by Bob Grylls
Special to Whitewater News
WESTMEATH — Hockey was over, a bit of a breather, but there was a celebration for the Beachburg and Westmeath teams, a time to get their due recognition.
It was the almost annual hockey banquet in the Westmeath Hall Sunday, April 3. Players, parents and even prouder grandparents filled the Hall with nearly 200 keeners. Grandmothers Claire Martin had two players there, while Brenda Grady had three.
Derek McLaughlin, the Bulls sports co-ordinator, was the emcee. He said it had been a “fantastic year for the league.”
McLaughlin congratulated the coaches and managers, and with one exception, there were no grievances. There were congratulations, too, for the Westmeath Novice team with a championship under their belts.
McLaughlin wrapped it up with a plea and encouraged everyone to come to the league annual general meeting.
“We are looking for new people for the executive,” he said.
Unfortunately, McLaughlin’s counterpart for Westmeath, Neil Nicholson, couldn’t be there for the festivities.
Event co-ordinator Anne Bromley did a bang-up job of seating everyone in an orderly fashion and overseeing varieties of foods and desserts brought in by the mothers.
Each team, from IP through Midget, were introduced on the stage by their respective managers. There were gift packs for each of them.
The IPs, a combined Beachburg and Westmeath team, were introduced by Erin Vereyken, followed by the Beachburg Novice team with Derek Robinson.
Dan Moore had the champion Westmeath Novice team. Their record was 50 percent during the season but they won the big one. He proclaimed their loudest cheerleader helped the cause and so presented Annette Davidson with a plaque for her efforts.
The Beachburg Atoms, the three Muskrat teams combined, were introduced by McLaughlin and each complimented on their particular strength of hockey prowess during the season.
When it came to Duane White and the Westmeath Bantams, his player introductions included some Valley humour.
Dave Lessard for the Westmeath Bantams carried the humour to the next level during his player overviews. The Bantams lost the playoff season finale to Fort Coulonge, a fact that Lessard couldn’t get over. He did, though, pay a tribute to Mel DeHaan for his impact in running the Westmeath arena and his support of the hockey. Melissa White presented DeHaan with a Muskrat jacket.
Ricky McDonald, head coach of the Midgets, couldn’t be at the event, but Assistant Coach Ted Wren renowned each of the Midgets in an organized manner. The Midget team also lost to Fort Coulonge in the ‘A” final.
As Louise Drapeau put it later, “The day was well organized with lots of food. I will be back next year for sure.”
