Page 46 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 61

46 December 2017 Issue #61 www.sportsenergynews.com

Local Goal Judge Rick Lapierre May Not Be

Able to Play Hockey – but He’s Still Involved

By Molly Kett Currently, Lapierre goal judges but I never saw it really online…It’s
for the Jr A Team in Cornwall, the mostly positive.”
orty-two-year-old Rick Lapierre Colts, and for the Federal Hockey For Lapierre, the positive moments
Fhas been passionate about sports League, the Cornwall Nationals. are what really stand out and make it
for most of his life. When he’s not
“The best part of that job is getting all worthwhile.
working - goal judging - you’re involved and being involved in the
likely to find Lapierre watching “With the team winning their
game. The worst part is having to championship about two years ago
hockey, baseball, football, or some make bad calls against the home
other sport. in 2015, they didn’t win in Cornwall,
team,” says Lapierre. but being part of that season was the
In terms of playing sports, Lapierre cool part about it. The team, a lot of
He remembers this happening at
has played hockey, but a different Photo Submitted the Fred Page cup in 2016, when the guys, bonded with me and I got to
kind of hockey than the kind that
time on the ice doing what he loves, Cornwall hosted the tournament. know them very well. That was my
comes to mind. but that hasn’t stopped him from cool moment as a goal judge,” shares
“At the time it was Cornwall
“It’s a different kind of hockey getting involved. That’s where goal and the league champion from Lapierre.
because I’m disabled,” says Lapierre. judging comes in. the Colts’ league, a team from the Lapierre says that since he can’t

“So I played sledge hockey for a play, he tried to get involved with the
How did he get involved? Quebec league and a team from
while in the early 2000s for about the Maritimes,” says Lapierre. game in any way he can.
ten years, but it got too hard to travel “Funny story! The arena was not “One time I didn’t see a goal go “I want to be involved in sports
in the winter time from Ottawa to made for me to see over the boards in, because it went in under the any way I can, really. Give me a job
Cornwall. That’s why I quit doing until about 2008,” recalls Lapierre. “I padding and got pushed in. It was and I’ll do it. Goal judging; it was
that. I swim twice a week and I go can see over the boards now, and after against the team that had won the my luck that it fell in my lap and I’ve
to the gym twice a week so I keep that season in 2008, one of the goal Colts’ league and I remember there been at it ever since,” says Lapierre.
myself active.” judges decided to quit so I got offered “It gets me to the rink. It makes me
the job and that was about when I was smack talk about me online
Lapierre may not be able to spend and friends defended me that way, involved in the game.”
took over and started goal judging.”
Cornwall Seaway Blades win Fourth Tournament

By Victoria Klassen

he Cornwall Seaway Blades
Treturned home from the SEV
hockey tournament in Quebec with
another win under their belt. This
was their fourth win of the season,
with their next tournament coming
up in January in Stittsville.
“We have a group of guys that get
along very well. They’re fun to be
around. We have fun right from the
time we get together in the dressing
room. We really come together as a
unit on the ice, so it’s very enjoyable,”
said Dave MacDonald, member of
the Cornwall Seaway Blades.
In the 57+ age category, the
Cornwall Seaway Blades faced an
undefeated Massachusetts team.
Cornwall scored three goals early in
the game, and finished with a 6-1 win. Cornwall Seaway Blades
The SEV tournament also named one Front row Left: Mark Comfort, Jack Wylemans, Dave MacDonald, Tom Moore, Al Leroux, Leo Seguin,
Back row Left: Ben Guindon, Alain Cardinal, Henry Ceelen, Louis Denis, Rick Schneider, Mike Hanton, Paul
of their players, Leo Seguin, as MVP. Seguin Photo Ice Level

“Leo Seguin is an exceptional
player. He had a great tournament,” do is make the people around him past four years, most of them know when we were 18 or 19 years old, and
MacDonald expressed. “He might play better, he makes everyone better each other outside of hockey too. we were on the same team together
have scored at least 10 goals in the just by the way he plays the game.” “Most have been playing hockey on Junior C. So that goes back quite
tournament in four games. He’s a MacDonald explained that while all their lives. One of the guys who
real team player. What he’s able to the team has been together for the plays with me brought a picture in of a few years, and we’re still at it!”