June 29, 2016 For Immediate Release: Brandon, Manitoba The Westman Softball Umpires’ Association will, once again, be hosting the Softball Manitoba U14 ‘A’ Girls’ Championships early next month.  This will mark the fourth straight year the Association has hosted the U14 Provincials, with this year’s event taking place July 8-10 at Simplot Park. Eight teams will be competing for the provincial title, including the Westman Magic, with this year’s event serving as a precursor to the Softball Canada U14 Girls’ Jamboree at the John Blumberg Softball Complex in Winnipeg from August 17-21. In addition to the Magic, the defending champion Manitoba Thunder, Winnipeg Lightning, Eastman Wildcats, Central Energy, Manitoba Angels, South Interlake Phillies and Smitty’s Terminators will also be in Brandon to compete at the championship. This year’s event features a slight change from past years, with the eight teams playing a complete round-robin.  That means there will be 28+ games taking place over the three days of the event. Fans and media can follow the results at http://westmansoftballumpires.blogspot.ca/ or on twitter at @U14provsbrandon.   Meanwhile, the Brandon Minor Baseball Association is also hosting the Baseball Manitoba Mosquito A Championship that same weekend (July 8-10), also at Simplot Park. Ten teams will be competing in the Championship including the Brandon Reds and Brandon Dodgers. The competition features the teams playing in two five-team pools, with the Reds in Pool One with Portage, Interlake, Rock Lake and Seine River. The Dodgers are in Pool Two with Midwest, Souris, Grandview and Altona. The teams will play a round-robin within their pool, with the top two teams then moving on to the playoff round. There will be a minimum of 23 games played during the three days of the Mosquito A Championship.  Results are at http://www.baseballmanitoba.ca/provincial_championships_details.php?id=298 For more information, please contact: Bruce Luebke  Tournament Chair (Softball)                                                                                                                          204-721-0242                           luber@wcgwave.ca Glen Simard Tournament Chair (Baseball) 204-761-5478 glensimard@gmai.com                               

Courtesy: Brandon University Bobcats BRANDON - A colossal Calgary recruit has chosen to continue his basketball career at the next level with the Brandon University Bobcats. Kobyn Jopp, a 6-foot-7, 202-pound forward, was a highly sought-after prospect and coach Gil Cheung feels Jopp fits the mold of being a major piece to the Bobcats' future plans. "I think it is a big signing for us. He visited many other schools and we are excited to have him be a Bobcat," said Cheung. "He is very keen on wanting to be a pillar for what we are wanting to do at BU." "I am very eager," said Jopp. "One of the main reasons I wanted to come to Brandon was to be a part of their rebuild and get the team to where they want to be." Jopp was arguably one of the top big men in Alberta this past season and was a three-year starter at Sir Winston Churchill with the Bulldogs. He averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks per-game in his senior year. He also led the Bulldogs to back-to-back appearances in the city finals over the course of his high school career. The Bobcats believe there is no job that Jopp can't handle at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) level. "The biggest thing is that he can play inside and out. He has the ability to rebound, change shots and he is very agile for a player his size. He likes the weight room and is going to get bigger and stronger," said Cheung. "Five years from now, our goal is to have him be a Canada West all-star, he has that type of potential." "I want to get a feel for what it is like to play at that level in my freshman year," added Jopp. "It is a different level from high school, but I expect to get some good minutes and some good playing time, if it all goes well for me." Jopp's size and stature is coupled with his high level playing credentials. In his under-16 season, he reached the national stage as he represented Basketball Alberta at the Canadian championship in 2014. He wants to make a steady climb up the player ranks in the conference and is ready for the challenge that lies ahead. "I think my experience is pretty good, but I know I need more, especially for the next level," said Jopp. "Playing high school and going to the CIS is a big difference, but by the end of summer I plan to be ready. That is my main goal right now." Jopp is the second off-season signing for the Bobcats, joining Crocus Plainsmen star Riley Schaus in the team's recruiting class for 2016-2017.

By: Bruce Luebke, Sports Director, 880 CKLQ The final tally for the NHL Draft this past weekend was two members of the Wheat Kings, two Brandonites and four players on Brandon’s protected list.  Kale Clague (2nd Round, LA Kings) and Tanner Kaspick (4th Round, St. Louis Blues) were the two Wheat Kings selected, extending Brandon’s streak to 12 consecutive years – the second longest among WHL teams behind the Red Deer Rebels.  Kaspick and Jordy Stallard, who went in the 5th round to Winnipeg, were the two Brandonites chosen in the draft while Ryan Lindgren (2nd Round, Boston) Wade Allison (2nd Round, Philadelphia), Joey Anderson (3rd Round, New Jersey) and Rhett Gardner (4th round, Dallas) were the four players on the Wheat Kings protected roster that were chosen. Wheat Kings’ Reid Duke, who was a Minnesota Wild draft pick in 2014 but re-entered the draft after not being signed, was not chosen in the 2016 Draft.  Duke will likely receive multiple invitations to attend Development Camps this summer from NHL teams, but not being chosen greatly increases the chances that he’ll return to Brandon as a 20-year old next season.  For me, Duke, F Tyler Coulter and G Jordan Papirny are now the likely front-runners to fill Brandon’s 20-year old spots for the 2016-2017 season. With the NHL Draft in the rearview mirror, Wheat Kings’ fans can now look forward to the CHL Import Draft, which takes place on Tuesday (June 28).  Brandon has a chance to select two players in the draft, with Ivan Provorov still remaining on their protected list.  The Wheat Kings have the 59th (second-last) pick of the first round and the 59th pick (119th overall) in the second round.  Expect Brandon to select at least one defenceman but, considering the state of their defence core overall, it seems likely both picks would be used on blueliners. Still with hockey, Brandon’s Kevin Saurette is the new Director of Operations for the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.  Saurette played three seasons in the WHL, mainly with the Regina Pats, and five years at the University of Manitoba before spending nine years playing professionally.  His last three pro seasons were with Belfast in the EIHL.  While there, he obtained Masters of Business Administration from the University of Ulster – Belfast.  Saurette will assume his new duties on August 4. Brandon product Nolan Thiessen has a new gig.  The three-time Brier champion and former world men’s championship has joined Curling Canada as a consultant, effective July 1.  Thiessen will be working with Curling Canada’s Event Model Review team, which is assessing all of Curling Canada’s championships and setting a future path for those events.  He’ll also provide an athletes’ perspective to many other Curling Canada initiatives.  Thiessen announced in April that he’s stepping away from competitive curling. Congrats to Brandon product Dayton Black on being the lone player from outside of Winnipeg to be selected to Team Manitoba for next month’s Football Canada Cup.  Black just complete his Grade 10 season at Neelin, and is one of three quarterbacks on the squad.  During the 2015 season, Black completed 83 of 162 passes for 1,297 yards and seven interceptions and nine touchdowns.  He also rushed 93 times for 391 yards and five touchdowns. Shameless plug warning!  Our Westman Softball Umpires’ Association will be hosting the Softball Manitoba U14 A Girls’ Championship on July 8-10 at Simplot Park.  The eight-team championship will include the hometown Westman Magic.  That same weekend, the Brandon Minor Baseball Association is hosting the Baseball Manitoba Mosquito A Championship.  It should be a great weekend, and is a great opportunity for everyone to see some young ball players in action.

It's no secret that Brandon and the Westman area have produced many talented hockey players and one look at the Wendy s Summer Hockey League Rosters is a clear indication of just that.  The league boasts full time NHL players, players with minor pro experience, players who play professionally overseas, as well as may current WHL players. Cody McLeod, Ryan White, Michael Ferland, Joel Edmundson, and Matt Calvert all spent last season on NHL rosters.  McLeod, White, and Ferland all play together on the Houston's Scramblers who last summer captured the Division 1 Championship. Players who spent last season playing professionally in European leagues include Mark Derlago, Andrew Clark, Shayne Wiebe, Brock Trotter and brothers Alex and Tyler Plante. Travis Sanheim, Tanner Kaspick, Jordan Stallard and Jayce Hawerlyuk are recent NHL draft picks who will spend their summer grinding it out in the WSHL.  Former Wheat King and first round draft pick of the Dallas Stars, Scott Glennie returns to the summer league with Brown's Contenders. Current Wheat Kings participating this summer include James Shearer, Connor Gutenberg and Tyler Coulter, who was just recently invited to attend camp of the Vancouver Canucks. WSHL Rosters & Standings WSHL Schedule  

Submitted: Hockey Brandon  https://registration.hockeycanada.ca/registration/?ID=1033 Effective for the 2016-17 season, we are introducing Spring registration.  This has been mandated by Hockey Manitoba for all associations.  Families will once again register from a link on our website.  You register online; however, we are not taking on line payments.  You will need to come into the Hockey Brandon office to make payment or call us with a credit card number.     Early bird registration will run from June 1 to June 30, 2016.  Regular registration rates will go into effect starting July 1, 2016 and will be $100 more.  The initial payment will be a $200 deposit.  Hockey Brandon will set their 2016-17 registration rates once spring registration is complete.  The rates will be posted on the website in early August.    The Hockey Brandon office will be closed July 1 – August 1, 2016.  The $200 deposit payment can be made once the office reopens.    Families registering for the first time will need to complete the Parent Respect in Sport program.  The link and additional information are available through our website.  The fee for this program is $12.60 and can be paid online.    Deadline for Initial Player Registration Minor Hockey Associations are required to complete their initial player registration by September 15th of the current season. All transfer requests received on or after September 15th must be dealt with in accordance to transfer regulations. Player may register after this date in accordance to Hockey Manitoba regulations.  Registrations received after this date may be placed on a waiting list.