a PVE DECIDED that the reason I’m not seriously rich is because I’ve never learned to stickhandle a puck. By Paul J. Hughes Contributing Writer It’s my mother's fault, really. If she'd had the foresight to give me a pair of skates for my eighth bir- thday instead of the complete works of Arthur Conan Deyle, | would, at this moment, be sliding down the ice at some rink, wondering what to do with my Wednesday, May 13, 1992 ~ North Shore News - 17 First Annual Percy Paull Memorial Canoe Races playoff bonus — put it in the bank, perhaps. Or maybe buy a small, unas- suming piece of property. Like Africa, for instance. Instead, I'm messing about with commas, verbs, nouns, and semi- colons, pondering whether I’ve got enough grease in the sink trap te slather on this mouldy cracker I’ve been saving. Not that I'm bitter or anything, but if Wayne Gretzky were here right now, I might be tempted to apply a swift kick somewhere. Right to his dangling participles, probably. To be fair, though, I can’t real- ly see huge crowds of folks doing the wave while I plunk out a par- ticularly classy sentence on the old Smith Corona. Not a lot of ex- citement there. Nobody’s going to leap about, shouting, ‘‘Wow! Look at that adverb!”* Still, I can’t help but think that perhaps sport as a whole -has forgotten it. heart. Whether the ancient fundamen- tals of discipline, drive and en- durance are still present is NEWS photo Srad Ledwidge BEST WISHES for West Vancouver's Kirsten Barnes (centre) were recentiy expressed in a giant card made by the West Van Rowing Club. On hand to present the card were Bobbi Kerr (left) and Seonaid Davis (right). Barnes is in Germany now training and competing in qualifying regattas which lead up to Olympic competition in Barcelona, Spain,at the end of July. Another North Shore rower involved in Olympic tryouts is Cedric Burgers. Tennis association preparing for second season on courts THE NORTH Shore Com- munity Tennis Association is gearing up for its second season of tennis play. The association began last year and attracted more than 60 members. This year, the associa- tion has more court time and pro- grams to offer more members. Play is on public courts, which in most cases have been reserved through the North Vancouver Recreation Commission. This year, the association is experimen- ting with tournaments and ladder play for those who wish to play more competitively. While most play is mixed doubles, tournament and ladder play in men’s and women's is arranged separately. Membership is $10 a year which covers. insurance for the court time and the monthly newsletter and meeting notes. A round robin is held at the end of the season with prizes awarded. Mest members just want to play tennis and be in contact with peo- ple to play tennis and the association provides that oppor- tunity. The association is presently looking to become a_ nonprofit society under The Societies Act. There is an executive and meetings are held monthly from March through September. For further information on how to join, please call 925-9579, or just show up at one of the court times listed below and ask for the court coordinator. Saturdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Cloverley Park; Sundays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Murdo Frazer Park; Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Murdo Frazer Park; Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Cloverley Park; and Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Cates Park. Cyclist’s winning streak ends race, but was lap by world champion Ruthie Mat- NORTH VANCOUVER’'S Alison Sydor ended her six- race mountain-bike win streak to take second at a Grundig World Cup at Largraff in the Netherlands on April 30. Sydor led for most of the 32-kilometre passed on the final thes of Boulder, Colorado. Sydor, who won the kick-off race in Belgium, maintains her leads in the Grundig World Cup series. arguable, But today those principles seem to be tools to build a solid stock portfolio, rather than a solid character. Which is why it was so refreshing to watch The First An- nual Percy Paul! Memerial Canoe Races on Easter Sunday at the foot of Forbes Avenue, near Mosquito Creek Marina. You're probably wondering who Percy Paull was. He didn’t play for the Canucks. He wasn't a linebacker for the Lions. He isn’t in the Sports Hall of Fame, although, in the minds of the people of the Squamish Nation, he should be. He believed in discipline. He believed in training. He believed in traditions. To quote from the program, Percy Paull, ‘‘...was at one time or another an adviser, trainer, promoter and a father figure to many young people in this com- munity. His involvement with the Canoe Club helped preserve the traditional war canoe races and brought many championships to the Squamish crews of the 1950s and 1960s." I never knew the man. But if what I witnessed from noon till five on Easter Sunday was a Club races for the love of the sport &G (Percy Paull) helped preserve the traditional war canoe races and brought many championships to the Squamish crews of the 1950s and 1960s. 9% single chunk of cedar, hollowed out with adze and axe, in a man- ner passed down by carvers through the generations. Cedric Biiiy, who, along with his wife Penny, cid much cf the organization for the memorial event, is one of the few master carvers still practising the art. He learned from yet another master carver, who taught him the secret of building a championship canoe. Shape it in the form of the fastest fish — the sockeye. There are strict rules handed down from the elders which the young athletes are expected to Photo submitted THERE WERE 11 races in all at the First Annual Percy Paull Me- morial, ranging from buckskins’ (13 years old and under) single paddle to men’s 71-paddie. reflection of his influence then the community suffered a great loss with his death. There were 11 races in all, rang- ing from buckskins’ (13 years old and under) single paddle to men’s 11-paddile, and each event sought, and reached, a level of intensity you rarely see in the so-called professional sports. I know. I followed each race perched in the bow of an escort boat and captured the faces of the young men and women on film as their canoes sliced the waves. Perhaps they strive so hard because of the tradition. The canoe is a cultural thread woven throughout the history of the Coast Salish people. At one time, hundreds of canoes lined the beach in front of St. Paul’s church. They were as common to native families then as TY sets are today, The canoes alone are worth go- ing to see. Each is carved from a follow. Drugs and alcohol are forbidden. During training, they must follow a stringent. regime that in- cludes long-distance running and practising in their canoes for at least two hours every day. The discipline shows. Many of the racers finished one gruelling event, only to turn around and begin another — and then another. I saw no one collapse from exhaustion. They don’t do it for fame. They certainly don’t do it for money. They do it for the love of the game, and perhaps, on this par- ticular day, to honor the man who helped preserve the pure soul of an age-old ideal. If you want to watch a sport played for the sheer joy of it, take in a race one day. You don’t have to put out the mortgage money to buy a ticket. ; And you don’t have te worry about the players going on strike just before an important race.