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hey don't know if it's a I record yet. hul that damn"! mean that organizers n! thc annual Waterloo Windbreakers mad hockey luurnamenl are ready to rest on their laurels. They're already busy planning for the next 20 years. after entertaining more than 25.000 mad hock, py enthusiasts and volun, tears. and raising more than $250,000 for local youth charities since 1985, And now that they've conquered Waterloo, how about the rest ofthttario? Roadbreakers celebrate 20 years That's the plan. said one of the original founders uf the Ruadbreakers tourna- ment. Charlie McMane. who tame up with the idea with friends Gary McQuillan and [’im Collins after a couple [If "pops" um- day “It all shim-d with a beer in nut hand." laughs Mt'Mane. "I think Waterloo \ulllld he lmrd-presxed if there wasnt a Rnadhreakers next wear "li's herome d amply at the wring: lhe kids hunk for ward In it cwry your? ward In it awry you V Ihey're also waiting 1m mud (mm the Guinness World Bunk of Rvcords pen- ple as to whether they would qualify as the world's higgml um- day rrrad hockey mom. Lust war. more than 1.000 kids from nine m 14 took part on thc four-trn-four mud hm key challenge in BY Bun VRBAJNM t hromcle may! Swanson’s Home Hardware Building Centre 166 Park St., Kitchener 743-1404 parking lot C at the Universi- ty ofWaterloo. They're expecting anoth- er LOGO kids this Saturday. despite some other events that have worked to keep the numbers down this year. "We submitted it as the largest road hockey tourna- ment involving the largest number of participants, and the most road hockey games played in a dar" said McMane. "We expect to hear before Saturday, Last year nearly 500 games were played, raising 523.000 fur the Central Ontario Developmental Rid- ing program. " all started with a simple premise 20 years ago. Every- one played road hockey growing up, with the clarion call of "car" being the only thing that could stop the ebb and thsw of the game until the street lights came on. And although the distrac- nnm for today's players have become multiple. with other spnns and things like video games and computers (our pvling for their attention, thc numbers have steadily grown through the wan "Twemy years later when the average child has, Par more chuices available to them... it's unbelievable that we still have the draw that we do." said MrMane. " mat speaks volumes fur the amount of fun the kids have" rhcre's also a littie mow Continued on page 34 Ellis named Athlete of the Year ”run-I WuterlooWur, Fnun Hack slur Hana: lillls has wt the bar high m u-nns of was». lhe Kitchener-native broke the Canadian pole vaulting record four times last year. and still holds the national standard of4.47m. More importantly, after dreaming of making the Olympic Games as a gym- maul she successfully fulfilk% that dream as a track slur. tin- ishing sixth at the Athens" Summer Games. and was recently named Cauradak top tield athlete. Shc added In that lung list of accomplishments Mon- day night at the Subscribers Lounge at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium by claiming the seventh annual Kitchenerwatcrluo Athlete of the Year Award. She beat out a field of seven that included fellow Olympian Jennifer Fratesi, Waterloo swimmer Emiley lellie. softball player Sean O'Brien, speed skater Aman- da Overland. former Water- loo Tiger's volleyball standout Sarah Pavan. and Waterloo squash player Miranda Ranieri, who just completed Novice "A Ravens win provincials They just completed an undefeated year to claim the provincial title with a 3-1 win over Whitby on the weekend, with half of the players grad- tuning from the successful Rookie Ravens program. [he Rookie Ravens pmgmm gives local girls a good hmdamerr tal education in the skills needed to play hockey. but own organimrs arc surprised by how well it's wnrking. nvesting in skills develop- fiiiitj, pays: just ask the Waterloo Ravens Novice "A" girls hockey team. lust ask Novice Ravens head coach Chris Woodcrofi, the head ofathletics at Res- [median ( Zalhulic secondary school, who knows a little something abnul developing athletes. Woodcroft, who couches the Nnviu' Ravens, couldn't helieve how far the SPORTS In Bott Vummn I hrorm it. VIII} Be Bots VRBANAC t I}: ran irle 3latr, l \\\& FiiriiiiirG7ff Dana Ellis is the 2004 K-W Athlete of the Year Award winner. an undefeated season at Yale eye from California to make University. the awards presentation. Ellis. ivho is training and competing in the US. these days. came home on the red group of eight-year-old girls came this year, and how they rose to every challenge they faced, The Waterloo Novice "A" Ravens won gold at the provincials with a 3-t win over Whitby. "1n Waterloo, we're really fortunate w("vc been run- ning this ttookie Ravens pro- gram for threc 3mm now." And she" was red eyed in accepting it, acknowledging the home-town support from said Woodcroft. "Probably half these girls came oul of this program. _ - _ - "it's paid dividends already. We wvron'l expeding if for a couple more years. but these kids have dtfmitciy stepped up." www.vwwaterloo.com Volts-m In I (”VIM Pro mud (m family and tormer coaches like Brent McFarlane who gust mined from the Uluwr my otM'uterloo. “Herduw I truttl m far frum home " "10me m much In he awarded \umc- thing that comes trom home because I miss " so much." said Ellis. a threw-time numb nee for the award "I just remember all the support I received in the 22 years that I did live here as a gymnast and now a pole wanker, Ellis. who just completed her first competition of the season last weekend. and has recorded one of the top jumps in the world so far this year. said the move to San Diego has already helped her performance. And she said she's aiming for nothing less than a podium finish at the 2008 Summer Games in Bei- jing. "This community is (two some for that." "I'm third in the world right now." said Ellis. "Mind you, it's early in the season. but it's going well. Not bad for a tield athlete who took the less traveiied route and stayed in Canada through university. "I Ean’t helieire the year that I had." said Ellis. "I made the right choice I think." And it's not all hard work. It's the hm that these girls are having that have made the program a suru-ss. V ‘; [hey love it and (hey want to keep coming hack." Volswogen Waterloo Continued on page 37 CLICK HERE