Southeast Event Centre ice back in arena

Just in time for the blistering heat wave that crushed southern Manitoba, the Southeast Event Centre has installed their ice for the season.

The ice in the main rink at the SEC was removed June 1, with the centre hosting the Manitoba Fire Chiefs conference among other community events, including during Summer in the City.

“While we’ve enjoyed seeing our arenas transformed for conferences, community gatherings, and recreational programming over the past several months, we’re thrilled to be preparing for the return of ice,” SEC director of sport programming Gabriel Brandt said in a news release.

“The excitement is building as we get ready to welcome participants for summer hockey and ringette camps, tournaments, and public skating and of course, the Pistons’ nearer to the end of August.”

Tabin bringing Walter Cup to Oakbank

Kati Tabin is set for a celebration.

The Montreal Victoire defender grew up playing hockey in Oakbank and is returning to her hometown a Professional Women’s Hockey League champion.

Tabin, alongside the Walter Cup and her Olympic silver medal, will be in Oakbank July 25 for an event, which will be hosted by radio host Ace Burpee, who is from Crook’s Creek.

The Victoire became the first Canadian team to hoist the Walter Cup, defeating Ste Anne’s Jocelyne Larocque and the Ottawa Charge in the PWHL final, winning the winner-takes-all game five 4-0.

Quarry Oaks to mark 25 years

Since the day the Links at Quarry Oaks opened on July 1, 1992, it has been considered one of the top golf courses in Manitoba. In fact, the 27-hole layout, just east of Steinbach, is often mentioned as one of the top public courses in western Canada.

And although the quality of the golf course and the golf experience has never been in question, the financial stability of the golf club has been on shaky ground at times over the past quarter century, partly because of its location, away from the city of Winnipeg.

Although certainly not remote by any stretch of the imagination, being only a 30-minute drive from the outskirts of Winnipeg, its rural setting has created some challenges, as it is considered a destination golf course.

Now into its third year under the ownership of Steinbach brothers Arthur and Harold Rempel, Quarry Oaks has again returned to financial stability with a renewed business plan that is already paying dividends. The Rempel brothers are also the owners of Pro Vista Agriculture and a number of other agriculture-based companies in the Southeast.

AS I SEE IT: Godspeed Ralph Krueger

One of Steinbach’s most famous and most accomplished citizens – hockey player, Hall of Fame inductee, two-time NHL coach, soccer boss, author, Olympian, importer/exporter, motivational speaker and shaper of global policy – has revealed he has Parkinson’s.

Ralph Krueger recently told Swiss media outlet Watson that he was diagnosed in 2024 and as a result of the Parkinson’s, Krueger had significantly reduced the number of his public appearances.

This immediately tells you something of Ralph’s love of Steinbach: even though he drastically reduced his public engagements, it was a priority for him to be the keynote speaker in his hometown for the grand opening of the SEC, part of which resides on the soil of Krueger’s childhood home.

Krueger is tackling his terminal diagnosis with Stoic clarity.

Wildcats earn gold medal at U15 AAA provincial championships

The U15 AAA Eastman Wildcats capped off a strong provincial season in style, going 7-0 at the Manitoba championships, hosted in Headingly.

That 7-0 record was reflected in the final score of the gold medal game, where they made short work of the Interlake Phillies. The Phillies and Wildcats both lost a combined two regular season games this year but Interlake lost both games the two teams played at provincials 7-0.

Eastman had a combined run difference of plus-33, allowing just a single run in their final five games.

Hannah Skrabek was named played of the player of the tournament and got the nod to start in the championship. She pitched a complete game, allowing just four hits while striking out eight across six innings.

Wheelchair rugby comes to Steinbach

A new sport may be establishing itself in Steinbach.

The Southeast Event Centre played host to a pair of wheelchair rugby sessions, a sport combing basketball, rugby and soccer and played in wheelchairs, this summer including July 10.

The sessions were run by the Manitoba Wheelchair Sport Association, which brought the chairs for participants to use during the sessions. Chris Klodt is the president of the association and ran the events in Steinbach.

Klodt said the two sessions were a success, and plans to start a team based in Steinbach.

Crosby Mateychuk earns invite to Hockey Canada top-80 camp

Crosby Mateychuk will be battling to wear the Maple Leaf for Team Canada.

Mateychuk was one of 80 players to be invited to Hockey Canada’s U17 development camp, which is set to take place July 17-21 in Oakville, Ont.

“We are excited to unveil the top Canadian under-17 players who have earned invitations to our development camp this week, and to introduce these young players to Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence,” PoE general manager Alan Millar said in a Hockey Canada news release.

“This is a very talented and exciting group that will be surrounded by world-class coaching and support staffs, and we look forward to introducing them to our program, setting the expectations for the season and preparing for the U17 World Challenge later this year.”

Old Tom Backyard Ultra draws nation-wide attention

The eyes of the endurance running world were on Blumenort last week, as the Old Tom Backyard Ultramarathon exceeded all expectations.

The event, in just its third year of existence, saw a pair of runners battle for 55 hours to set a new season-best for Canadian events. Backyard ultramarathons feature runners completing a 4.1 mile lap every hour, with participants starting a new lap at the top of every hour. The winner is the runner who completes a lap on their own.

Race director Stephan Reimer said he didn’t expect the event to develop into such a competitive one so soon. The first year’s winner completed just 26 laps, with last year’s champion finishing 35 to win.

“When you organize this, the goal right away is to become the top backyard in Canada,” Reimer said.

Carillon Sports Second Shots: July 9th edition

Featuring a Carillon Sultans MJBL game in Steinbach July 3, Winnipeg Jets Development Camp July 3 and Hanover Kickers games July 2 and 6 at the Steinbach Soccer Park.

Quarry Oaks steps up to host provincial Mid-Amateur after flooding

Torrential rainfall meant the scheduled Manitoba Women’s Amateur and the Men’s Mid-Amateur provincial championships had to be scrapped last week. The tournaments were scheduled for Gilbert Plains Country Club, just West of Dauphin, July 1-3.

The re-scheduled men’s mid-amateur is coming to Quarry Oaks in late-July. The women’s amateur was quickly re-scheduled to be at St Charles as nationals are right around the corner. Flooding at Gilbert Plains nearly reached the roof of their storage sheds that weekend.

“I’ve never seen something like this in 20 years,” Gilbert Plains golf professional and general manager Scott McCallum told the Brandon Sun. McCallum was unable to drive into the property on the day of the tournament.

“I’m looking for a boat to try and get there… It’s certainly disheartening, especially in a year when you’re trying to empower your grounds crew to be detail-oriented all the way up to this event, and we were two days away or one rain away, essentially, from hosting the event.

Local players make the cut for Hockey Manitoba

It’s likely the Team Manitoba hockey roster at the upcoming 2027 Canada Winter Games will have some Eastman flair.

Four players from the region were named to the U16 Boys Program of Excellence summer roster. The named 28 players were born in 2011 and 2012.

Goaltender Haize Brightnose (Ste Anne), defenseman Brady Piec and forwards Reed Sherry (St Malo) and Nixon Gaudet (Ile des Chenes) were named to the roster. Brightnose and Piec suit up for the Rink Hockey Academy in Winnipeg while Sherry and Gaudet play for the Eastman Selects AAA program.

The U16 Program of Excellence team will play a series of exhibition games against AAA and prep school programs Oct. 2-4 in Winnipge.

Loeppky signs 2-year extension with Lube

Steinbach Regional Seconary School graduate Eric Loeppky will remain with Volley Lube for the next two years.

The outside hitter has played in three consecutive Italian SuperLega finals, including the last two with Lube. The franchise has made a home at the highest levels of volleyball in Italy, appearing in four of six finals since the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19.

“I’m truly honored and excited to stay with Lube,” Loeppky said in a translated team news release.

“I’m coming off two positive years with the club, and I hope this is just a taste of what this team can achieve in the future. Living in the Marche region is wonderful for my family, and Civitanova is starting to become a second home for us. We’re happy in every way.”

Former Piston Cole Smith signs NHL deal with Chicago

Cole Smith, who played two seasons with the Steinbach Pistons, is continuing his journey at the highest level of professional hockey.

Smith signed a three-year, 9$ million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on the first day of NHL free agency.

After leaving the Pistons, Smith joined the University of North Dakota, signing as an undrafted free agent with Nashville in the 2020 season.

After a couple years mostly playing in the American Hockey League, Smith nabbed a full-time spot on the Predators’ roster in the 2022/2023 season.

SPORTS FLASHBACK 2006: MIT Roadies ride for fun

MIT stands for Mennonites in Tights, although Mennonite affiliation is not necessary to belong to this recreational cycling club. In fact, there is a Lutheran or two along for the ride. Others, such as Steinbach lawyer Marcel Jodoin, have nary a discernible shred of Mennonite in them, but are still welcomed into the fold, as well.

Sixteen riders marshalled near Steinbach’s water tower at 6 a.m. last Saturday morning for their weekly excursion.

The one common thread amongst this group of avid cyclists, apart from the spandex of course, is their love of cycling, a form of recreation that provides exercise and camaraderie among the riders.

Saturday morning’s ride was 68 kilometres from Steinbach to Richer and back. According to unofficial MIT Roadies coordinator Jac Siemens, it took 2 hours and 38 minutes to complete, which included a stop for porridge in Richer.

AS I SEE IT COLUMN: Connor Hellebuyck is a coward

Being a man of your word, honouring your commitments and standing with your teammates in tough times are character traits that Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck appears to be sorely lacking.

At press time, Hellebuyck has still not said whether he wants to stay in Winnipeg or be traded.

It’s unclear why Hellebuyck has adopted this approach. Does he not realize his reputation is taking a beating? Does he think this “leave everyone hanging” approach is good for his teammates, the organization, his fans or the media?

If he does, he’s delusional.