Mazutinec earns major ASAA plaudit
Congratulations to Stirling principal Darren Mazutinec
who received the Alberta Schools Athletic Association Lorne Wood Award last Thursday at a banquet in Red Deer.
I knew Lorne Wood, to my knowledge, the ASAA’s first executive director. He was a heck of a good fellow. I believe he’d agree with Maz’s selection.
To quote the ASAA website: “This award is designed to recognize school administrators who actively model, support and promote sportsmanship by their involvement in their school’s athletic program.”
Stirling School has a truly remarkable athletic program. The Grade 10-12 student population this year is listed at 56 on ASAA documents I’ve seen, yet the teams, particularly in basketball, habitually punch many pounds above their weight class.
The athletics program has a dramatic influence well beyond the school high however. The kindergarten-to-Grade 12 institution is a focal point for the entire community. Case in point: a new school gym, with a seating capacity of over 600, that may well be completed before the end of the current basketball season.
It takes a lot more than school students to fill that many pews. But, I’m sure they will be filled on occasion. And there’s no doubt the community chipped in many dollars beyond what the provincial government education funds provided, to make it all come together. One could easily argue projects like this are the lifeblood that allow small communities to grow stronger.
I’m sure Maz was a leader in the new venue charge from many angles. High school basketball season is roaring into high gear. As stated here last week, invitational tournament organizers who get me draws at
david.wells@holyspirit.ab.ca
in time will have their events briefly profiled in this space
Cardston AD Ken McMurray (No. 13 on the 50 Greatest Pronghorns list I see — he could really shoot off the dribble) emailed me this weekend’s Cardston Classic draw so far in advance it’s amazing I didn’t forget about it. The tourney is a two-gender affair, with eight teams in each competition. It’s a two-gym extravaganza, too, with games in the area’s biggest seating capacity high school gym (I’d estimate 1,300 legit) at Cardston High, plus the nearby Cardston Elementary School. Don’t worry that high school games are being played in in an elementary school venue, though. After all, this is the Westwind School Division we are talking about. The court is eminently playable.
Cardston is joined by Catholic Central, LCI, Magrath, Raymond, Okotoks Foothills, Cranbrook Mt. Baker and Saskatoon Holy Cross in the boys’ action.
Mt. Baker and Holy Cross are replaced by Medicine Hat McCoy and Chestermere in the girls’ draw.
There are no ASAA basketball rankings until the new year, but I’d have to think the significant majority of the Alberta teams above will be in the first top-10 lists. As well, I’m intrigued to see how the Holy Cross boys do. They are often one of the top squads on the Prairies. Great get for this event. I really enjoyed attending the ASAA annual planning meeting in Red Deer. Critics of the organization might well be interested in seeing how the sausage is made. I don’t know how much more plainly I can put this. High school sports in our area needs more game officials. I mean they really, really need more game officials. ••• I’m happy to note this area will host two ASAA High School Basketball Provincial Championships next March 15-17. Kainai is the site for 2A Girls and Claresholm Willow Creek presents 2A Boys. ••• Back to the Westwind School Division gym theme, Magrath’s Grade 7-12 School as a whole is in the midst of a massive construction project. In fact, it’s back-tothe-future this season as the much larger Tom Karren Gym is out of commission. So, all games are being played in the snug confines of the Auditorium venue, the community affectionately refers to as the “Audi.” It has been remodelled already — although not expanded. In fact there is no more stage to seat folks on.
I’ve seen an optimistic estimate of a 420-person capacity. Not 420 folks of my girth, I assure you. If you want to partake in a form of time travel for a popular tilt, I suggest getting there early. WELLSIE’S WORLD —I wasn’t aware the U of L was even making the 50 Greatest Pronghorns list until it began to roll out. I think it was a very worthwhile project indeed.
In regards to U of L athletics I certainly hope the community catches on to how entertaining the basketball teams are in the second semester. Old-school rivals UBC, Calgary and Alberta make five regular-season appearances (Calgary only once) per gender to face the local outfits who sit at a combined 20-4 in Canada West league play at the semester break.
How good is that record you ask? Well, let’s put it this way, that’s more Canada West hoop wins than U of A and Grant MacEwan have garnered combined in Edmonton.