Black Sheep host Seattle for BC Semis, Junior Golf Open House Saturday, Gold in the Net Golf

The Black Sheep Rugby Club hosts Seattle Saturday at 1pm at the their pitch at the top of Argyle in the BC Semi Final game after a win over Velox in double OT on the road last Saturday 51-30 to clinch the Cowichan Cup, the oldest Rugby trophy in BC.

BC Rugby wrote this little piece about Seattle coming here...it sure fires me up. Didn't David beat Goliath anyway? Go Sheep! Thanks to Laurie Smillie for the heads up!

Seattle will have to travel to Port now, it's a David vs Goliath scenario with Seattle as the Goliath (population 3 million) vs Port Alberni playing David (population 18,000). Regardless of the mismatch one thing is for sure, Port won't shirk their responsibility and they'll face the challenge head on unlike some clubs this season. Win or lose this team of firemen, farmers, fishermen and loggers will show what BC rugby is really about - facing the challenge even when the odds are against you. 

The Alberni Golf Club holds their Junior Golf Open House this Saturday from 1pm to 3pm. Kids will receive instruction in driving/chipping/putting/etiquette etc, followed by a snack and refreshments. It's all FREE of charge.

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of golf and a huge fan of the Alberni Golf Club. I have to sing their praises once more in regards to Junior Golf. Not only is the Open House great, and their program and rates fantastic, but I have been just blown away by the membership and the staff at the course and how they have treated my little guy Griffin since he has started golfing there over the last couple of years. One would think perhaps that a golf course isn't the place for a kid - I would have been one of those people. The reality is that it couldn't be further from the truth. Bruce, Kathy, Brian and all the staff have gone out of their way to make Griff feel welcome. Good, well behaved kids are welcome anywhere, and at the same time brats aren't! Whenever we are out on the course or on the range or chipping or putting everyone seems to take a lot of joy out of seeing a little guy out there.

I sadly won't make it, as I'll be at Morningstar Golf Course hosting the Gold in the Net Golf Classic to raise funds for the Aaron C Cornwell Memorial Scholarship Fund. If you want a great time for a great cause, get signed up ASAP! Click the above image for more details.

Hammer

Bulldogs sign Max Daerendinger, Vees lead 3-2, my hockey brain....

Welcome to the club Max!



Hammer

BULLDOGS COMMIT TO MAX DAERENDINGER FOR 2015/16

PRESS RELEASE

April 16, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Port Alberni, BC – The Alberni Valley Bulldogs announce that they have committed to 1998- born defenseman Max Daerendinger (dare-en-dinger) for the 2015/16 season.

Daerendinger, a product of the Vancouver Thunderbirds Minor Hockey Association and the BWC Academy, played in 6 regular season games as an affiliate with the Bulldogs in 2014/15. Daerendingerʼs assistant coach this past season was former Bulldogs star forward and current team scout Josh Bonar.

Bulldogs fans got a chance to see Daerendinger during the teamʼs first of two 2015 Spring Identification Camps held in Port Alberni, BC, this past April 3-5, 2015. The teamʼs second of two camps is coming up in Osoyoos, BC, from May 1-3, 2015.

"I am very proud to play for such a great team in a supporting community,” said

Daerendinger. “I look forward to becoming a member of the team for next season!" Daerendinger comes from some pretty good hockey bloodlines, as his great uncle Alex Delvecchio played all of his 23-year NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings (11 seasons as the Red Wingsʼ captain).

Bulldogs fans can expect to hear more exciting news and announcements from the team in the coming months.

The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are holding their annual Spring Identification Camp in Osoyoos, BC, on May 1-3, 2015. Spaces are limited. Prospects can register online by visiting www.albernivalleybulldogs.ca.

For further information or comment on the above story please contact Alberni Valley

Bulldogs’ head coach and general manager Kevin Willison

 The Penticton Vees carry a 3-2 lead into tonight's game six of the Fred Page Cup league finals series after a come-from-behind 3-2 in last night in Penticton. 

The turning point? It might be in the below video, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for snowing the goalie. While the Vees didn't score on the power play, they did score seconds later. 

I'm curious your opinion on this.

 Cheap call, or well deserved? On one hand, it's a call that maybe you don't like with the stakes being what they are. On the other hand, goalies have been a focus in this series, and maybe you don't blame the ref when a player travels that distance on a dump in from the blue line to deliberately (or so it appears) snow the goalie unnecessarily.  Maybe I only think the call is justified because as a former goalie I hated it so so soooo much. If I'm in the Clippers skates, I'm no doubt thinking it's pretty cheap. 

How about you?

And finally.... this is a pretty funny story, and a very good indication of how my brain works.

I had a couple of guests in the radio station this morning promoting the Alberni Valley Autism Support Community's ROCK THE WALK to raise awareness for Autism - registration is tomorrow at 10:00am at the Glenwood Centre, by the way. 

One of the guests this morning says "My nephew Zack Currie played for the Cowichan Valley Capitals about seven or eight years ago" , to which I immediately respond "He wore number 23, right?"  

The look on her face was absolutely priceless. I even impressed myself with that one. 

Meanwhile, ask me what I had for lunch yesterday...and it will take some thinking! Ha!

Hammer

Mark MacMillan signs with Habs, makes it a hat trick of former Dogs signing NHL deals

Fantastic news, as former Bulldog Mark MacMillan signed a two-year entry level deal with the Montreal Canadiens yesterday. Mark was drafted by the Habs in the spring of 2010 out of the Bulldogs organization after a career year as a BCHL rookie with the Bulldogs in 2009-2010. Huge congrats to Mark and family.

Read more from the Canadiens website HERE

Hammer

Bulldogs host Spring Camp this weekend

OVER 70 PROSPECTS COMING FOR THE BULLDOGS ANNUAL
SPRING CAMP THIS WEEKEND

PRESS RELEASE
April 1, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Port Alberni, BC – The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are once again holding their annual spring identification camp in Port Alberni this weekend, April 3-5, 2015.

Throughout the weekend, over 70 prospects will be working hard to impress the Bulldogsʼ coaching and scouting staffs.

In addition to several affiliates from the 2014/15 season, there will be a strong local flavor of prospects from the Alberni Valley, including players from the midget rep team, from the BC Hockey Major Midget League, and from the Canadian Sports School Hockey League.

Scrimmage games are open to the public. Here is the list of camp scrimmage times:

Friday, April 3rd: 4:00-6:00pm and 6:15-8:15pm.
Saturday, April 4th: 8:30-10:00am, 10:15-11:45am, 5:00-7:00pm and 7:15-9:15pm
Sunday, April 5th: 7:15-8:30am and 10:00-11:15am

Over three-quarters of the prospects in attendance have been by team invite, in addition to a handful of prospects that took advantage of the open registration. The organization feels that itʼs important to keep the camp to 4 teams, which will help maintain a high tempo through out the camp and give each prospect plenty of ice time and, thus, a fair opportunity to showcase themselves to the coaches and scouts.

In addition to the camp scrimmages, players will also be put through fitness testing, baseline concussion testing, participate in an educational seminar conducted by Bulldogs educational advisor Tom McEvay, and a separate goalie-only ice session with Bulldogs’ goalie coach Alex Evin.

For further information or comment on the above story please contact Alberni Valley
Bulldogs’ head coach and general manager Kevin Willison