Halton Hills Newspapers

Acton Free Press (Acton, ON), April 30, 1980, p. 11

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sports and recreation mo drtd a id I I dune W It 1980 Fields wins in shinny awards Cleaner sponsor Wood right pre its the Top Scorer trophy to Blow Press player BUI Field left Spoil or Don Perry left of Centre pre Bents Bruce MncPherson with the most valuable player trophy during the Industrial league award dinner Bigleague match kicks off season Tomorrow soccer stars reached the big time Sunday if only for an afternoon as minor mosquito teams from Georgetown and Acton Rock wood clubs played to a tie at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto The exhibition game kicked off both the George town and Acton soccer seasons It was played in front of a few hundred parents and fans including Hills Mayor Peter at Exhibition Stadium prior to the National Soccer League s NASD match between the Toronto and the Washington D The two minor mosquito teams took to the field at Acton dominated the first halT of the game coming close to scoring on several plays but were blocked by Georgetown strong defensive unit In the second half the teams were more evenly matched Georgetown started working on their offensive effort and by the end of the game also had several golden scoring opportunities But time ran out before either team could con nect They then met In centre field for post game ceremonies and photographs By this time the stadium was filled with more than 18 soccer fans for the Blizzard match although the weather turned damp and cold They had come to see number of the Diplomats Cruyff a player many consider to be the best In the world But the Blizzard specifically Canadian Mike McLenaghen formerly of British Columbia man aged to stop and win the game Ivan who scored the goal for Toronto with just a few minutes remaining in the first half was carried off the field in the second minute frame with an injured ankle Eight boys from the Georgetown and Acton soccer clubs were used as ball boys during the contest named Hills Day at the Blizzard But what caught the eye of many boys were the Blizzard cheerleaders who also signed autographs Frosty the Snowman and Old Man Winter Hills Days at the Blizzard was sponsored by The Acton Free Press and The Georgetown Independent us well as the localsoecer clubs Pi J- It KiD MM Ml It Off to Hawaii Ted and Pat Curtis received their rd after winning the annual Club draw Saturday Club organizer Harold Towns ley congratulates Mr Travel agent Ted Tyler right was on hand to give the couple travel bags Winning ticket seller Knight was happy for the couple Second place winner was Ruth of Toronto Marilyn sold that ticket The draw was held at the community centre Close but no goal for the Acton Rock wood light jersey during Sunday exhibition match against Georgetown minor in Toronto The two teams faced each other prior to the Blizzard Washington Diplomat game at Exhibition Georgetown and Acton Blizzard won 10 It was Hills doy at the Blizzard Rams raring to go Mark May your calender That the evening the Hams lacrosse team play their first home game of their first season in their first league They play it at the Commun ity Centre game time and they play it against Toronto Beaches one of the three teams in the newly formed Ontario Lacrosse Lea gue The other team involved is Mississauga The Rams Oldtimers are the same C club that withdrew from junior competition two years ago Since then former players of the team have gotten together play a few lion games They had a good team with a lot of talent says coach and manager Howard but no league to play in Mississauga and Toronto Beaches were in similar predicaments so the three of them Joined forces in January to start the new league They will be adhering to the oldtimcr league rules That is says a game with no hard contact In lacrosse there has to be some bodily contact be said but we re taking out all the rough stuff such as pushing and shoving and crosschecking He said the gome is basically like hockey Consequently it will be a wideopen game with lots of running and lots of shots It will be a good fan game Ticket prices incidcntly will be the same as when the Rams began operations several years ago Adults will pay students cents and children cents Fighting is a no no If players are caught they will be warming the bench for three games If they fight a second time they areout forever Each team has their own referee the league is us ingonlyonepergame It cheaper that way But lacrosse t as rough as it looks assures It not rough at all if you re In shape They will be playing a schedule starting May when the Rams meet Toronto Beaches in their home rink It will be the first meeting of the two but the Rams have competed against Missis in an exhibition match last year and beat them It Toronto Beaches first year of operation and Mississauga s second Mississauga started their season Sunday with an exhibition match against the Orangevllle Seniors Although they were dumped 1512 is shaping up to be a powerhouse team with 10 former professional players and Buffalo Sabre Rick Dunley Of course Dudley Is tied up at the moment with Stanley Cup playoffs and it doubtful the Rams will sec him at all during the season The Rams have several top players of their own Doug Taylor and John will be minding the nets Taylor is a former Ram and Junior A Maple Leaf player DeCourcy Is a Brampton player and blocked for the Rams for two years as well Bob is the local hero He was the Rams netting 132 goals in one year He also played senior level lacrosse the top league in Fergus for three years and was their leading scorer too Brother Ron was the Rams top scorer for three years after Bob left Mike Marcoux was the high nued on Trainer uses horse sense hard work to raise winners When John Burns was 13 years old he Invested of his and bis parents money into a harness horse named J Spencer Burns was a helper at a track near Colllngwood and his parents who were not wealthy felt that John could handle some responsibility and perhaps make his days at the track more useful John broke and trained the horse rather well Three years later J Spencer won his first race at the Colllngwood Fairgrounds and won young John then 10 a halter and a cooler Continuing to train J Spencer although he was offered for him Burns turned the horse Into a gold mine and when his horse finished his last race he had won a remarkable for his owner Although J Spencer has since been retired Burns continued in his new love to the point where the Halton resident is one of the best If not the best harness horse trainer in Ontario and North He trains between horses scattered In tracks at Mohawk Raceway in Roosevelt Raceway in New York and in New Jersey He come a long way from being a groom and if success stories ever applied to anyone they apply to John Burns Born Into a family of modest means Burns Is proof of his theory that hard work coupled with a little luck will bring dividends to anything one tries I don think It mat lers what you do he says If you don t take It to heart you won t be successful If you want something they don give it away You ve got to put a lot of hard work into it In this business it a per cent hard work and per cent luck You ve got to have an eye for a Extra training pays off as Renton finishes first Acton High School gymnast Trish Renton captured over all first place in the Peel gym meet last week thanks to her high standings In four events She collected two ribbons for third spot on the uneven bars and fifth In vaulting as well as two seventh place finishes on the floor and beam There were an estimated to competitors per event from Peel and 14 schools She received a plaque for finishing first overall and was chosen as alter nate competitor at the Ontario finals Saturday at University In Hamilton Coach Ann Leplk said she was extremely pleas with Renton per formance We re pretty thrilled she said Trish has only been In gymnastics for basically two years with the high school will only com Peel county Is pete at the OFSAA meet able to attend But both Saturday If another girl she and coach Leplk will in the bars event from be there to watch Gold looks good to local swimmer Acton Swimmer Mark Bray brought home two gold medals along with a silver bronze for good measure from the Regional of Waterloo Invitational Meet He won his first place medals In the 100 metre and metre butterfly The silver came In the metro freestyle and he won the bronze in the 100 metre freestyle He swims with the Guclph Marlins Adrienne also competed in the first long course invitational relay She swam the fly for her portion of the race along with Jennifer McElroy Lara Doherty and Maureen Canada landed In top spot on the International swim scene as well Bray was a member of the Canadian team which participated in a meet in West Germany Canada came first with points passing West Germany and Russia Bray swam his personal best in the 100 metre and metre butterfly with times of and respectively The next big event for Bray and the Guclph Marlins Is the Invitational Swim Meet this Friday and Satur day horse the ability to spot something in a horse that other trainers might miss But It a a lot of luck too There 11 be about 1000 yearlings sold for the Ontario Sires Stakes and maybe 15 trotters and pacers altogether will be successful Having an eye for a horse Is definitely one of Burns fortes Last year his stable won 3 million He owns parts of several horses in the stable and receives five per cent of the winnings as his trainer fee His schedule reads like one which belongs to an airline pilot Last week for instance he left from Toronto International Airport for Meadow lands He trained Monday and watched the races that night He drove to Roosevelt Raceway where he trained Tuesday before returning back home Wednesday That night he par tlcipated In n celebrity race at Barrle Raceway It was the first time he d ever driven in a race and Burns true to form finished first The rest of the week he split his time between his farm on Third Line Milton and Mohawk training and taking care of his horses It was back to airport Sunday where he flew to to start the cycle once again Some of the guys rib me about it says Burna They say You re 31 and look and your face Is weather beaten and you re going to burn yourself out But I enjoy it very much and I have an understanding family The hard work and luck paid off in more than just money last year Burns was named Ontario trainer of the year in a highly competitive in I pride myself on being the best he adds There are better hor semen here In Canada than in the United States and If you can win In Ontario you can win anywhere I was brought up the right way I was taught the difference between right and wrong and if you re happy In what you re doing that Burns played Junior C hockey with Collingwood and had what he called a possible career in professional hockey when he decided to pursue harness horse racing full time After working with his horse J Spencer at Greenwood In Toronto Keith Waplcs took control of the trnining and eventually Burns moved to Montreal In 1068 when Waplea decided to race the horse with his at Blue Bonnets Burns worked with for several years and after a series of moves and marriage Burns settled in He worked with Milton Parks and Recreation for a while stabling his horses which had grown to eight at the Milton fairgrounds before renting the acre Don Joyce farm where his family of four make their home His career has blossomed since then He two biggest winners are Fight The Foe which he claimed for and won and Dangerfield Bruce which won last year Fight The Foe has the fastest lime of any horse he trained running tho mllBIongracelnl and twofifths The largo stable coupled with various tracks they race make things difficult for Burns I try to be on top of every horse I train I ride each one Every owner wants to know everything about his horso how he ran why he raced the way he did etc You got to have the answers ready when they phone Much of his tune Is spent on the telephone cither at home or at one of the various tracks Burns will be found at any given day Outside of hard work and desire Burns credits several other reasons for his success At the top of the Hat is his family who have learned to go much of the time without him at home He also credits several Milton and other racing people who have taught him the ropes of the trade and the help he receives at the track MywlfeSandra is a hell of a worker She keeps the books and runs the farm when I away Without her help and understanding I might not be anywhere The Burns have two children Derek Is six while Rodney is two Burns work with Keith was also Instru mental in his success I learn from anyone better than Keith There be nobody to replace Keith And with respect to his grooms and assistant trainers Burns says without them he bo hurting In the final analysis he says I really devoted to horses It not hard to see The Best Milton trainer John Burns last Friday morning at Mohawk Race way training several horses In liable Last year Burnt was voted Ontario trainer of the year He alio has hones in New Jersey and New York spending at least a couple of days a week training and checking on the homes which com prise his liable

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