Cedar Glen Golf

 

Friday, July 13 was anything but ‘unlucky’ for 17 year old Marc Beckstead of Morrisburg. It was the day the talented right winger signed with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League.

Beckstead, a late cut from the Frontenacs last year,wisely spent last season with the Cumberland Grads in the Central Junior Hockey League where he had a good year and followed the advice of the Frontenacs.

“I’ve been working really hard. I’ve been training for it and it paid off,” said Beckstead at his Morrisburg home on Monday.

Beckstead had a good season with the Grads. In 57 games, the 16 year old counted 12 goals and added 27 assists. He worked on body conditioning throughout the year to put on some size. 

Last weekend (July 6-8), it, along with many years of dedication and hard work, paid off when he stood out at an NHL Showcase camp in Belleville.

In addition to putting up a few points and playing well at the camp, Beckstead experienced his first fight.

Although he says he has been in tussles before, it’s “never been like drop the gloves.”

According to his dad Ernie, the fight didn’t hurt a bit…in fact it showed the scouts that Marc can handle himself.

At the camp, the five foot 11, 175 pound Beckstead drew the attention of the Frontenacs’ scout, who, they later learned, contacted Frontenacs General Manager Doug Gilmour and Coach Todd Gill and suggested they stop in.

“I went down to see him…this past weekend,” said Gill in an interview with CKWS Television in Kingston, “and he was like a man amongst boys. He is a very talented kid, lots of speed, good size. He’s a play maker more than a goal scorer, but he can put  the puck in the net. I see him fitting right in on the right side and he’s a right-handed shot which is what we needed.”

Also at the camp, Beckstead was being scouted by the Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the United States Hockey League (USHL), which is listed among the top junior leagues in North America, along with the OHL.

The USHL is said to be a focussed and fast track to both the NHL  and scholarships to play NCAA Division I U.S. hockey.

After returning home to Morrisburg, Beckstead first received a call from Cedar Rapids with an offer on Sunday night at about 9 p.m.

Within minutes he received a second call from his agent Shane Sullivan to inform him that the Frontenacs were offering him a contract.

And so began several days of talks…as Marc and his parents, Ernie and Leisa, worked on making the best decision.

An education component was a big factor in their decision and when they were able to work out an education plan with the Frontenacs that was to their satisfaction, the decision was made.

Marc will head to Kingston in late August. He will be enrolled in grade 12 at a Catholic High School there and will be billeted with a local family. Post secondary considerations are also included in his contract.

“This is surreal,” says Marc. “I couldn’t believe it when I got the call. This has always been my dream. I’m still on cloud nine.”

Training camp will start for the Frontenacs in September, and they will  bring their relatively young team this direction  in September for an exhibition game with the Brockville Braves.

In addition to his dad and mom, Marc was accompanied to Friday’s signing in Kingston by a number of family members. They were all given a tour of the K-Rock Centre where the Frontenanacs play their home games.

“The home opener is against Barrie, and we are going to have all of our family and friends there,” said a very proud Ernie. 

Beckstead was drafted by the Frontenacs in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection in the 14th round (270th overall).

He was also drafted second overall by the Cumberland Grads in the Central Hockey League Bantam and Midget-aged draft last year and ended up playing for the Grads for the season.

[…]

To be in the top 15 in any event at the OFSAA championship “is spectacular” says Seaway District high School Track and Field Coach, Mark Lewis.

And Seaway had two, doing just that in three events at the provincial championship in Toronto last week.

David Swerdfeger and Sid Sideratos, did an “awesome” job said Lewis who co-coaches the high school’s track and field team with Lindsay Waddell.

Swerdfeger put his best performance together in the midget boys 300m hurdles to place eighth in the Province of Ontario, and added a 12th place finish in triple jump.

Sideratos registered a 13th place finish in midget shot put.

“David was 12th in triple jump, and was second overall of the athletes representing our East Region,” said Lewis. “His jump wasn’t the best of the year (11.96m), but it is pretty intimidating to jump in front of that many people in a large stadium like Varsity Stadium at the University of Toronto. I was pleased that he kept it together.”

“The next morning, he ran a personal best in the 300m hurdles, and qualified in his heat for the final. That is awesome in itself.”

“David finished eighth in the 300m hurdles and was disappointed in his place and time. But to be in the top eight in Ontario is a great honour. Lindsay and I are very proud of him.”

Sid came 13th in shot put which is also great. He didn’t have his best throw, but finished in the same spot that he finished at Eastern Region.”

“The fact of the matter is, this is the largest high school track and field meet in North America, and to even make it there is quite an accomplishment. To be in the top 15 in any event is spectacular.”

In the midget triple jump, Swerdfeger’s results show jumps of 11.64, 11.77 and 11.96m, the 11.96m jump putting him 12th in Ontario. The win in the event went in 13.74m.

He qualified in the 300m hurdles with a time of 42.76 seconds, and ran the final in 43.44 to finish eighth in Ontario.

The race was won in a record setting 39.99 seconds (40.01 seconds the previous record).

Sideratos registered shot put throws of 12.14m, 11.67m and 11.40m with the 12.14 placing him 13th in Ontario.

The event was won with a 15.20m throw, well back of the record 16.95m.

Lewis says he looks forward to working with and coaching all the kids next year, “as I think we can have even more success with the athletes we have.”

Swerdfeger and Sideratos were two of eight Seaway athletes who qualified to compete in 13 events at the Eastern Region meet in Brockville, May 28-29. This year’s Seaway track and field team consisted mainly of young athletes at the midget and junior levels. 

[…]

 

Wellness, and community involvement are both important issues for SDS Kerr/Beaver Dental and that’s why the early-summer purchase of a Stand Up Paddleboard for the South Dundas Sports Lending Library was a perfect fit.

The week of September 29 to October 3, the plant hosted a week-long Wellness Initiative where employees were given the opportunity to participate in and learn of a variety of activities that promote a healthy, active lifestyle.

To take advantage of the opportunity and make public the Paddleboard donation to the Library, South Dundas Recreation Program Coordinator Ben Macpherson, loaded up the board and transported it to the plant.

MacPherson explained the use of the board. “It is currently one of the fastest growing sports. You can take it out and just lay on it to relax, or you can use it for a good core workout. You can work your legs, core and arms. The river provides a really good workout.”

“We’ve had kids use it as young as 6-7 years, and the paddleboard was borrowed every weekend from the time we got it in mid-June to September. The same as the kayaks. With the success of the paddle board, we are going to purchase a second board.”

“We wanted to do something for the lending library,” said Isabella Farlinger. “I was aware of the stand up paddleboard and thought it would make a good addition to the lending library. We raised some money at a barbecue we held at our open house, and the company topped it up.”

Macpherson explained that the current board, at a cost of just under $800, is “middle of the road to high end in design. There are cheaper paddleboards and more expensive boards. This board is designed to be user friendly because it is wider.”

Stand up paddleboarding originated in Hawaii as an off-shoot of surfing. The paddles used to propel the board are similar to the traditional canoe paddles and used while the paddle boarder is standing on the board.

As part of the Wellness Initiative at the plant a two-day trade fair provided vendors the opportunity to display their products and service.

Attending were Great West Life, Encon, Canadian Cancer Society, Lakeshore Massage, Bayshore Workplace Health and Safety, South Dundas Recreation, Heart and Stroke and Natunola.

The employees sat in on retirement planning sessions, and lunch n’ learn sessions on topics such as healthy eating, how to quit smoking and online education programs offered through St. Lawrence College.

There was also a work day walking challenge.

The South Dundas Recreation display highlighted the many recreational activities available in South Dundas, including the Sports Lending Library.

With the summer now gone, Macpherson explained those seasonal items will now move to the back of the Library shelves and demand will be for snowshoes, cross-country skis and skates. 

All of the equipment needed for each, in addition to helmets, are available in assorted sizes.

[…]