Page 32 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 61

32 December 2017 Issue #61 www.sportsenergynews.com

Ally Hebert, Joining RMU Roster for 2020

By Micaela Wylie Arbic She eventually made the move to the
girls’ program in Cornwall with the
fter hours of commutes down Typhoons. In her major bantam year,
Athe 417 to Ottawa, Ally Hebert’s she joined the Ottawa Ice program,
devotion to the game of hockey has which has since changed its name to
finally paid off. She may only be the Lady 67s.
half-way through her first semester
The itch to head south of the border
of grade eleven, but the young lady
has already committed to a full began when her oldest brother,
scholarship at a Division 1 school, Grant, signed with the school last
year. Cameron, following in Grant’s
Robert Morris University.
footsteps, also verbally committed
While this is a proud moment in this past summer. Ally tagged along
and of itself, it is especially so, as for the trip where she got acquainted
all three members of the Hebert clan with the women’s hockey program.
will be attending RMU on hockey From September to November, she
scholarships. kept in contact with the coaches, and
The Hebert legacy will begin when one fateful day this November she
Grant joins the Colonials for the got a surprising text from the coach Photo Submitted
2018-19 season and Cameron the wanting to speak to her. stood out to me the most,” she students, I feel this will make the
following season, skating alongside “In that call is when she said they said. Between the beautiful campus academic side easier for me,” she
and welcoming coaches, she couldn’t said.
his older brother. Ally, will join her had a full scholarship spot for me,”
go wrong. With just over 5,000
brothers in Moon, Pennsylvania she said, attributing her scholarship Hebert is currently leaning toward
students, the university competes at
(where RMU is located) in the fall of triumph to the Lady 67s program. concurrent education, where ideally
2020. the Division 1 level, and is a mere after university she would like to get
Although she had other potential 15-minute drive from centre of
Hebert first laced up a pair of schools on her radar - both in the Pittsburgh. into teaching.
skates at the ripe age of four. As years NCAA and the CIS - RMU won her For now, Hebert will keep on
RMU draws on parallels to her
progressed, she played boys’ hockey heart. improving her strength, balancing
- skating with both the Seaway Valley small town St. Andrew’s West roots. her student-athlete responsibilities,
Rapids and South Stormont Selects. “RMU was for sure the one that With class sizes of no more than 40 and preparing for her SATs.

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Member of the Month
Member of the Month

Viola McRae

Viola was born in Moose Creek where she and her six siblings
were raised by her single mom. Mr. McRae died when Viola was
six months old. He had been the owner of the Village General
Store. She stayed in the area when she married farmer, Menzies
McRae, at age 18. They had seven children together, six boys
and one girl.
Viola believes her love of sports started at Camp Kagama where
she played catcher on the softball team. In the 70’s she played for
two women’s teams – the Junior Farmer team and the Moose Creek
team. Then she started to play fastball with coach, Tony Marini. $2,795
He is now the coach of the District 8 slo-pitch mixed team. Viola
started pitching at this time. In the 80’s she played on the slo-pitch installed*
mixed team at the Avonmore fair and also on the Dairy Queen
team with her daughter, Laurie. Coach Reg Campbell decided to
hand-pick a slo-pitch women’s team for LuLu Fest in Kitchener.
Lori Dupuis, Olympic Gold medal winner in women’s hockey, was also on that team. They won the gold medal.
During the winter, Viola enjoyed playing goalie for women’s hockey teams. She also was a hockey referee for

ages 19 and under. In 2007 she was the Avonmore bowling champion for five pin. It is no wonder she was chosen
as a worthy inductee into the Glengarry Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 after such a varied career in sports. During
her thirty-five years of playing sports she has won 50 trophies. Quite an achievement. Viola stopped playing

*Contact store for details. Offer valid only at the Medigas in Cornwall.
* Contact store for details. Offer valid only at the Medigas in Cornwall.
goalie when she was 70 years old. As well as being a wife, mom, and sports enthusiast, Viola also worked as an No substitutions. Offer expires Decmeber 31, 2017.
No substitutions. Offer expires August 31, 2017.

accountant in the office of Blakely, Craig, Viscount, and then was the business manager for Highland Motors in
Maxville.
It was a logical transition for her to start to compete in OSGA 55+ events. She has participated in shuffleboard,

slo-pitch, boccé, billiards and won medals in most events. Viola remembers the excitement at the Canada Games
in 2010 when she was playing on the mixed slo-pitch team. They had to win a gold medal at their District level Medigas
to be eligible to play in the prestigious Canada Games. She met a group of fun-loving people who enjoyed sports 2900 Marleau Ave., Cornwall
and competition as much as she did. For more information regarding District 8 activities you can check out our 613-936-0125
Facebook page at OSGA55+district8 – SDG, Prescott, Russell and Akwesasne for our list of summer and winter www.medigas.com
events and photos of past competitions or contact District Coordinator, Marlene Neal at nealm221@sympatico.ca
for more information.