Sports

TheReview Wednesday, September 4, 1991 — A16

One-year absence for Eagles

by Girard Hengen
The Review

It’s almost certain there will be
no Junior B hockey on the Penin-
sula this year.

The Peninsula Minor Hockey
Association, which assumed
ownership of the Peninsula Eagles
of the South Vancouver Island
Hockey League last week, hopes
to operate a team for the 1992-93
season.

“Tf Junior B goes again, it will :

be one year from now,” said Doug
Saville, president of Minor Hoc-
key.

Saville said rights to the fran-
chise were signed over to Minor
Hockey by former owner Larry
Olson.

Minor Hockey has posted a
$350 performance bond and $500
entrance fee with the league, he
said, adding there isn’t enough
time to put a team together this

year.

The group received a one-year
leave of absence from the league,
and last year’s players were noti-
fied the Eagles are grounded.

Last year, the Eagles were oper-
ated by Jim Townley under an
agreement with Olson, but the
league says Olson retained nights
to the team.

League president Larry
Lamoureux said by the time he
was told there would be no Eagle
team competing in 1991-92, it was
too late to set up another team.

Townley cited a lack of local
talent as the main reason for not
icing the Eagles this season.

He said Friday the team relies
on the gate to pay its way. If the
team iS not competitive, crowds
drop off, and revenues decline.

“This year would have been a
struggle because the team would
not have been as competitive as in
the past,” he said.

He said he didn’t get enough of
a commitment from some players

en

SAFE AT THIRD is a slo-pitch player during a game

between Energy-n-Motion and Aquame?ts at the Labour
Day Tournament at Blue Heron Park.

Coaches reject board offer for funds

Senior secondary school coach-
es meet Thursday to discuss
whether to continue their with-
drawal of services.

The executive of the Lower
Vancouver Island Secondary
School Athletic: Association
decided Friday to support a resolu-
tion voted on in June calling for
the suspension of extra-curricular
coaching until funding for sports is
restored to an “acceptable” level.

That motion, which took effect
Sept. 1, was also supported by
junior high school coaches.

That means there is no high
school sports as students head
back to the classroom, said athlet-
ic association co-president Kevin
O'Neill.

The executive Friday turned
down a proposal offered by the
Greater Victoria school district to
restore half of the $60,000 it
chopped from the sports budget.

The cuts spurred the pullout of
services. Saanich school district
coaches have gone along as a show
of support, although their district

has maintained funding for athlet-
ics at the same level as last year.

The Greater Victoria board vot-
ed last week to restore $13,000 for
the hiring of an athletic co-
ordinator, down from $23,000 last
year. The district, plus Saanich and
the Sooke district contribute to the
position on a per-capita basis.

The Greater Victoria board also
offered $17,000 for travel to Island
and provincial events, down from
$40,000 a year ago. This money is
being held “in abeyance” until the
end of the month, “by which time
the district’s financial position for
1991-92 should be clearer,” says a
board resolution.

O’Neill said neither amount is
adequate.

“The funding that was offered in
previous’ years was barely ade-
quate,’ he said. “The kids are
going back to school without these
(sports) programs in place.”

O’Neill said a general meeting
was called for tomorrow at 3:45
p.m. at Spectrum to get a reading
on the membership’s position in

NDERTHE YELLOW awninc) 656-9411

last year, and that some still owe
him money for ice rentals.

Townley said by the end of last
season, one in which the Eagles
narrowly missed the playoffs, he
was spread too thin, looking after
coaching, marketing and promo-
tions, managing and handling the
equipment.

He expressed a willingness to
handle marketing and promotions
for Minor Hockey in the future.

Saville said a strong midget
team this season should provide a
good nucleus for a Junior B team
in 1992. The goal is for the juniors
to become an outlet for local
players, he said.

“We believe if it’s not all Penin-
sula players, then the highest per-
centage of players should be from
the Peninsula.”

League play begins on Sept. 29
with four teams: Kerry Park Islan-
ders, Parksville Generals, Saanich
Braves and Sooke Thunderbirds
(formerly Western Broncos).

Slo-piich title
to Van Isle

The Van Isle Marina Schnoon-
ers downed Pacific Pirates 6-4 to
win the Labour Day Slo-pitch
toumament sponsored by the Sid-
ney Mixed Slo-pitch League.

The final, played late Monday
afternoon, featured Van Isle, win-
ners of the A Division pennant in
the league, against the Pirates, who
won the B Division pennant. _

“Tt was a really close game.
There were a lot of crucial plays,”
said Van Isle player-coach Rob
Norbury.

Van Isle had to win five straight
games in the single-knockout tour-
nament to take the title. It was their
second tournament win this year.

Greg Barnes of Van Isle was
selected men’s most valuable
player, while women’s MVP hon-
ors went to Leanne Isowaa of
Pacific. Most sportsmanlike team
went to the Peninsula Merchants.

the dispute.

The executive’s recommenda-
tion will likely come up for dis-
cussion, he said. Junior secondary
coaches have been invited to
attend.

Meanwhile, he said if the situa-
tion remains unresolved, senior
sports like soccer, volleyball, field
hockey and cross-country will be
affected.

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