Hockey Talk
The Friends of the St. Albert Public Library are hosting a Hockey Talk event with Sportsnet senior columnist Mark Spector on Feb. 18.
Nolan Crouse, a hockey aficionado and former mayor of St. Albert, is the master of ceremonies for the Hot Stove format of stories and conversation about hockey from 7 to 9 p.m.
The venue is the Endeavour Brewing Company in Campbell Business Park. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the session with Spector goes from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Spector, the acclaimed author of the Battle of Alberta and Road to Gold: The Untold Story of Canada at the World Juniors, will cover a wide range of hockey topics as well as diving into some of the stories from his books and the process in putting them together.
The evening includes audience participation during the question and answer segment.
Spector, a St. Albert resident and rugby enthusiast who also serves as the sideline reporter for Sportsnet’s regional Edmonton Oilers broadcast, will also be available to sign his books.
Tickets are $25, which includes a drink and snack, and are available on EventBrite or through the St. Albert Public Library Customer Service desk at 780-459-1755. Attendance is capped at 50.
Proceeds will assist Friends of the St. Albert Public Library, a non-profit organization consisting of community members who raise funds, act as advocates, encourage membership and volunteer in support of the library.
Senior playdowns
Dan Holowaychuk of St. Albert is rocking the house at the senior (50-plus) men’s playdowns this weekend at Sherwood Park.
Holowaychuk is the second for the 2017 Canadian champions, 2018 world gold medallists and 2019 Canadian bronze medallists with skip Wade White, third Barry Chwedoruk and lead George White.
The first senior men’s foursome to three-peat in Alberta is among 17 teams competing for four berths at the Feb. 12 to 16 provincials in Lacombe.
Nationals are March 17 to 22 at Portage la Prairie, Man.
In 2013, George Parsons was the lead, Holowaychuk the second and Doug McLennan of St. Albert was the third for White as the senior provincial champions and national bronze medallists.
Holowaychuk, the 2014 inductee into the St. Albert Curling Club’s wall of fame, was a valuable alternate for the Ferbey Four, five-time Alberta men’s champions, four-time Brier winners and three-time world gold medallists as the Alberta Curling Federation’s Team of the Century.
Draw times and scores for the senior playdowns are available at curlingalberta.ca.
Winter Games
The latest St. Albert qualifiers for the Alberta Winter Games include five gymnasts and one synchro swimmer.
Elena Begovic, an artistic swimming athlete with Excel Synchro, qualified in the team and duet events for Zone 6 Edmonton.
Representing the St. Albert Gymnastics Club in women’s artistic gymnastics are Jenna Berwick, Coral Brochu, Emily Diocson, Tori Leakos and Madison Perkins with Zone 5 Black Gold/Yellowhead.
Airdrie is hosting the Feb. 14 to 17 multi-sport event featuring more than 2,800 athletes, coaches, officials and performers.
It’s the first opportunity for the majority of athletes to experience their first provincial competition.
Visit www.albertawintergames.ca for more information.
