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Sports Line... Don Lawrence * Sports editor * Midgets met match Action around the Collingwood net was fast and furious as Midland's major midgets played host to Collingwood in Midland Centennial Arena Wednesday night. Midland managed to get inside Collingwood's blue line many times but just failed to find the mark as they were downed 4-1 in a valiant effort. In hockey action tonight,. Midland Athletics will be travelling to Collingwood for a game at 8:30 p.m. in OHA Intermediate A action. The A's will be trying for their first win in nine games and action is guaranteed in_ this match. Midland's Centennial Arena will be the site of a game between Midland's Jr. C entrant into the OHA with the Centennials taking on Oro 77's. That game will start at 8:30 p.m. Across the tracks in Penetanguishene, the Kings will be playing host to Huntsville Huskies at 8:30 p.m. St. Theresa's senior bovs' volleyball team, the Crusaders, will be going to Base Borden todav for Georgian Bay Secondary School Association finals. Volleyball action will get started at 9 a.m. Midland Secondary School boys' volleyball teams are favoured to win when they will host zone 2 finals Monday. Elsewhere on the weekend, MSS _ senior girls' basketball team will be out of town for a game against Stayner Collegiate Institute's senior girl's basketball team. And cross-town rivalry continues bet- ween Midland and Penetanguishene, this time between Midland's Oldtimers and Penetanguishene's Oldtimers. That match-up will take place in Penetanguishene Arena beginning at 8 p.m. Nov. 8. Penetanguishene Recreational Flag Football League playoff action will start at 12 Th hOnsO: alt at Penetanguishenbe Secondary School's football field. Midland Athletics will plav again Sunday night in Owen Sound when thev meet the Greys at 7:30 p.m. Penetanguishene Kings will be playing an afternoon game in Haliburton Sunday at 4 p.m. Midland Curling Club will be hosting the Bourgeois Early Bird Mixed Spiel, action starting at 7 p.m. Oatten coachin program by Don Lawrence Tuesday night's coaching certification program in Penetanguishene Arena was very successful in attendance as well as what was learned. Larry Banks, head of the program, was very pleased with the turnout of 30 coaches and would be coaches which far surpassed his expectation of 15 attendees. The majority of those attending were coaches in Midland and Penetanguishene minor hockey. An ice session was held from 6:45 p.m. until 7:45 with skating, passing and shooting skills being practiced. After that, a film was shown entitled, "Call Me Coach ", and a discussion period followed th at. Out of that discussion, several main points were raised that helped those attending attain a better understanding of what a coach is. The first thing a coach must remember is that he is a model to his players and they will follow his example. The school also taught the attendees how to runa proper practice with the main point being to keep the practice game-like. ns Practice ; Repetition cannot be ignored either as it is a valuable learning tool. } Equipment was also discussed at the program and a few good points were raised. Protective equipment must be good fitting, but not necessarily very good in quality. There is a certain standard though as to what condition is acceptable but for the main part, second-hand equipment is often acceptable and invariably less costly. For measuring the proper length of a stick, the hockey player should stand up straight with his skates on. His hockey stick should come up to his sternum or the middle of his chest. The shorter stick will make the player put more of his weight on the stick and thereby make him a stronger skater and shooter with his weight on the lower hand. Parents are usually willing to do anything to hel their child's hockey playing but they can't do It without knowledge of what he may be doing wrong. Rough play For this reason, coaches shouldn't be afraid to speak to the parents regarding rough play, equipment problems gr any problem that might arise. A good communication between coach, players and parents means good hockey for everyone and it all starts at the coach's level. He has to be a dozen and one people, a doctor, a psychiatrist or just a friend. by Ken St.Amant Gvmnastics is certainly becoming one of the most popular sports in Huronia. It all started four years ago as a recreational gymnastics class, sponsored by the Simcoe County Board of Education, Night School Program. Since then, the rapid growth of gym- nastics lead to the formation of~ the Penetang-Midland Huron Gymnastics Club. Club Background Our first recreational gymnastics program started with approximately 20 gymnasts operated in two, ten week sessions for two hours each week. Bv the second session of the first year our numbers were up to over 30 gymnasts. During the second year, we saw our ; membership grow once again. The club now had approximately 45-50 gymnasts. At thi } point in time, it was still an informa i organization, practising two hours per week ana - PENETANG -- MIDLAND Gymnastics Corner se GYM CLUB for a total of 20 weeks. With the ever-increasing number of gymnasts we found ourselves in a position of expansion. It was during the third year that we doubled the number of hours per week. The gymnastics class now offered two programmes: advanced and beginners. We were extremely pleased to see that our membership had grown again. We now boasted over 60 gymnasts. . Last year, our fourth year of operation, was bv far the most dramatic in terms of changes. By Decemberr of 1979, the clubs' came into existence, officially. With a newlv formed executive, it was agreed that the Hurons should join the Ontario Gym- nastics Federations (0.G.F.). I'he club continued to be a success with over 80 gymnasts participating in our programs. During this past summer, the club con- ducted a very successful gymnastics camp. The exposure was fantastic! Many children in Huronia were turned on to gymnastics and as a result, the club experienced another growth. With only two months into this years' program, we already have over 100 gymnasts. We were also forced to expand our services. The club now operates five nights per week plus every Saturday morning for a total of 20 hours each week. Now that's growth! Competition In the past four years our local gymnasts have had two opportunities to participate in gym meets. This has been at the Huronia Games in Barrie and at the "Area 3" Gymnastics Meet held at Midland Secon- darv School each spring. Each of the schools in the area have been invited to attend and for anyone watching the meets over the years they can't miss the in- creasing enthusiasm and the greatly im- proved skill level of these gymnasts. ' Because the Hurons are now an O.G.F. club it gives our gymnasts an opportunity to compete at their skill level against other gymnasts from all over the province. An opportunity they otherwise would not have. Last season, the Hurons had some very respectable places for a first year club. Fifteen-year-old Sandy McCallum (Midland) placed fourth overall in the Junior B- division, Metro West, and represented the Hurons at the Provincial Gymnastics meet in Burlington last April. We also had gymnasts place 10th and 12th in the Junior B division and 8th and 15th in the Argo C. division. Certainly this is an excellent beginning for a newly formed club and with continued hard work by our gymnasts and coaches our future looks quite bright. Gymnastics Calendar Dec. 12 and 13--1st qualifying gymnastics meet in Toronto. Friday, November 7, 1980, Page 23