Running Around
with Allan Beaver
Allan Beaver is a member of the Bigstone Cree Nation in Desmarais, AB. A former athlete, Allan has competed in volleyball, basketball, fastball, and long-distance running before starting his writing career fifteen years ago.
December is already upon us and Santa is rolling just around the corner. It’s been a great year in the sports department for the Aboriginal people of North America and a lot of positive results have arisen. Great job to all our athletes who have done us very proud.
Once again, a special wish to all our readers for a happy and safe holiday season from my wife Eunice, my children and everyone at Native Journal. May God bless your home with love and happiness.
SOONIAS REPRESENTING
CANADA AT WORLD
VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Japan - The World Volleyball Championships is the most prestigious volleyball tournament created by Fed-eration Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB). With an astounding 218 countries and regions participating in continental qualifying rounds for the past eight months, only the top 24 male teams and top 24 female teams get the honour to participate in the final rounds.
Dallas Soonias is presently playing for Canada at the World Championships in Japan.
The FIVB Volleyball World Championships are held in Japan from October 31 to December 3, 2006. Canada has put in a solid entry in qualifying for the final 24 aiming to bring the coveted title back home.
Among the leaders on Canada’s roster is Dallas Soonias. Originally from the Red Pheasant First Nation in Saskatchewan, Dallas has taken an educational leave from the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Alberta) to concentrate more on the national program and the world championships.
In 2002-03, Dallas won the ‘rookie of the year’ award with the Red Deer College Kings Volleyball Club and was an all-star in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference. In March 2003, he was named to the First Team All-star in the Canadian Colleges Athletic Conference (CCAA) Men’s Volleyball Championships.
As his game and skills were steadily progressing, Dallas was chosen as the Most Valuable Player at the Canadian Colleges Athletic Conference (CCAA) Men’s Volleyball Championships in March 2004.
In July 2004, Dallas was chosen to be a part of Team Canada’s Senior Men’s Volleyball team. Presently, he is attending University of Alberta and a strong addition to the Golden Bears Volleyball Club.
On October 14-16, the Husky Energy 2004 Can-Am Men’s Volleyball Tournament, Dallas was clearly the fan favorite as he helped the University of Alberta Golden Bears Volleyball Club capture the championship by going though the tournament undefeated. The Can-Am Tournament is a challenge of champions as the top four teams from Canadian Universities challenge square off against the top four teams from the United States.
For Soonias, playing for the Canada’s National Team has been a dream since he started playing volleyball in grade nine, and feels that getting experience alongside some of the best players in the country and the world will definitely enhance his game.
“That summer after I started playing volleyball, I saw the national team play in Calgary at the Jack Simpson Gym. It was really amazing to see that level of volleyball when you’re like 13 or 14 years old,” Soonias said. “Around that time was when I thought that playing on the national team was probably something that I’d like to do, and it’s cool because I’m on a team now with some of those same players that I saw seven or eight years ago.”
FIDDLER WORKS HARD TO STAY WITH PREDATORS
Nashville, Tennessee - For the past few years since 2002-03, Edmonton born Métis, Vern Fiddler, has been doing some traveling back-and-forth with NHL’s Nashville Predators and their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.
After some injury problems, Fiddler once again is back and healthy and currently playing with the Predators. On May 6, 2002, Fiddler was signed as a free agent by Nashville and made his NHL debut at Los Angeles on November 2, 2002. Fiddler registered his first two career points (1 goal – 1 assist) in the NHL against the Chicago Black Hawks on November 17, 2002.
Opened the 2003-04 season with the Nashville Predators before being reassigned to Milwaukee on October 23rd of that season. Fiddler was recalled to Nashville on November 11, 2003, and played regularly with the Predators.
Fiddler established career-highs in goals (8), assists (4), points (12), power-play goals (3), game-winning goals (2) and games played (40) in 2005-06. Prior to 2005-06, he had totaled six points (4g-2a) in 36 career NHL games.
The 26 year-old Fiddler re-signed with Nashville on May 18, 2006, and so far in the 2006-07 season, Vern has played 18 games and has three goals and three assists for six points.
Vern has been an inspiration to the many Aboriginal kids that strive to make it the National Hockey League. Growing up in Edmonton, Vern wasn’t a big kid compared to his teammates but he sure worked hard and persevered to be in the NHL today.
LEGENDARY INDIAN NHL SNIPER REGGIE LEACH ANNOUNCES OSKANA CUP II
Regina, SK – On November 15, 2006, the Honorary Chairman of the Oskana Cup Reggie Leach, nicknamed ‘The Rifle’, of the Philadelphia Flyers 70’s dynasty, announced that the second annual Regina tournament is set to go on April 13 to 15, 2007. “This southern region is excited to be hosting the 2nd annual Oskana Cup – Reggie Leach Hockey Challenge to raise much needed funds for Aboriginal youth” said Leach. Previously held tournaments in Regina used to attract teams from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
“The Regina tournament was once one of the major Indian hockey tournament stops. We are bringing back that level of hockey entertainment and excitement back to the Queen city with our second annual event” said Milton Tootoosis, president of the host organization, the Oskana Minor Hockey Development Inc.
The legendary Philadelphia Flyer Reggie ‘The Rifle’ Leach, who helped launch the inaugural tournament last year, will once again be in attendance at the second annual Oskana Cup as a special guest. He will also play a few games in the masters division. The Rifle is no stranger to charity work as he has participated in Flyers Alumni games, NHL Oldtimers games, and numerous other fundraisers, including hockey schools.
“Having Reggie as part of the tournament committee and his presence will make the second annual Oskana Cup tournament unique. We have plans for him to visit the community while he is here and he may even bring along other former NHLers too,” added Tootoosis.
The 2nd Annual Oskana (Cree word for ‘bones’) Cup will feature twenty-four (24) teams in divisions for Sr. men contact, masters (35+ & 40+) and women. The ultimate goal of the Oskana Minor Hockey Development Inc. is to raise funds for elite Aboriginal minor hockey development. The Oskana Cup is just one of the fundraising projects planned for 2007 and beyond.
For more information contact Milton Tootoosis at (306) 539-0515.
EXCELLENCE IN SPORTS
RECOGNIZED IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
The Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Association of B.C. recently recognized four members of the Aboriginal athletic community Saturday, November 25th at the Spirit of Excellence Awards.
The Aboriginal Team B.C. swimming program had two honourees in Stephanie Omeasoo and Leanne Sirup, who were named Aboriginal Female Athlete of the Year and Aboriginal Female Coach of the Year, respectively.
Badminton player Curtis Sowden took home the male athlete honour and basketball coach Duane Jackson was named coach of the year.
The recipients were chosen by Karen Henry from the Aboriginal Team B.C. delegation that attended the 2006 North American Indigenous Games in Denver, Col. this past July.