00 pm at the TU Gallery, 10718 - 124 Street. For information call Alex Paterson at 780-452-9664.
50/50: $277 split between Dan Graham and Doug Sollows, congratulations
Interact Fundraiser: see Ron for tickets for April 15; donations are required for the silent auction - again contact Ron if you can provide anything.
Finemaster: Ron fined Chris re Bert's tie and Bob Lamoureux re president's form; then table questions about Rotary International
Hockey Pool Winners: Mike Ryan and Rob Dunseith
Proposed New Member: Fred Kraft, proposed by Brian Thompson. Fred is a recently retired Agricultural Engineer. Most of his professional career was with PFRA, the federal government agency focused on projects which would benefit farmers in western Canada. Fred will provide us with a biography for publication in our next Westerner.
Guest Speaker: Doug MacDougall introduced his son Duncan to talk about Edmonton Minor Hockey Week - Guiness shows this to be the largest hockey tournament in the world. Duncan attended Crestwood School, Ross Shepard, U of A and university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to become a dentist and specialist. Since 1966 Duncan has been involved with Little League baseball as coach, umpire and administrator. Since 1974, he has been involved with refereeing in minor league hockey, is currently a level 4 official and supervisor of all Alberta officials. He has received 15 awards from hockey association in Alberta.
Minor hockey in Edmonton used to be teams related to community leagues and Knights of Columbus with teams being designated to NE/SE/SW/NW quadrants of the city. In today's hockey world the Edmonton Girls Association has joined and the various teams are more likely to be zone oriented than community league oriented. Minor league officials have to be older than 12 and attend an educational clinic. Alberta is the second largest branch of the Canadian officials association after southwest Ontario. Duncan now uses a computer to assign officials to games.
Minor Hockey Tournament in Edmonton is a 10 day program that started, this year, on January 14. The playoffs will be held on the new 4 ice sheet indoor arena in Terwillegar. The tournament was started in 1963 to give players a chance to play indoors and to play against teams from outside their normal geographic area. Teams are guaranteed 2 games, are knocked out of competiton with any loss after the first game. The clock does not stop during the game. Every player get to play - this is policed by officials recording every player on the ice during the game. The number of divisions has been increased to give more final games so more kids can feel that they are winners. Duncan has to ensure that officials are assigned to each game. Officials are not paid for this tournament - a big donation to local minor hockey. There are referee recognition programs.
Duncan was thanked by Kasey.