The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Page 14 â€" Waterioo Chronicie, Wednesday, May 10, 1978 U I was a member of the kiddie corps that has been sent over to represent Canada at the world hockâ€" ey championships, the following letter could be very real. Dad dropped me off at the airport. The plane trip was uneventful but served a useful pnrpoaeastbeguysonTeamCanadameteachothâ€" er for the very first time. As a team, that is. Just after a hearty meal we landed in Sweden to play the natives in two exhibition games. We won both of these, but that wasn‘t at all surprising. The Swedish papers loved us, and that was! Well, it was on to Czechoslovakia after that for two more exhibition games, which end in a win and tie for the good guys. We started playing better as a Well, it‘s been almost three weeks since you and O.W. Sports has over 40 different types of backpacks and rucksacks to choose from. Whether you need one for carrying books, hiking on the Bruce Trail or travelling around Europe, we can fit you with the right backpack for your needs. Traditional designs with quality craftsmanship from selected materials. They are handcrafted in lengths of 12‘ and 18‘ and in a choice of many colours. The design contours have been proven over many decades to provide a stable, wellâ€"balanced canoce with excellent manoceuvreability. We stock fiberglass, cedar strip, Royalex and aluminum models. Come in this weekend and order your canoe. â€" Safe, economical and practical. Sizes from 2 man tender to 12 man Mark IV. Zodiacs can be used for fishing, water skiing, pleasure craft, or even exploring the Colorado rapids. Neil Sanger (Winner "A‘‘ Class North American River Marathon Championship) will be at O.W. Sports May 12 and 13. Fresh meats, fruits and vegetables are quickly frozen, and while still frozen they are dried in special vacuum chambers. Freeze dried foods are packaged in hermetically sealed lightweight laminated foil pouches and are completely stable month afteer month without refrigeration. See our selection of over 100 different foods. Scuba Course Become a certified diver by summer. Scuba course starting Register at O.W. Sports. This adult size floos;ing bag has a nylon outer with a cotton liner to keep you warm and cozy on those unexpected cold nights. C .PP .9 CNGSONH WATERLOO ACROSS FROM WATERLOO SQUARE 886 2840 â€"lb. Polyester Fill Sleeping Bag «199 Freeze Dried Foods Langford Canoes Zodiac Boats Rucksacks team and it showed against the defending world Then the championships themselves started and as you know we lost a surprising 6â€"4 decision to Finland. No excuses, maybe we thought we were betâ€" ter than we were. We settled down for victories over East and West Germany and the States, but were really outclassed against the Czechs. Then came the heartbreak Monday against the Rusâ€" sians. We thought we had it won, but every game lasts 60 minutes, not 55. We‘ve got three games left against the toughest teams and it looks like the best we can do is a But wait a minute, what‘s wrong with that? The Czechs and Russians have assembled the most powerful teams possible for this championship ¢ ¢ The 1978 Inter â€" County Major â€" Baseball League guide has been published for the sixth consecutive year. The guide is available to the general public at most or by mail through : _ ICBA Statistic Dept. P.O. Box 1332 Kitchener, Ontario N2Z2G 4G8 The cost by mail is $2.25 per copy. ‘ The Waterloo County Amaâ€" teur Athletic Association announced Tuesday the acâ€" quisition of Labatt‘s Onâ€" tario Breweries as major participants in the first 10 Kilometre Road _ Race, scheduled for Sunday, June 11th. » 10 KM Road Race set for Waterioo, June 11 of the annual Waterloo Days celebration and includes Baseball guide Main Mail â€" Waterioo Square Hatashita Jewellers 10â€"14â€"18K GOLD BRACELETS 40 %.. a runners clinic on Saturâ€" day, June 10th at the Uniâ€" versity of Waterloo Athletic complex and the race itself, starting at 1:00, P.M. on the Sunday at Seagram Staâ€" dium. ing Labatt‘s involvement, unvejled a hand carved wooden plaque which will be presented to the winning MMI nut”hn’b myself, Mom, but 1‘ ‘m + m very muddm my country for the first time in international competition. So are most of my mates. ‘ * . I know I‘m a good hockey player, but sometimes I get the feeling I‘m a boy playing against men. Heck, I am. And that‘s what I don‘t understand about Canadians, and particularly the media. Before we came here, we were bheraided as young and aggressive. Tigers, they called us. The Canadian papers were filled with nothing but praise when we beat the Swedes and Czechs in exhiâ€" bition. Then came the loss to Finland and the bubble burst. It was back to the same old thing, criticism, critiâ€" cism, criticism. When we won, we were third rate. When we lost, we were really thirdâ€"rate . . . We went from heroes to bums in 60 short minutes. Sure we recovered our pride against the Russians Monday, but we still lost, that was the veiled meâ€" dia message. Are the Detroit Red Wings criticized when they lose to Montreal. No, because they aren‘t expected That‘s where we differ. Team Canada, regardless of its talent, is always expected to win. That‘s why Canadians will always be satisfied to send mediocre teams into international battles. It gives them an excuse when we lose, and a scapegoat to pick apart in the media. It‘s a win or never win situation that I‘ll probably never understand. * I‘m only 20â€"yearsâ€"old Mom, but in the past three weeks I‘ve grown from a boy to a man. And even if my fellow countrymen aren‘t proud of me, I couldn‘t be happier to be a Canadian hockey player. P.S. Happy Mother‘s Day. Even a thirdâ€"rate one. !\W-.‘-"Xflfi%‘fn. 4e runner, by the brewery. The plaque was carved by Waterloo area â€" resident Stewart Smith and depicts a lone runner in a typiâ€" cal long distance stride. The plaque, and now the event, are being given the name Waterloo Special Lite 10 The Labatt participaâ€" tion will aid the Athletic Asâ€" sociation in making a significant contribution to the Heart Fund. Race Orâ€" ganizers â€" indicated that one dollar will be contributâ€" ed to the Heart Fund for every runner participatâ€" ing in the event. ~ To date there have been some 200 entries received from the region and also an unusually â€" high interest shown from the U.S., where organizers say they have received over 300 re quests for event details. Race organizers _ are expecting over 1,000 entrants for the 1978 Waterloo Special Lite 10 KM Classic and invite all runners and ity Relations Manager for Labatt‘s, explained that the Special Lite brand name was being given to the event as an expression of the Company‘sâ€"interest in community involvement functions and outdoor physiâ€" cal activities. The race itself is being organized in such a way that both racers and joggers may participate. Award cate gories cover some sixteen different classifications, many for female particiâ€" pants. Your son