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In the Junior B double bounce Singles division, the Sherwood Park club shut out the teams from Edmonton and Calgary by sewing up all three spots on the podium. First-year Sharks Parker Dorothy finished first, Jeremy Tripp finished second and David Wereley took home the third place trophy.

The Team

We are very proud of the Junior B boys,” said coach Mark Broverman. “This is a tremendous showing in their first tournament. They’ve all worked so hard and played some great handball to win.”

In the Junior B Doubles division, partners Mark Stecyk and Josh Lavin finished second and partners David Wereley and Parker Dorothy finished third. In Junior B single bounce, Mark Stecyk took home the gold and Josh Lavin had a bronze finish.

In the Junior A division, David Doucette won his first championship taking home the gold in the singles, and Elliot Chan won the Consolation singles championship.

“David is the most improved player on the team this year, and he just keeps getting stronger,” said coach Broverman. “He plays his best ball in tournaments and has really impressed us with his determination. He’ll go a long way.”

In Junior A doubles, the team of Elliot Chan (from Sherwood Park) and Tanner Rakochey (from Calgary) were the champions with Ben Lavin and David Doucette finishing second.

Jamie Slater, the only Shark to enter the B/C Division, did a great job finishing in third place in the singles and losing a heartbeaker in the doubles final game with partner Chris Goddard, from Edmonton to finish second.

“Overall, we couldn’t be happier with our team’s performance this weekend,” explained coach Broverman. “We took home 10 trophies out of a possible 15 and absolutely dominated the tournament.”

Shark Team at the 2008 Canadian Nationals

The club now boasts three Canadian National Champions. Fourteen-year-old David Doucette became the Canadian National Champion in the 15 and under division by defeating his doubles partner, Tanner Rakochey of Calgary in a match that went to a tiebreaker to decide the winner. This is David’s second National title as he won the Doubles title last year in Montreal.

“David is a fierce competitor and has worked very hard this year,” explained coach Mark Broverman. “He has a lot of talent and he’s a great kid, so I’m not surprised he’s a National Champion.”

The Shark’s doubles team of Josh Lavin and Dawson Forester defeated Peter Walsh and Colin Pumphrey of St. John’s Newfoundland in the finals of the Under 13 division to become Canadian National Champions. Josh also made it to the finals in the Singles event, but had to settle for second in the country in the division.

Coach Broverman is very impressed with Josh’s play. “Josh is a kid who loves this game and it really shows when he plays,” he said. “I’m expecting him to take a National Singles title in the future.”

Josh’s brother, Ben Lavin, also had a great tournament in both the singles and doubles under 17 divisions. Ben captured the National Consolation Singles Champion title beating Chase Imlah of Winnipeg in two straight games. Ben and his partner, Jacob Harvey of Calgary, lost a heartbreaker in the finals to finish second in the country in the Doubles event.

Jeremy Tripp was the only double medal winner on the Sharks team. He took home the gold in the National Consolation Singles, and he and his partner, Parker Dorothy captured the National Consolation Doubles Championship title for the 13 and under division.

Sharks coach, Mark Broverman was ecstatic with the results. “All six Sharks who entered the competitive events took home gold in either the championship or consolation side,” Mark said. “We have three National Champions and three Consolation National Champions in our club. That’s an amazing accomplishment for our club considering this is only our second National competition.”

The Shark’s results went a long way to helping Alberta win the Provincial Junior Title awarded to the province that receives the most medals in the National competition.

Practice makes perfect

“It was our best showing yet,” said Coach Mark Broverman. “We’re very excited about the results. Everyone in the club has worked very hard this year and it really showed.”

The coaches focused on individual skills and technique this year and it has paid off. “Every player on our team has upped their level of play,” Coach Broverman said proudly. “Throughout the tournament we heard comments about how much the team has improved and how much each individual has grown in their ability to play this game.”

In the Under 15 category Sherwood Park Shark and reigning Canadian Champion David Doucette, was seeded first in the province edging out his doubles partner, Tanner Rakochey of Calgary. In the Under 17 division Ben Lavin and Elliot Chan were seeded second and third. Despite his great showing in the tournament, Elliot will not be able to attend the Nationals due to other commitments.

All four Sharks that entered the Under 13 category qualified, with Josh Lavin seeded first in the province, Parker Dorothy second, Dawson Forester third and Jeremy Tripp securing the fourth spot. In the girls Two Bounce division, Danika Forester, the only girl on the Shark’s team, finished second.

The club will be able to send all seven to the National championships. “Last year the Nationals were held in Montreal so we couldn’t afford to send all of the Sharks who qualified,” explained the coach. “This year we’ll be able to send them all and we know that some of them have it in them to become National champions.”

The competition from across the country will be tough but the Sharks are ready to take them on. “Win, lose or draw we’re very proud of the achievements of our team and their conduct both on and off the court,” said Broverman. “We expect a solid Shark attack at the Nationals.”

The Sharks can now boast a Canadian Champion in their club. David Doucette captured the Canadian Championship Boys 15 and Under Doubles title with his partner Tanner Rakochey of Calgary. In addition, Sharks Jamie Slatter won the Consolation final of the boys 17 and under, and Ben Lavin made it to the semi-finals in the boys 15 and under.

Following the success at Canadian Championships, coaches Jacqueline and Mark Broverman, are hoping to attracted new players who would like to take on the extreme sport.

“Handball is a great game for those who are looking for something different and who like individual sports,” explains Mark, who himself captured the Men’s Masters Singles title at the Nationals, and finished second in the doubles. “It has been called ‘the perfect game’ because of the physical and mental demands of the sport.”

Not only is handball a good workout, but it’s a great alternative to the more expensive sports in the community. “Our registration fee is $100 which helps to offset some of the costs of the court time,” Jacqueline said. “For equipment, all you need is a good pair of court shoes, some goggles and a pair of gloves, and if a family is strapped for cash, we’ll even supply the equipment,” she continued.

The 2007/08 season includes an option to play in several Alberta tournaments throughout the year including the Canadian National Championships being hosted in Calgary, and a shot at being chosen to play in the American National Championships in Tucson, Arizona.

Free one-on-one adult clinics are also available. If you or your child would like to try handball, call the coaches at 915-4729.

A Nice Shot

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