Davidson, Kenaston, Loreburn, Sports

Junior badminton players prepare to wrap up season

Davidson’s Clay Murfitt (left) and Derek Schmiedge compete in a doubles match against Kenaston’s Cole Sanderson and Jackson Firby on Thursday.
Davidson’s Clay Murfitt (left) and Derek Schmiedge compete in a doubles match against Kenaston’s Cole Sanderson and Jackson Firby on Thursday.

By Joel van der Veen

KENASTON — It’s down to the wire for junior badminton players in the district, but regular play between local schools has given them a solid foundation leading up to the end of the season.

Juniors from Davidson, Loreburn and Outlook met at Kenaston School on Thursday afternoon to face off in the last exhibition match of the regular season.

The four schools will compete in pre-sectionals this Tuesday, followed by sectionals on Thursday.

The junior district championships will be held at Kindersley Composite School on Saturday, April 25, while Rosetown Central High School will host the senior districts the same day.

Over the past month and a half, the four schools have hosted each other’s junior players in exhibition matches, allowing them to make the most of the short season.

The schools in Kenaston, Davidson, Loreburn and Outlook take turns serving as host, allowing students time on the court to take part in boys and girls singles, and boys, girls and mixed doubles competition.

Grant Abbott, a retired teacher who coaches the six junior badminton players from Loreburn School, said the program has been beneficial for them.

“The juniors are getting lots of games because of the exhibition program,” he said. “The whole process is to develop their skills . . . then they can put those skills into practice.”

Dodge Long, a Grade 9 student who plays in the singles division, had to miss the exhibition games last week as he got ready to compete with the Zone 5 bantam hockey team at the Sask First Bantam Tournament in Regina.

Abbott highlighted him and Grade 7 student Alyssa Glubis, also a singles player, as two of his most promising competitors.

As the coach of the Prairie Central district badminton team that took home gold from the 2014 Saskatchewan Winter Games in Prince Albert, Abbott said he’s also keeping an eye out for young players who could develop their skills and possibly join the team in 2018.

Evan Pasternak and Brian Johnston coach the junior badminton players from Kenaston School, with a total of 18 students taking part, an impressive number given the school’s smaller size.

Pasternak said that group represents a significant portion of the school’s students in grades 7 through 9, but added that the program didn’t get underway until mid-March.

“It’s been a bit of a learning process due to us starting a little bit later,” he said, adding, “We haven’t reached our potential . . . (but) the kids are improving and they’re having a lot of fun.”

Despite the group’s struggles, Pasternak said he can envision some of their players reaching the district level if they can maintain a high standard of play this coming week.

Ian Osmond coaches the Davidson junior badminton players, a group of 11 students. In addition to the weekly exhibition matches, they have also competed against players from Craik.

“For those who have shown up consistently, there’s definitely been progress,” said Osmond, adding that he has worked to build consistent teams but also switches up the partners sometimes.

Davidson, Obituary

Krassman, Victor Louis

Victor Louis Krassman, 1932-2015
Victor Louis Krassman, 1932-2015

Krassman, Victor Louis

May 24, 1932 to April 2, 2015

It is with great sadness that Irene and the family of Vic Krassman announce Vic’s passing. He left us April 2, 2015 while in the Davidson Health Centre after a painful battle with leukemia.

Vic was born May 24, 1932 north of Chamberlain at the Krassman farm residence. He attended Craik school and became a very active member with the 4-H Beef Club and helped his dad farm. He won many competitions and at age 20 was chosen to represent Saskatchewan at the National Federation of Young Farmers Club in London, England. The invitation included attending the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth. While in England he was treated like Royalty. He accepted his duties in true Vic fashion by meticulously documenting and journaling farm and livestock practices as he travelled through England, Scotland and Ireland. Upon returning home, he facilitated presentations for the Extension Department of Agriculture for the University of Saskatchewan.

Vic remained in Craik for a period of time and farmed with his father. He then moved his family to Regina sometime after 1958 where he enjoyed a brief career as a car salesman. In 1963 he purchased the John Deere dealership in Indian Head which would become Krassman Implements Ltd. He also purchased land and farmed while running the dealership. Vic learned to fly while living at Craik so he went into partnership with friend Ben Hewson and operated a small crop spraying operation.

In 1972 Vic moved his family of four to the Morden/Winkler area of Manitoba where he became store manager for JI Case Company. He continued to own and fly light aircraft and was a member of the Morden Flying Club. Vic was an avid fisherman as well. JI Case merged with International Harvester in 1984 and he was relocated out of the Morden/Winkler area. He went on to manage company stores across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta before his retirement.

In 1992 Vic retired to Craik. He purchased a large lake boat and set off for Walliston Lake in the summers. He worked as a maintenance man and guide for a fishing camp. He loved those years and his boat was his pride and joy.

In 1995 he met Irene Pickering who worked at the Co-op office in Davidson. On April 26, 1997 they were married and moved into a brand new home in Davidson in May of 1998. They enjoyed working in their yard, fishing, boating, camping and dancing for years to come. As well, for a period of the winter they were fortunate enough to have spent seven years going to Sedona, Arizona and three years to Hawaii. For a few years Vic worked for Hanson’s Funeral Home.

Vic is survived by his wife Irene; daughter, Shelley Krassman (Claude Hince); son, Mike Krassman and grandson Aiden; son Todd (Pam) Krassman; and daughter Tracy (Mark) Miller and children Aislyn and Colten; stepson Rick (Myrna) Pickering and family Brendan, Ryan and Kaeden; and stepdaughter Lori (Chad) Horn and family Calyn and Maryk; siblings, Sal (Cletus) Amundrud and Monica Simpson;  nephews, Guy, Alan and Brian Amundrud and niece Bonnie Simpson.

Vic was predeceased by brother Gary, father and mother Louis and Agatha Krassman and father- and mother-in-law, Clarence and Amelia Robertson.

For friends so wishing, memorial donations in memory of Victor may be directed to the Davidson Health Centre Activities Fund (cheques payable to Heartland Health Region) and the Canadian Blood Services.

Arrangements were made by Hanson’s Funeral Home.

Davidson, featured

Dentists without borders: Johnson joins team serving in Guatemala

Pictured here is Erik Johnson, formerly of Davidson, seen with a couple of local children during his recent trip to Guatemala.
Pictured here is Erik Johnson, formerly of Davidson, seen with a couple of local children during his recent trip to Guatemala.

By Joel van der Veen

SASKATOON — A Davidson native was part of a group of dentists, hygienists and other assistants who spent nine days in Guatemala last month, bringing dental care to patients in some of the country’s most remote regions.

Erik Johnson, 27, the son of Everett and Vonné Johnson of Davidson, is finishing up his four-year program at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Dentistry.

He said he and a fellow graduate, Dacre Hamilton, were invited to join the trip by Dr. Nekky Jamal, who operates Wayside Dental Clinic in Lloydminster and has hired Johnson and Hamilton to begin work there after their graduation.

The group — which included seven dentists, three assistants, two hygienists and about a dozen other helpers — visited Guatemala from March 13 to 22.

Johnson said the group saw hundreds of patients as they travelled to different villages, most of them in remote, mountainous areas, where poverty is widespread and access to dental care is limited.

On top of that, many of the locals have little access to clean drinking water and instead consume soft drinks like Coca-Cola. The high level of sugar in those drinks exacerbates the problem, allowing for cavities and extensive tooth decay to run rampant.

The trip was organized with the non-profit group Kindness in Action, which has sent other groups on similar missions to Peru, Nicaragua and various African countries.

The group set up mobile clinics and offered their services to any patients who showed up. This included pulling teeth, performing fillings, doing general cleaning — “whatever we could do for them,” in Johnson’s words.

Johnson said there was some “culture shock” as many of the locals had never encountered Caucasians before, but they were welcomed and thanked in each place.

“We were these white guys that were rolling into their village,” he recalled, adding that even some of the teenage patients they saw had never visited a dentist before. “They definitely don’t have routine dental care going on. . . They’re basically left alone up there to fend for themselves.”

While the team did not have the equipment to perform complex procedures like root canals, they handled hundreds of patients each day, also presenting each one with a small gift and toothbrush after their check-ups were complete.

To read the complete story, pick up the April 13 edition of The Davidson Leader.

featured

Truck rollover kills driver

It took rescue crews two hours to extract the driver from the cab of this grain truck. (Contributed photo)
It took rescue crews two hours to extract the driver from the cab of this grain truck.
(Contributed photo)

OUTLOOK—A man has died as a result of injuries he sustained when the grain truck he was driving rolled southwest of Outlook last Thursday. Outlook RCMP, Dinsmore EMS and Fire were at the scene of a grain truck rollover on the Anerly grid Road northwest of Dinsmore.

The lone occupant, a male driver, was hauling grain at the time. The rollover caused extensive damage to the cab of the grain truck.  It took first responders approximately two hours to extract the driver.  Unfortunately, he sustained injuries that resulted in him passing away at the scene.

An RCMP collision re-constructionist and the Coroner were at the scene to assist with this ongoing investigation.  The name of the deceased male is not being released at this time.  RCMP do not believe alcohol is a factor.  The road was closed and traffic was re-routed by first responders.

Craik

Break-ins reported in Craik home, vehicles

By Kevin Gilby

CRAIK—According to the Craik RCMP, several vehicles and a residence were broken into during the early morning hours of April 2.

Some community members woke to the sight of two vehicles abandoned in a farmer’s field near the west edge of Craik while others had the misfortune of seeing their vehicles contents tossed about.

In total, at least six unlocked vehicles were entered with contents moved about in an apparent search for valuables. Two other vehicles where stolen only to be abandoned just outside town limits in a field.

In addition, a private residence was illegally entered and a Town of Craik storage shed was broken into.

One community member observed suspicious activity around 3 a.m. on April 2 but did not report it to the RCMP until it was later discovered that that person’s vehicle was “rummaged” sometime during the night. The victim gave the RCMP a description of two young adult males observed during the night that may have been involved in the theft(s).

RCMP Const. Ian Smith said that the RCMP cannot confirm if any or all of the break-ins and car thefts are related and an investigation remains active.

Smith advised everyone, “If you like it, lock it.”

The public is asked to contact the Craik RCMP at 306-734-5200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) if they have any information about this or any other crime.

Davidson, Loreburn, Sports

Three area boys competing with Zone 5 bantam team in Regina

REGINA — Three local boys will represent the region this weekend as part of the Zone 5 team competing in the 2015 Sask First Bantam Tournament in Regina.

The roster includes Dean McNabb and Reegan Taylor of Davidson, as well as Dodge Long of Loreburn.

The Zone 5 team is one of eight competing in the provincial tournament, running from Thursday, April 16 to Sunday, April 19 at the Cooperators Centre in Regina.

The team, which has never played together as one unit before, will have two opportunities to practise on Thursday and Friday before the tournament begins on Friday afternoon.

Reegan Taylor, who turns 15 during the tournament, is the son of Linda Haas and Gord Taylor, and played with the Davidson Huskies last season.

He has been playing hockey for six years. Asked to describe his reaction to being named to the zone team, he said, “I was pretty pumped about it.”

Taylor said he hasn’t been on skates since the regular season ended in late March, but added he has been preparing for the tournament with weight training.

He said the short time allotted for practice will make it challenging to develop the team together, but added, “I think (it’s) more of a personal skill-based tournament . . . I guess it’s whatever you put out there.”

Dodge Long, 14, who joins Taylor on the team’s offensive roster, is the son of Rick and Jill Long of Loreburn. Last season he played for the Saskatchewan Valley Vipers, based in Martensville and Warman.

He said he has been playing hockey since the age of three but now plays on the city team, due to the lack of a local team in his age bracket.

His father, Rick, said that entails a “horrendous” volume of driving, but noted that the results have been good, adding, “It’s a great opportunity for the boys to make that zone team.”

Dodge Long also competed on the zone bantam team in the Saskatchewan Winter Games in Prince Albert in 2014. He said he has kept active since the end of the regular season, taking part in midget AAA and junior A training camps.

Also representing the local district is Dean McNabb, 15, who played for the Notre Dame Hounds last season. The son of Kim and Jeannine McNabb of Davidson, he will serve as one of the team’s two goalies.

His older brother, 24-year-old Brayden McNabb, is currently on a two-year contract with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.

Of the 20 players on the Zone 5 bantam roster, a total of nine played with the Saskatchewan Valley Vipers this past season, giving them a degree of familiarity with each other’s playing patterns.

Zone tryouts were held in the beginning of February with the rosters announced shortly afterward. The teams are restricted in the amount of time they can spend practising together, in an effort to provide a more even playing field for all teams.

The tournament finals will be held beginning Sunday morning.

The Davidson Leader, Davidson, Saskatchewan