logo
Sudbury Wolves to host orientation camp at Countryside May 17-18

Sudbury Wolves to host orientation camp at Countryside May 17-18

Ottawa Citizen09-05-2025

Article content
The Sudbury Wolves will host their first spring prospect orientation camp since before the COVID-19 stoppage when they welcome young players to Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex on May 17 and 18 for practices and scrimmages.
Article content
A majority of players from the 2024 and 2025 OHL Priority Selection draft classes, mainly born in 2008 and 2009, are expected to attend, alongside a handful of free-agent invitees. A finalized roster has yet to be announced.
Article content
Article content
Upon the resumption of on-ice activities after the COVID pause, the Wolves began to host their orientation camp at the end of August, immediately prior to their main training camp, but will return to a spring event for 2025.
Article content
Article content
May 17
Article content

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Just Trust Me off to a storybook start
Just Trust Me off to a storybook start

Winnipeg Free Press

timea day ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

Just Trust Me off to a storybook start

Former horse trainer John Mulligan said it looked like a scene from the movie 50-1, a film based on the true story of longshot Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and his happy-go-lucky group of crazy cowboy owners who beat the bluebloods at their own game in 2009. This wasn't Kentucky and groom-owner-trainers Dewey Williams and Eugene Burns weren't quite in the Derby. Yet. This was Tuesday night racing at Assiniboia Downs. 'They just looked like a couple of good ole boys, happier than ever, walking into the winner's circle,' said Mulligan. 'It was a scene right out of that movie.' With a smile from ear to ear and a jovial laugh, the big orange-haired Burns led slick three-year-old colt Just Trust Me and jockey Antonio Whitehall into the winner's circle to meet trainer Williams after winning the first stakes race of the local season. Their $3,500 purchase had just won the $24,000 Fancy As Overnight Stakes, but it might as well have been the Kentucky Derby based on the happiness meter. Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo Just Trust Me and jockey Antonio Whitehall won the Fancy As Overnight Stakes at Assiniboia Downs on Tuesday. Not only did the Williams-Burns combo win the first stakes race of the season, they also upped their local record to a perfect three-for-three. Just Trust Me drew off to win by five lengths and it could have been more. It was a mismatch for a horse that might just be the local Manitoba Derby horse to beat. 'We'll see,' said Burns. 'He's going to the Golden Boy next.' Burns and Williams arrived from Turf Paradise with nine horses, four purchased in Northern California for less than US$10,000. All have won. Just Trust Me's victory was another triumph for red-hot jockey Antonio Whitehall. The three-time riding champion scored a hat trick Monday and added two more wins Tuesday, tying him atop the jockey standings with nine victories. 'Whitehall's been coming down and getting on a bunch of these,' said Williams. 'Sheldon Chickeness has been getting on horses for us too. He's a big part of our program. And Will Tourangeau, Monique Goulet, and Jared Brown have all helped us out. People are just nicer here.' Besides Williams and Burns, the barn crew includes Michelle Bennett and blacksmith Chance Dale, who's followed them from Phoenix to Wyoming to Winnipeg. Burns splits time between the track and his Georgia farm, where his wife Lindsay conditions show horses. Williams' better half Connie holds down the fort in Gooding, Idaho. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. The 40-year-old Burns and 71-year-old Williams started their partnership in Boise, Idaho, and have worked together since 2012. 'He came looking for me one day,' said Williams. 'And now he can't get rid of me.' After leaving Assiniboia Downs in 2018, Williams and Burns spent two years at Prescott and two in Wyoming. 'We were leading owner in Wyoming, and tied for leading trainer one year,' said Williams. COVID delayed their return to the Downs. Now they're back with serious Derby aspirations. 'One of the big factors for us coming here is we had this horse and we were debating on where to go to run him,' said Burns. 'They have a really good three-year-old program here, starting with the Fancy As Stakes, then the Golden Boy, and another mile prep before the Manitoba Derby. That's why we came.' Just Trust Me had already established solid credentials in California and Arizona before his local triumph. He broke his maiden at Del Mar in California, won an allowance race at Pleasanton, and finished second in the Luke Kruytbosch Overnight Stakes at Turf Paradise. When asked about their best horse ever, Williams was direct: 'Probably this one.' Burns and Williams have both won Idaho Cups and Colorado Derbies. Williams has also won the Sunray Park Futurity, the Sunray Park Derby, and the Albuquerque Derby in the past. Now they have a Manitoba Derby horse, and that's a whole different world. With their perfect start and genuine aspirations, these good ole boys from Idaho are proving sometimes the best stories come from the most unlikely places.

Air quality warnings impacting Manitoba amateur, professional athletes alike
Air quality warnings impacting Manitoba amateur, professional athletes alike

Winnipeg Free Press

timea day ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

Air quality warnings impacting Manitoba amateur, professional athletes alike

This year's Manitoba High School Athletic Association Provincial Track and Field Championships have been cancelled due to ongoing air quality concerns caused by wildfires in the province, making conditions unsafe. More than 1,500 athletes from grades 9 through 12 were set to compete in the three-day competition planned for June 5–7 at University Stadium on the University of Manitoba campus. The MHSAA had originally postponed all scheduled events on Thursday to Friday, hoping air quality would improve, but updated at 6:15 a.m. today that the event would be cancelled entirely. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS This is the first time the Manitoba Provincial Track and Field Championships have been cancelled over unsafe air quality levels from wildfire smoke. The MHSAA air quality protocol states, 'Poor air quality can impact the health and performance of outdoor sport participants, including athletes, coaches and sports officials. The MHSAA recognizes the potential short and long-term health effects of engaging in physical activity outdoors when the air quality is poor, and is fully committed to reducing the risk posed to outdoor sport participants to help contribute to safer outdoor activities and events.' Chad Falk, the executive director of the MHSAA, said that, unfortunately, rescheduling is not an option. 'The nature of the event and how many athletes, the unique venue, access to officials, access to venues, kids travelling from all over the province, it was just impossible to look at finding a way to reschedule it,' said Falk. 'Especially with time constraints heading into the end of June with exams, all those types of things.' The only other times the MHSAA track and field provincials were outright cancelled were during COVID years in 2020 and 2021. While there have been previous schedule changes and event condensing due to weather, such as severe rain or thunderstorms, there has never been a cancellation caused by smoke. 'I think this is definitely going to become a reality for us for outdoor sports moving forward,' said Falk. The MHSAA uses real-time data from PurpleAir sensors, which are spread across North America, to monitor air quality, including two located at Princess Auto Stadium. Data from Environment Canada and recommendations from Health Canada are also consulted. If the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) reaches eight or higher at any point during an event, the MHSAA pauses competition. 'It's heartbreaking,' said Falk. 'Especially for the Grade 12s, this was their finale to high school sport… It's always a great wind up, in a sense, of a school year, celebration of high school sport, and it's sad not to see it move forward.' Other Winnipeg outdoor sports have been affected by wildfire smoke, including last week's Winnipeg Blue Bombers pre-season game against the Roughriders in Regina, which was delayed by an hour until air quality improved due to wildfires burning in Saskatchewan. And on Wednesday, Bombers practice was forced indoors to the WSF South building due to the poor air quality caused by the Manitoba wildfires. Next door at Princess Auto Stadium, Valour FC's 11 a.m. kickoff against Vancouver FC was pushed back 30 minutes as the AQHI was hovering around 12. On Sunday, Valour had a match that was pushed back two-and-a-half hours for the same reason. It's a situation the Valour and the Bombers may very well face this season if the issue persists. Ruth Bonneville / Free Press On Wednesday, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers practice was forced indoors to the WSF South building due to the poor air quality caused by the Manitoba wildfires. For the Bombers, under CFL regulations if the AQHI reaches eight or above using Environment Canada metrics during warmups or games, the onsite League Representative will enact the league's air quality procedure, which includes automatically stopping the game and sending teams to their dressing rooms. 'We've come up with some pretty good protocols and we observe it well,' said Bombers long snapper Mike Benson on Wednesday, a CFLPA representative. 'I don't think we get distracted by it at all. We just know we have to get our work done no matter where we are. It's a relatively new protocol, it's only been around for a couple of years.' 'We're always tinkering with it to find the best solution, the fastest results, so we're not debating on the phone up to a minute before the game. But unfortunately, just like any kind of weatherman, you can't predict what's going to go on. All we can do is adapt, persevere and be OK with it as a team.' Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The Winnipeg Goldeyes have had no interruptions, playing yesterday at Blue Cross Park despite an air quality warning issued by Environment Canada and an AQHI index of 10 at game time, which began at 6:30 p.m. The Fish ended up losing the three-game series and the series finale against the Kane County Cougars 1-2. There is currently no air quality regulations in place for the Goldeyes, however, they do offer ticket exchanges for people who can't attend games due to health conditions. The Fish are scheduled to open their next homestand tonight against the Kansas City Monarchs with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. — with files from Taylor Allen

Kitchener Rangers sign Adam Valentini to the team
Kitchener Rangers sign Adam Valentini to the team

CTV News

timea day ago

  • CTV News

Kitchener Rangers sign Adam Valentini to the team

Adam Valentini signs on with the Kitchener Rangers on May 5, 2025. The Kitchener Rangers have added a new player to their roster. Adam Valentini, a 17-year-old forward from the Toronto area, officially signed with the team on Thursday. He just finished a season with the Chicago Steel, part of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Valentini also played with Canada White at the U17 World Hockey Championships where he racked up four goals and five assists in nine games. 'With his skill, hockey sense and offensive creativity we expect him to make an immediate impact with our team,' Mike McKenzie, general manager for the Rangers, said in a media release. 'He has always been a top tier player in his age group and when his rights became available last summer, we knew we had to do our best to acquire him and try to get him to Kitchener.' The Rangers acquired those rights after a trade last September with the Brampton Steelheads. The deal was sealed thanks to a recent rule change. Players with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) are eligible, as of Aug. 1, to take part in NCAA hockey programs. 'That definitely opened up more options for me,' Valentini told CTV News. 'Kitchener is such a first-class organization. I think it's what suited me best. I want to play here and can't wait to get things going.' He said he was in the crowd when the Rangers took on the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL playoffs, and is looking forward to donning the red, blue and white. Valentini will be wearing number 92 when he reports to training camp in August.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store