Sport, Recreation & Leisure

It’s an Eggstravaganza for the environment.
   On April 7 at the Galt Museum & Archives, the child-friendly event featuring earth-friendly crafts catering to the Galt’s Earth’s Climate in the Balance program will take place with the public invited to come down and paint some eggs with more than 30 dozen gifts from the Easter bunny waiting to be decorated.
“Easter crafts, Easter fun, Easter good times for families,” said Chris Roedler, resource development and volunteer co-ordinator for the Galt Museum and special events co-ordinator of the event slated to run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “We’ll have the Easter bunny wandering around and greeting the kids and greeting the families.”
Roughly 700 to 800 parents and children are expected for the event, said Roedler.
And the biggest part of the event is the crafts in which the youths can partake.
“There’s going to be a lot of Easter crafts the kids can do,” said Roedler. “We’re trying to run with our Earth’s Climate In The Balance (exhibit). We have some recycling cans that are going to be made into a tree holder with some recycled tree branches. We’re trying to do egg dye with natural ways, not just using the egg dyes. We’re looking at using vegetables such as carrots and spinach and a few others plus we’re looking at used tissue paper to use the dye for the Easter eggs. A bunch of other crafts are going to be happening that day. That’s going with our Green theme and our ‘Earth’s Climate In The Balance.’ It all ties in really well.”
“Earth’s Climate In The Balance” is the travelling exhibit at The Galt that has been there since mid-January, said Roedler. The exhibit is organized and circulated by Bruce County Museum.
“We’ve been trying to build off of that for the past few months. It’s been very good. It’s opened up the conversations quite a bit. It’s been going really well.”
The travelling exhibit closes on Earth Day, April 22, with special activities planned on that day.
Meanwhile, Eggstravaganza continues to grow every year, said Roedler.
“We’re getting a lot more crafts coming every year and a lot more families coming through. So it’s been several years in making. It’s one of the only Easter activities that’s in town on that day. So it brings some parents in. It’s been a really successful program and we’d like to keep it going.”
Weather pending, there will be some outdoor games as well, he added.
“All the crafts are indoors so we don’t have to do them outside, but we could probably find some games to play inside if we had to.”
Admission to Eggstravaganza is free for adults and $4 per child over the age of one, or $3 for children of annual passholders.

There are many sports that April Brower is willing to tackle.
   And as the Lethbridge Steel women’s football team gets ready for another season, they’ll welcome Brower’s veteran presence back into the lineup.
“I turn 50 in a week and I have three grandkids. So it can be any age,” said Brower, who also plays rugby and roller derby. “I played in the first year we played and last year I had other commitments with rugby so I couldn’t play, but now I’m back again.”
As the team ran through an indoor practice session on March 20 at Chinook High School, Brower was encouraged by the new faces coming out and giving football a try.
“It’s looking really good. There are so many new athletes out; it’s amazing,” she said. “I love the enthusiasm from the new ones because we need a lot of players because it takes a lot (of players). You want at least 24 players, 12 on offence and 12 on defence, plus you have your special teams. We’d love to have 30 or 40 players.”
And the veteran Steel player who has lined up at tight end and running back encouraged the continued growth of the Steel program.
“You want it to grow and I love to see the returning faces, to see the girls that have been growing and how they’ve grown from the first year to now,” she said. “You want to retain the players you have. There are only three teams in Alberta and we have a lot of women that love contact sports, whether it’s roller derby, football, rugby or whatever.”
And while Brower’s veteran presence will no doubt lead the younger players, she said she welcomes the chance to be lead by them as well.
“Because with their enthusiasm they get me going and it’s kind of cool to see.”
This year’s Steel squad features a new face at the head coach position as Jamie Fisher takes the reins.
“My experience is largely at the high school level,” said Fisher. “We’ve been going since March 5 and for the first month there are a lot of new players that are trying football for the first time, so we’re in recruiting mode until the end of March. Our numbers aren’t bad, we’re sitting around 24, but we’d like to be up around 30 to 35, so we still need players.”
Steel president Kirstin Nakatani — also in her first year — approached Fisher about assuming the Steel’s head coach position.
“She contacted me and I said I would give it a go,” he said. “I put together a coaching staff, none of which had worked with the Steel before. So it’s new for all of us, but we’re having a ball. We’re dealing with adults in terms of teaching concepts and coaching, the players are extremely receptive and hard working. So we’re optimistic. Many of us have had success at all levels we’ve coached at. We’re hardcore football people, so our goal is to win it all.”
While the season has yet to start, the Steel have wasted no time setting the bar high, aiming to win it all at the league playoffs July 14 in Saskatoon.
“We’re not talking smack, but that would be our goal,” said Fisher. ”We have the structure in place and if we get the players in that 30-player range I don’t think it’s an unreasonable goal at all.”
Fisher noted the continued growth of the Steel program.
“A lot of these players were here from the ground level that helped put together the Steel, but it’s now taking on a much larger following nationally, which is great,” he said. “We have a lot of people that may not have played football, but there are some good athletes that have played other sports, ringette, soccer, you name it, and they’re decent athletes. They just haven’t played football.”
Approximately eight veterans from last year are back this year, said Fisher.
“It’s a pretty decent core to be returning, but we’re still in the recruitment phase.”
Those interested can contact Fisher at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
The Steel’s first game is a jamboree on May 5 in Red Deer. The team’s first league game is on May 19.

Tanner Craswell and Mitch MacLean, the Lethbridge Bulls teammates who lost their lives in a murder-suicide late last year, will be honoured by the Lethbridge Sports Council.
The baseball players will receive 2012 Outstanding Sport Citizen award at the 2012 LSC Achievement Awards on March 29.
The awards recognize and celebrate outstanding achievements on and off the field, which support and demonstrate respect of the game, a love of sport, respect for others and a commitment to fair play and ethical sport in Lethbridge during 2011.
Craswell, 22, MacLean, 20, and Tabitha Stepple, 21, were all shot dead on an Alberta roadside on Dec. 15 near Claresholm.
Honours will also go to Ryan Cady, junior male athlete; Jim Steacy, senior male athlete; Heather Steacy, senior female athlete; Tim Takahashi, master athlete; Allan Friesen, volunteer in sport; Larry Steinke, coaching excellence; Gary Stauffer, officiating excellence; Servus Credit Union, business and spot excellence; Val Matteotti, spirit in sport; Bertil Johansson, sport administrator; and Mal Clewes, Shaun Ward sport champion.
The awards ceremony will take place at the Galt Museum. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 each and are available by contacting Julie Freund at 403-320-9371 or at the LSC office in Nicholas Sheran Arena.

CFL’s Stampeders sign local talent

Offensive lineman Jon Gott recently signed a contract extension with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders. As per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
 “Jon is going into his fourth season and is quickly becoming one of the leaders on our offensive line,” said head coach and general manager John Hufnagel. “He bounced back from an injury-filled season in 2010 and was a solid contributor in 2011.”
Gott has played in 29 regular-season games and two playoff contests in his career. The Stamps selected Gott in the fifth round (35th overall) of the 2008 CFL Canadian Draft. Gott was a two-way standout for the Lethbridge Collegiate Institute Rams. He recorded 64 tackles and two sacks in 12 games as a senior.

This board meeting is in session.
   Presiding over the proceedings? Lethbridge College Kodiaks women’s basketball team veteran guard Brittany Pekar.
Now, as the Kodiaks get set to host the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association nationals running March 15-17 at Lethbridge College, they will look to the five-year veteran and first-year Kodiak from Calgary to continue her strong presence under the glass.
“It’s really exciting,” said Pekar, whose average of 9.04 rebounds per game was best in the ACAC South Division and fourth-best in the league. “You don’t get the chance to go to nationals very often and to have it at home is pretty sweet. It’ll be nice to have my whole family here supporting me.”
While the Kodiaks earn a berth at this year’s CCAA nationals as hosts, Pekar’s performance under the glass helped the Kodiaks to a 13-5 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference regular season record, a berth in the ACAC final four and ultimately a bronze medal courtesy of a 68-60 win over the SAIT Trojans.
“She’s probably the best rebounder in the league and I think her stats will back that up,” said Kodiaks head coach Avery Harrison of Pekar, who averaged 11.96 points per game this season. “She’s done a lot of good things out there for us this year and has really stepped up and become a leader.”
Having coached Pekar in her second year at Mount Royal as an assistant coach, Harrison knew he was getting a special athlete when Pekar decided to come to Lethbridge for her fifth year in the ACAC.
“We were getting a very talented player that has a passion for winning and I thought as a fifth-year player she’s provided some great leadership for us,” said Harrison.
And Pekar’s presence is most noticeable when she’s battling under basket and hauling in yet another rebound.
“She’s extremely tough inside,” said fellow first-year Kodiaks teammate Lisa Ivanics. “That girl, she dominates the boards and is really good at seeing the dishes when the defence collapses. I enjoy playing with her.”
Apparently, that feeling is mutual.
“I would say, out of the five years, I’ve probably had the most fun playing in Lethbridge this year,” said Pekar. “The team is really young and that’s been different for me, but at the same it’s really allowed me to take the leadership role, which I think I’ve done well in. We have really great team chemistry, too. So that makes things a lot better.”
Still, Harrison recalled a facet of Pekar’s game that needed a bit of working on when he first started coaching her at Mount Royal.
“My first impression was ‘She’s thinking too much out there instead of just playing the game,’” said Harrison. “I think now she’s just playing more and doing a little less thinking, just doing what comes natural.”
That assessment drew no debate from Pekar.
“Oh yeah, for sure,” she said. “In the past I’ve had a coaches put a lot of pressure on me to perform well. So I put that pressure on myself, too. Avery is really great about that. He doesn’t put that pressure on me, I just put that pressure on myself and I expect a lot of myself. If I’m anything less than perfect I’m hard on myself. I think going into nationals I know my teammates are there for me and I can just do my best and not worry about the rest and just let the game come to me.”
Now, the nationals come to Lethbridge as the Kodiaks — ranked seventh out of the field of eight teams — kick their nationals run off against the second-ranked Dawson College Blues from Sherbrooke, Que.
“Quebec is usually the strongest conference coming in,” said Pekar. “We’re facing a team from Quebec, so we have a tough first game. When I’ve been in the league Alberta hasn’t done well at nationals, so hopefully that will change this year.”
No matter who they face first, Ivanics was simply looking forward to soaking up the nationals experience, in the Kodiaks’ own gym, no less.
“We’re so excited to come to nationals,” she said. “I know some girls who have played (for) years and they’ve never been (to nationals). This could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I’m so excited and ready to play. I can’t wait.”
While some teams view talking about nationals as a taboo subject or some sort of jinx, Harrison said his charges have talked openly about nationals all season.
“I talk about nationals all year long every year because if you don’t, what’s going to happen when you get there?” he said. “I know some coaches don’t want to talk about it because it’s a jinx. I say, if you’re afraid of nationals all year, what happens when you’re there? How will you perform? So we’ve talked about it all year. I think, mentally, we’re exactly where we want to be right now and at this point 90 per cent of it is mental. How do you feel? How are you going to perform? Are you nervous or are you just going to go out there and play? I think we’re ready to just go out there and play.”