The Swan Valley boasts two new national champions as members of Lidstone Combat Sports Academy (LCSA) return from the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO) Canada National Championship with two championship belts. Here, competitors Liam Peterson (left), John Walsh (second from left) and Cole Lumax (right) are pictured with coach Travis Lumax (second from right) in front of Niagra Falls where the competition was held.

The Dauphin Kings got a glimpse into the team’s future at its annual spring camp, this past weekend at Credit Union Place.

More than 100 players hit the ice hoping to make an impression with the team’s coaches and scouts.

Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley said there were two teams of 2009-born players, who will be eligible for next year’s draft.

“We’re looking for a watch list of players to watch for next season and get more comfortable with the guys that we’re going to draft in 2025,” he said. “It’s great to see those kids out. It was tough, because last year we had three teams. But the MJHL is running one this year at the end of May, so a lot of players decided, because we were going to be there, they would skate there. Still, we had a very good turnout.”

There were also four teams of players born between 2006 and 2008.

“Those kids are a lot of our list kids, a lot of kids that we want to draft this year. So it was really good for us to see them skate. Really good for our scouts to see them skate,” Hedley said. “And then we’ll put our list together after camp of the ‘08s that were here and rate them and rank them and get into a situation where we’re comfortable at the draft.”

Hedley liked what he saw on the ice from the young skaters, noting U.S. scout Andy Kubas brought some players from south of the border to camp.

“We’re really happy with those guys. We’re happy with some of the talent we have in the ‘08, ‘06 group and the ‘07 group from Saskatchewan and Manitoba. So it’s a good mixture of players and there’s some real good skill sets out here,” he said.

Hedley anticipates inviting 10 to 15 players back for the fall camp. He noted there were other players who could not attend the spring camp as they were competing at the Telus Cup U18 national championship with the Brandon Wheat Kings, which lost in the final to a team from Quebec.

There were also other players who could not make it to the spring camp, but will be here in the fall.

Since the season ended, Hedley has been busy getting ready for the spring camp and will now shift his focus to the league’s annual general meeting where the schedule for the 2024-25 season will be set. The draft will take place, June 2.

A new champion was crowned last week when the Winkler Flyers beat the defending champion Steinbach Pistons, 5-4 in overtime, Friday in Winkler.

Hedley said the Flyers were a big, heavy team that played heavy all season.

“It was well deserved. They’re a good team. Probably the heaviest group of forwards in the league. They had a great run. I offer my congratulations,” he said. “It’s always good to see different teams and the parity in the league that different teams are winning championships. I think they’ll represent our league very well.”

The Parkland Mavericks have hit the pitch to prepare for the upcoming season.

The Mavericks will play in Rugby Manitoba’s Men’s Division 2, with five other squads. Teams will play 10 games, one home and one away against each of the other five teams.

The Mavericks practiced outside for just the second time last week.

“This week was really the kickoff to the preseason and practicing, working towards the regular season that kickoffs, May 25,” said Mavericks player-coach Shawn Sarkonak.

After Rugby Manitoba failed to schedule any games for the team last year, the provincial organization changed things up to cater to each division’s strengths.

Check this week's Herald for more!

Calls for the resignation of a Mountain View School Division trustee are mounting.

People around the province are reacting to a 30-minute presentation made by trustee Paul Coffey at the board’s regular meeting, Apr. 22, which many are calling hateful and ignorant.

Coffey’s presentation - Racism/Anti Racism Nice Until is Isn’t - called into question the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and provided his alternative views on residential school history in Canada.

“Residential schools . . . they were good,” Coffey said in his presentation which was streamed live.

Read the full story in this week's Dauphin Herald. 

The legacy of the 2024 Manitoba Summer Games powered by Manitoba Hydro in Dauphin will include a new rubberized track, as well as a new multi-use athletics pad at the DRCSS.

The announcement was made Friday at the track behind the local high school.

The project will cost $1.1 million, backed by a coalition of funding partners, including the Province of Manitoba, Mountain View School Division, Sport Manitoba, and the Dauphin and District Community Foundation.

Host committee co-chair Carla Wolfenden said the new track will be a huge addition to the community.

“It’s not just a games focus. This project is going to serve our whole region for years to come. Decades. It’s an investment in our youth. And just the benefits that come out of it, there’s so many intangibles. It’s going to be really nice to have,” she said.

Construction is expected to begin in late May and will be completed in time for the summer games.

Besides a new track, there will also be a new 100-foot by 60-foot multi-use pad where the runways for long jump are currently located. It will include new rubberized lanes for long jump, as well as an outdoor basketball court.

Having multiple funding partners was important to make the new track a reality.

“We’ve had support that we’re just so thankful for. And, honestly, it wouldn’t have happened without them. We were happy with just paving the track or doing a new asphalt track. But the support was there and we kept pursuing it and now we can rubberize. It’s kind of like icing on the cake,” Wolfenden said.

The volunteer drive did well at the recent Kin Business Expo, but Wolfenden said there is still a need for more help.

“Our goal is to have 1,000 by the end of May. And we’ll still need more beyond that. So we’re by no means finished recruiting. We’re about a quarter of the way there, maybe,” she said. “We know the support is there. When we talk to people in the street, people are still saying, ‘I want to volunteer, I just don’t know when I can yet.’ We know they’ll come.”

DRCSS Principal Taylor Schmidt feels the school is fortunate to have the summer games committee working with it to upgrade the track.

“It’s in our back yard, literally. So having the opportunity to use such a elite level track to support all of our students. It’s not just for our track team, but for all of our students of our Phys. Ed. programs, all of our sports programs. To be able to have a training facility like this in our back yard, just the opportunity to have it is second to none,” he said.

Having a multi-use pad for long jump and basketball is a welcome addition.

“That was quite nice. The pad out there, it can be used as a multi-surface pad, but looking to create a basketball court, again, in our back yard, for all of our students and for everybody, that was a bonus when they were sharing that with us, as well,” Schmidt said. “It’s going to be a wonderful addition to our whole campus. It’s going to bring people. This facility is going to be able to host major events. The opportunities are endless.”

The summer games will be held, Aug. 11 to 17.

A decision by MOR council to subdivide the Children’s Legacy Park property and sell two lots has not gone over well with members of the Roblin Playgrounds Revitalization committee.

Committee member Kayla Gaber says they have been for two years fundraising to revitalize Lions Park – located in the northeast part of town – with the Children’s Legacy Park the next on the list.

Read the rest of the story in this week’s Review.

Calls for the resignation of a Mountain View School Division trustee are mounting.

People around the province are reacting to a 30-minute presentation made by trustee Paul Coffey at the board’s regular meeting Apr. 22, which many are calling hateful and ignorant.

Want to know more? Check out this week’s issue.

Getting more golfers on the links. That was the major issue of discussion for the members as the Roblin Golf & Country Club held its annual general meeting, April 22.

Seven members and six members of the executive were on hand to take a look at the year that was and at plans for 2024 and beyond.

Read all about it in this week’s Review.

The governments of Canada and Manitoba are providing financial support to Manitoba’s Livestock Predation Prevention Program, which supports the adoption of proactive on-farm measures to deter predator attacks.

The latest funding was announced Thursday by federal ag minister Lawrence MacAulay and Manitoba ag minister Ron Kostyshyn.

Check out this week’s paper for more.

The Miss Indigenous Canada Pageant will have some representation from the tri-community in its competition this year. The Miss Indigenous Canada Pageant is a three-day event to showcase young Indigenous women to celebrate their abilities and achievements in a way that promotes the work they do to serve their communities and promote their culture.
Former Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival Fur Queen, Gloria Ballantyne-Packo is a contestant in the running for this year’s Miss Indigenous Canada Pageant and she is looking forward to the experience.
“I learned of the Miss Indigenous Canada Pageant through Facebook after, a friend shared the original call out,” said Ballantyne-Packo. “I decided to enter, because I love the communities that I am a part of and I love being Indigenous, so this was the perfect opportunity to celebrate that.