merrier pita ne La eet OO a RA ETE a aL TS 1 ane At mm WS ‘machine for $1,500. . _ Brian McDonald 9, the Terrace’s Jeff Sharples hada good opening season with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. He'll be running a summer hockey school here starting in August Pitching machine for softball Terrace Minor Baseball has" race teams in‘the July bantam | one, so why not get one for Ter-' nainor softball championships. race Minor Softball? ©... All teams will get their share Okay! At the June 15 meeting of use starting next season. of Terrace Minor Softball, it -Meanwhile, minor softball was agreed to take up anoffer- elected a new executive for the from Prince Rupert and pir- 1989 season with umpire-in- chase Rupert's secon@:hand: chief Henry Therrien the only . ‘returning member. . President Pete Pauls said:ithe”. Ken Hendry takes over from machine would be put to ase... Pauls as new president next - now in keying up the.two Ter- season. Nancy Van Herk will be vice president in charge of girls’ division, and Alice Zlotlikovits is vice in charge of boys’ divi- sion. : - Diana Van Hull is treasurer and Jackie Strachan executive director. * -Qutgoing president Pauls said he had too many jobs this year, atid would only umpire and coach a girls’ team next season. Home advantage for Kitimat golfers The zone seven men’s, score of :164. The other three - seniors’ and juniors’ 36-hoke golfers joining him in — the B.C.G.A. playdowns on the August 23 and 24 provincial June 11 weekend at Kitimat*s” tournament are Prince Rupert's Hirsh Creek course seemed to Jason Gordon (166), Rupert's ‘favor the local contingent.’as Mike Kuramoto (171) and ‘Aluminum City golfers won’, 51 , ‘seven of the 11 available plates“ - Onily three golfers turned up - for upcoming provincial ‘tour-’ for.the four seniors’ spots, ‘and ‘Smithers’:Chad Beldin (171).. naiments. tourney-is July 30.and 31 at Glen Meadows in Sidney. For the amateur-men, George Noth of Fraser Lake had the “best score — 150. Dave Bolton of Kitimat finished one stroke yack. The other golfers making ‘the foursome — both of Kitimat .- were Ron Venman (155) and Clayton Harris:(157). The B.C. men’s samatewr is at Pitt - eadows:and-Abbotsford, July on! moet Terrace Reitew _ Wednesday, tune. 1988 i Jeff Sharples: skill, hard work, and luck Terrace’s Jeff Sharples is a lucky young man. Although skill and hard work had a lot to do with success in his chosen profession, the 21-year-old recognizes that luck was a necessary ingredient. Otherwise he’d be working in his father’s equipment business and playing commercial hockey locally. Jeff is back home from his first full season in major league hockey. On the whole, his 1987-88 season with the NHL's Detroit Red Wings had more ups than downs. In training camp last fall, Sharples was told by coach Jacques Demers he would have to play himself onto the team by starting out. with Adirondak of the American Hockey League. Detroit had quite’'a few veteran rearguards and as a 20-year-old defenceman, he’d have to show steady improvement to make this past season’s roster. . A combination of ineptitude on the part of some Detroit players and Jeff’s good start in the AHL resulted in his promotion to the main team on October 15. “T played a little af the start,” he told us. “But I got more and more ice time, and by Christmas I was in the regular lineup.”’ Starting the new year, Demers told the team that in the stretch drive — a few weeks before the end of the regular schedule — he (Demers) would rely more on his veterans due to increasing pressure. oo Near the end and during the early playoffs, Sharples was a spec- tator for about a month. Demers finally dressed and played him in four out of the five games against Edmonton Oilers. The effort was worthwhile for Jeff who scored three assists against the Stanley Cup champs, but not for the team which lost their semi-final four games to one. “‘The season went real well on the whole,” he said. Statistically, he scored 10 goals and picked up 25 assists in the 80-game regular schedule of which he played a little better than half the games. Sharples’ effort was considered by Detroit brass to quite good for a rookie, and although his figures (including a good plus-minus stat) were prominent, he lacked sufficient playing time for con- sideration on the rookie all-star team. ‘I really want to improve next season, so I'll be working hard at getting in shape this summer. Once you show the coaches something and hit in double figures for goals, anything less in the next season is a major disappointment.” Fall looks promising His chances at Detroit this fall are much better than last season. The Red Wings got rid of defencemen Darren Veitch and Harold Snepts, opening holes for Jeff to take a regular turn. “Team management pays good salaries and they want to get their money’s worth. You have to play 100 percent when you get the op- portunity, and improve on aspects of your game that are lacking.” Jeff thought being in the NHL would see the end to long bus trips, but he found out that airplane travel can be just as tiring. Players cherish their time off, of which there’s not a great deal. They like relaxing, shopping, going to movies and so on. . But games and practices are number one in their lives from Sep- tember to May, and right behind that they have autograph and pic- ture sessions, banquets, talks to school kids, interviews, and so on. Sharples said they use their star quality to speak with youngsters about drug and alcohol abuse, admitting the problem is prevalent among sports personalities. ns “We basically tell them to say ‘no’, but then the situation is much deeper than’ that. If we can make a good impression, it’s worth- while.” ; i a Coach Demers closeted with Jeff before he headed home. Demers stressed wha} he expected from him insofar as-condition, what ; continued on page 23 Coming events in local sports The ‘Kitimat Karate Club is deadline for the Terrace basket- holding a summer camp for ball summer camp for girls from yourigsters aged 5 to 19. Three, Grade 7 to 10. The camp zoes at two-week sessions are planned Skeena Junior High , School starting July 4. For information and régistration, phone Marg Bogaert at 632-5329. The June 27th heavyweight boxing title fight with Mike Tyson and Michael Spinks will be shown on a huge satellite screen at Kitimat’s Tamitik Arena. Tickets are $25.50 each. They’re on sale at Tamitik and Schooley Sports in Kitimat, plus Sight and Sound in Terrace and Kitimat. You must be 19 or older. It starts at 6 p.m. Terrace has an open junior boys’ and girls’ tennis tourna- ment this coming weekend. You must register by tonight by phoning 635-9406. : ‘This’ Friday is fegistration takes place July 17. August 28 to 31. There’s:a $50 fee. Registration forms available at Skeena School or All Seasons Sports store. - A five-day summer .soccer school for boys and girls 5 to 16 is on at Kitimat July 25.10.29. Sponsored by the Snow, Valley Credit Union, it will ‘be:con- ducted by top lower mainland coaches. Entry forms avatiable at Snow Valley and Terrace Credit Unions, and All Seasons Sports in Terrace. .,.. Entries for the annual Skeena Valley Triathalon for teams:and individuals are now available at ‘Radio TK offices or lovations —_ oat. displaying triathalon posters