The ballet dads 'm a ballet dad. Sarah Is ln training for her firat exam thls yea and jElizabeth has graduated tram Movement, Molnsters andi Giggles Into the roal thlng, level 1 Cecchettl. 'm now in the studo tiree limes a week and that qualifies me as a fuil-lime ballet dad. Ballet dads are Just Oke hockey dads without the pads. Where hockey dads are always drivlng their chlldren ta arenas at al hours for practices and games, ballet dals are rushlng Ike mad ta lessans. recitals and exams. Whlle hockey dads scour the reglon for shaulder pads and heknets, ballet dads go ta equlpment exohanges in search af pointe shoes. Hockey dads are found ln arenas drlnklng endless cups af caffee and speculating about their child's resemblances la a young Wayne Gretzky. Ballet dads hang out ln studios guJié leaflng through aId copies af Chatelaine and Vogue magazines, sllently wonderlng If they've got the next Karen Kaln or Frank Augustine. Hockey dads drive al over the province ever weekend in the winter to variaus games and tournaments. Rt is, accardlng ta my cousin Andy, their whale If. Ballet dada, on the cher hand, neyer have ta go ta Buffalo for a 4 a.m. practice. But they do get Up early an Saturday mornlngs ta get them ta lesws on aUlme. When w. reglstered the girls this year, my buddy Mark down the street wept for joy when h. learned. that his daughters lessons were 45 minutes later this year. At Lase he couki sleep ln on the weekend. Hockey dads thlnk about their kids in the pros, ballet dads wonder what will happen if their chlld turns 18 and announces thae they Just gat a *glg" with the Charbttetown Festival or a show ln Toronto or New York. There are, however, some differences. Havlng attended Andy's san's game at Iroquois Park where the team fram Aurora bee Whltby, 1 saw tIiem for myself. Hockey dads are mare vocal, they cheer their chlldren an wth what et times must be cansidered excessive zeal. You wlll neyer - well, hardly ever - hear a ballet dad sceamning tendu that kid through the barn or "plie the ittnie twlrp 'Into the next studia.0 Hockey coaches tel harror atorles of crazed parents demandlng more Ice lime for their progeny. Ballet parents neyer threaten violence or legal action, unless, af course, their child has'a bad, audition and doesn'f get a major raie ln a praduction, then haoklng and holding can lndeed'ooeur. Hockey dads can help their chlldren wth extra coachlng - and play-tUme at home. Balet dads, alas, Iack this sklll. W. can only watch ln amazement as aur daughters Mnd sans perform acts of physical dexterity that would put us in ( traction for a manth. Ballet dads have ta be strong and help their chlldren copek with the ooeasional teasng. Sarah came home telling of how the boys" at school were lmitating ballet moves and 1 maklng fun of ft. *1 don't do thetslly stuif,w complalned v Sarah. "W. work hard, Id Ike ta se. them try what we do S every week." M solution? Show themn whet yau really do. me Mnd dare them ta tty. Just make sure the school nurse is on C call. pI There a aone lone mal. in Sarah's ballet class, he's a t i brave and noble soul who has wanted ta dance his whole PIS f.I carnlyn Imagine the rlbblng he takes as lie sets off far the his lessons each weok.E There la on. other item. Ira about the ngender balancer in -OfJ the magazines ln the waitlng room. Uss Davis, we ballet a4ci dads have needs. We don't abject ta Chatelaine ar Dance haî Canada. But we need guy stuff ta real as w. wait. Sports pair Illustrat« edFid and Streamn, Car and Ddiver, thaVs whet CH Ike takes over. Ne. Altenstad has been named head coach of the Durham College women's soccer program. Altenstad, an Oshawa resident, becomea just the. second. head coach in theà college's. women's soccer program hitotry. Hie takea over from. Gal Reid who atepped down after six seasons and a career record of 47 wins, 16 lasses 'and 10 ties. Currentlv coaching women # soccer- in the cammunity, Altenstad was also an aIl-star aocoer player and graduate of Durham College in the late 1980s. Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, September 25, 1996 , Page 19 Second City show funidraiser In a fundraiser for Wtb precson katig Second ity il erforma show ini Ohawa on Fiday ni h Oct. 18. n h 0 ticketsfo the 'Mad Cows and Englishmen' show have alread n sold. The Scnd City national tourncm nwi îper- form icat astae*l Y starting at 7 p.m. (or open at 6 p.m.). Frtickets, $15 each, cal Judy at 668-4104 or Donna at 668-1369. Fastball theory The Brooklin-Whttby Girls Representative Fastball Association will hast a level 111 theory NCCP course in Whitby starting Tuesday, Oct. 1, 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. For further information, contact Rosemary at 666- 3636. TRYOUTS TIi. association is holding a faîl tryout camp. AJI house league and select girl softbail players interested In playing rep fastball in 1997 can cal George Matsumura at 430- 2649. Grand fun STUART THE MAGIO CLOWN hands grandhcildren to the oelebration 0f a happy youngster a balloon mrature Grandparents Day which featured at 'A Grand Day,'.held recently at the children's book author7Rha Tregebov Whitby Seniors' Activity Centre. and son Sasha, balloons, face painting Grandparents were invited to bning their and a special lunch. Photo bY Mark Reesor, WhiIby Free presa Swed1o a .safetywalker Brooklin resident Denise wedlo was one of eight ,mbers of the. War Amps iild Ampute. (CHAMP) 'gram who, took part in aysiafe'Drivesafe float in eOshawa Fiesta parade. Bwedlo, 18, ta missing part her right arm due ta an cident. Over, the years, ah. a partlcipated in several rades and attended, AMP semninars that ivide an opportunity ta ir. concerna, se. the lateat 'elopments in artificial ib, meet other child putees and develop' a iner's phtloaophy taward Ilengea. lier involvement CHAMP seminars has wn, and ah. ta now a !or counsellor, giving Utv. advice an& !stance ta, younger At thta year's parade Swedllo was a "Safety Walker," walktng alongaide the float, watching out for dangr and helping to spread The- War Ampa aafety Wn ati groi juni posil assil messages along the way.. The War Ampa programs are funded aolely through public support of the key tag and addresa label service. Those who wiah ta order tags or labels can acoeaa the War se eMM MMmmm * I RUS TIES m The once a year rust * oflng that really works! mil'na CTW/PVM7/ O/O * e Rust Check Application e* 011 spray Interior Shampoo e* Shinese* Fabric Guard mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm m mmmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmmlI AMPa web site o n the. I n t ern et a t httpi/www.waramps.ca or by using E-ZEE ACCESS: telephone toilfre 1-860-268- 8821 or fax tdil-fre. 1-800- (~E~) OSKIWD/wÎfîray 2nd Annual Fal Shinny & Skilis Camp" at Wheelies Roller Rink -- Erg IL: *Fun environment while learning hockey skills- *Great for children new to the game uon't just sit on a waiting listl Corne and play now! I INSTRUCTOR CERTIFIED LEVEL 3 HýOCKEY COACH IREGISTER IN- PERSON. AT WHEELIES (901 BURNS ST. E. WHITBY) EVERY SAT. 1 PM ITO 4PM OR ýREGISTER BëYPHONE AT 666-1272 (ASKFORýMIKE) r .1001 Burns St. E. #4. Whitby L_ýnext to Wheelies ý - 666-9355 1