Sports News

Hook, Line and Sinker with Lindsay Doust

Conflict without antagonism

Who would have thought that recreational fishing would have become so embroiled in controversy. Protests in Byron Bay against the Cape Byron Marine Park show just how determined anglers are to get a fair deal. To hear Dailan Pugh say that anglers have got all they asked for cannot go unanswered.

The submission from the Richmond Valley Anglers Action Group was probably the least demanding of all the submissions, but the current proposals are to close down far more areas than would have been on the submission of any recreational anglers group.

Let me go on record as saying that recreational anglers are the only group being severely affected by the present scheduling of the park. We are now hoping that a series of meetings with Marine Park officials will open the door to positive negotiations. I do not believe that the present antagonism between anglers and greenies will get us back even one metre.

Soft plastics

For those wanting to get into the soft plastics boom, try the latest Berkely lures. They may be the latest craze but they seem also to have the shape and size to do the job, particularly for flathead and bream. We are between seasons and bream are a little slow at the moment but some good flathead are being caught though they are yet to be at their best.

One of the good things about plastics is that they take fish all year round. How you use them is important. A variety of colours and sizes is needed, as is a range of hook sizes and weights (jig heads). A good catch scent needs to be added regularly. The Squidgee video, although promoting Squidgees as a brand, is the best instructional tool I know of. They can be bought or hired from Suffolks Sports Store.

Call of the Loon with Laurie Axtens

The greatest game of all

The race of the century wasn't telecast, the game of the year wasn't replayed ad nauseam on Pay TV and the press doesn't cover the most vital competitions. Even this most illustrious and edifying of weeklies doesn't report on the really important sporting events. The most significant match ups are self-generated activities which happen; in the schoolyard at lunchtime, in the backyard between family members and on the weekend between friends.

And it's not just that the backyard is the birthplace of the great sporting idol. The unofficial backyard game is much more than that. The spontaneous unofficial game is the life blood of sport. It is where the everyday girls and boys, men and women, struggle to find glory from their own achievements.

It's where the young Steve, Mark, Ricky or Adam learns the complex and difficult art of hitting the ball with the bat. It's where a bunch of kids gets a game together between themselves and learns to settle their problems without adult involvement. It is where adults who have never played a game get a chance to feel the thrill of a try or the magic of taking a wicket. That's glory! There is no glory in the mobile phone wielding elite athletes who sit around in publicly funded shooting galleries boasting about their own achievements. That's just the melodrama that the media feed us to keep their ratings up and advertising dollars rolling in.

The real concern is that the sporting elites might come to think that they own the games that they play. It's already happening. Many local cricket nets, on public land, have already been locked up. Sporting fields that were once open to all are starting to be fenced off and only used from moneymaking weekend events.

What were once public assets are being quietly privatised on the basis that the odd drug addict is leaving their needles out the back instead of in the sharps bin provided for 'patrons'? It's a worrying development, if we continue to favour sporting club control over public control, then very soon we will become like England, where little or no public space combines with small backyards to make sport the exclusive past time of the wealthy.

This will do more than undermine our national sporting stocks; privatisation could well bring to an end the most important games of all - the games we actually play rather than the ones we just watch.

Good as it gets Quality sports people have what is called kinetic intelligence and it doesn't matter what sport they take up, they're good at it. Steve 'Moose' Morrissey is such an athlete and that explains how he can win his third consecutive Lismore Workers Golf Club Championship in the morning and in the afternoon run on for Workers in their 4-0 drubbing of Bangalow in the last round of the Premier Division Soccer. Steve finished seven over after four rounds in the stroke play championship, 11 shots clear of Gene Ward before the last round. Gene needed to shoot a course record to take the title. He didn't.

Covering all bases

The beaming smile of Kerin Sexton at Trinity College, where she studied two years ago. She will be studying psychology in the US as part of her softball scholarship.

Although Kerin Sexton can barely lift her throwing arm above her head, her prodigious talent has resulted in her being offered a two-year softball scholarship with Lakelands College, Illinois.

Kerin, one of the youngest women to ever play baseball for Australia, was offered the scholarship despite the fact she had not fully recovered from shoulder surgery. The courageous traveller, who took off for the US on Thursday, will need to be back out throwing the ball about by February at the latest.

While Kerin built her reputation playing baseball, Americans don't offer baseball scholarships to women - only ones for softball. Fortunately, Kerin is also a brilliant softballer - in her first top grade game last year, she hit three home runs, plus a three-bagger from four at bats. During the season, she batted at an inconceivable average of 900. That is nine safe hits from every 10 at bats.

The Echo caught up to her when she was donating her Australian baseball shirt to Trinity College on Wednesday, just before she flew out to the US.

Myers dominates from the mound - Baseball

Trent Clarke watches one ball go by 'outside' and in the dirt in the Under 18s match between Easts Redbirds and Workers.

Rookie pitcher Lucas Myers has starting to show some of his great potential in the 2004 Rex Airlines Baseball League when he championed Brothers to their second win against second placed Norths.

In the absence of Matt Gahan, Myers produced something special to shut out the Bears 10-nil, in a pitching display that only contained one walk and two hits.

Norths found their game stifled as Brothers set about demolishing the pitching of Steve Ross. Ross's job was made harder as a number of errors allowed Brothers the opportunity to put runners aboard.

For Brothers, former Division III stalwart Stuart Watt picked up three hits for the afternoon, along with Myers and Dave Youngberry. Mick Youngberry and Jeff Mackney picked up two apiece.

In the remaining game of the afternoon, Workers continued their season with yet another romp over Easts in seven innings.

Redbirds dominate minors

While their top team was unable to record a single win in 2004, their minor grades and juniors had good cause to celebrate the club's 50th anniversary last week.

In Division I, Redbirds took out the Minor Premiership from Alstonville.

In Division Two Redbirds fought off Workers Skulls, and Division Three Redbirds held out against three other contenders to clinch the minor prize. Despite losing their final game before the finals, the Under 16s Redbirds team also won the Minor Premiership.

There's the rub

Lyn Strebbing will be the instructor for an Introductory Sports Massage Course to be held at the Lismore Workers Club in early September.

The course has been organised by the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation to raise awareness of the healing powers of massage, particularly for sports people.

Development officer with the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation, James Roberts, said "there's no need to continually be feeling sore and sorry after taking part in your favourite sport or recreation. Massage techniques used on the athletes can go a long way to alleviating pain and soreness."

The hands-on course will help participants to identify major muscle groups and joints and then demonstrate massage techniques and stretches appropriate to those areas.

For further information or bookings phone James on 6687 7168.

Dressage for the occasion

Sally Evan shows poise and confidence on Assassin in the Far North Coast Dressage Championships recently.

Di Baxter of Muwillumbah and her mount Mira Mar Tetsvi ended up taking out the medium and advanced Champions Medal in the Horseland Far North Coast Dressage Championships at the Bangalow Showground recently.

Sally Evan from hosts Summerland Dressage Club won the long tour riding Assassin. Jocelyn Park, riding Lion King, won the preliminary champion, Kristy-Lee Ingham on Sir Saladin took out the Novice Champion's prize, Fiona Williams, riding Glencoe Milan, won the elementary championship and Victoria Welch on Balambrae Kepler from Queensland won the short tour.

The Summerland Dressage Club conducts competitions, training days and schools at all levels of dressage, show jumping and eventing as well as organising judging clinics and providing a forum for local riders interested in all the Olympic disciplines.

Spoon passion - Aussie Rules

If the battle of the wooden spoon is any indication of the passion we can expect in the finals series, then it should be a final series to remember. Valiant Casino ended up only five points short of avoiding the wooden spoon when they beat Nimbin at home on Saturday in a ferocious encounter.

The finals commence this Saturday at Ballina's Fripp Oval with Lismore taking on Murwillumbah from noon in the first of a block busting double header.

The resurgent Murwillumbah Hawks run has come to a sudden halt in recent weeks with consecutive losses to Ballina and Byron. A fitness query over star captain coach Paul McCullogh remains.

However, the Swans also lost to Ballina by a similar margin last week and whilst both teams are capable of upsetting the top two teams, the season will end this weekend for the loser.

With so much at stake, Swans coach Ron Meldrum, who has been mixing it up regards positions recently, will have his big guns back where they belong for this one.

In the other qualifying final the Byron juggernaut is expected to easily roll Ballina and progress straight into the big game.

Get trucking to the track

Plenty of horsepower will be on show when more than 100 trucks roll out of the racecourse and parade down Molesworth Street to Heritage Park on Saturday at 10am. The trucks will then return to the Lismore Turf Club for its Truck Show race meeting where the prime movers will form a static display while the real horsepower hits the track for the feature event, the 1300m Truck Show Cup.

The Grafton-trained Umatrick came second in his last start at Eagle Farm and will be hard to front in the Cup. Trainer Felicity Firth has scored three wins from Umatrick's last six starts.

Lismore Turf Club secretary, Michael Timbrell, said the meeting is an important fundraiser for several local charities. Entry is by gold coin and after the racing there will be an auction and a finger food dinner/dance in the upstairs lounge for just $20.

"Our major beneficiaries this year are the palliative care unit at St Vincent's Hospital and our local bushfire brigades. We would like to raise at least $10,000 on Saturday to take our total for the three years past $25,000," Michael said. "Last year we had a crowd of more than 2000 and we are hoping for an even bigger crowd this Saturday."

Two of the more interesting items for auction are a huge truckies tool kit and a painting by famed local artist Reg Gregor of a scene at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

This meeting is an important lead up to the Ballina Cup meeting on Thursday, September 9, and the two-day Lismore carnival on Sunday, September 19, and Thursday, September 23.

Surf Coaching

Level two surfing coach Steve Foreman is starting a program of training for young surfers to be held at Byron Bay Surf Club this Saturday at 7am. The program is aimed at students from Lismore, Lennox Head, Ballina and Mullumbimby who miss out on the Byron Bay High School coaching program.

Interested surfers must phone Keith Anderson on 6685 7822 by Thursday night. The class won't happen without bookings, so dudes get on the blower.

The saving squad

Kane Battese and Eden Saul, both of Lennox Head, will join Robby Miles of Ballina as part of the 27-member North Coast Academy of Sport Surf Life Saving squad for the 2004-05 program.

The squad selections were based on results on board, on ski and in running at state and national events over the last 12 months.

"They represent the best prospects in junior level from the North Coast, and we are very excited at the prospect of providing them with the highest standard of coaching," Tony Clarke, the Academy's executive director, said.

"Based on the quality of this squad, and the effect of previous years' program, we predict that 50% of our squad members will make it through to a final at the state championships, and 25% of the squad will reach finals at nationals. If some of those athletes end up with a medal, then that's a bonus."

The new program commences this weekend at Byron Bay and will include fitness testing, surf skill analysis and individual program development. Subsequent camps will be held over the next few months at Woolgoolga, Port Macquarie and Forster.

State swimmers camp

Summit Sport and Fitness Centre, Goonellabah, has earned the right to host this year's State Qualifiers Swimming Camp in October. The camp is funded by NSW Swimming and caters for the development of swimmers who have reached a NSW or QLD State Age Championship qualifying time. The development camp will provide demonstrations, swimming sessions and lectures on topics covering nutrition, motivation, stretching and core strength development.

Summit's 25 metre heated pool and conference rooms were considered perfect for the camp. This is the first camp of it type to be held on the Far North Coast since 1998.

Level 3 swimming coach Peter Freney, OAM, will direct the sessions. Mr Freney is the current national Age Youth Coach for Australian Swimming. Ken Malcolm, head coach of Lismore Indoor Swim Team, and Michael Freney, head coach of Casino Swim Team, will be his assistants during the camp.

Ken Malcolm has recently been awarded a swimming coaches scholarship by the Australian Swimming Coaches & Teachers Association. The scholarship requires him to attend the Australian Swim Camp at Toowoomba in September, where he will work alongside Australian Olympic coaches.

For further details on the swim camp, phone Ken Malcolm on 6625 2025.

Love to have a swim with Duncan

Duathlon contestants in a recent Ballina race tough it out against their own exhaustion. Photo courtesy of Di Brown.

Ultra ironman Craig 'Freckle' Gream and national schools teams silver medallist Rachael Brown are just a couple of the vast array of competitors expected to line up in the First National Evans Head Triathlon on September 5.

Even Olympic gold medallist and TV commentator Duncan Armstrong will be bringing a team down from Brisbane for the event.

The cut off of 50 teams and 150 individual entrants looks like being met sooner rather than later, so would-be contestants are encouraged to get their entries in as soon as possible or miss out on the big race.

The triathlon is a fundraiser for the Evans Head Surf Lifesaving Club and the whole township is already abuzz. For entry forms phone Di Brown on 6628 5713 or 0414 285 713.

Academy Trials

The triathlon will also be used as a trial for applicants to the North Coast Academy of Sport Triathlon program. The academy's coaching staff will eyeball talented young sports people aged between 15 and 23 years during the 750m swim, 20km ride and 5km run.

The squad is limited to 12 athletes so if you have either a recent history of good triathlon performances or you have run, swum or rode some good times recently and wish to switch to triathlon, now is the hour to apply.

Information packs and application forms can be obtained from the Academy by visiting www.ncas.org.au or by phoning 6620 3073. Applications close Tuesday, August 31.

Soccer FNC

Brendan Irwin of Workers Under 9's clears from in front of Tim Famularo of Dunoon Devils.

Men's Premier League

The commitment of the club members at Richmond Rovers has propelled the club into the enviable position of taking out the Premier and Premier Reserve minor premiership in the men's competition, the women's premier division and at least five other junior titles to boot. The successes are owed in essence to the quality of their youth development program and to the earnest attachment to the club of its past players. Rovers also have a very fortunate habit of winning major premierships. They have been in 9 grand finals since the club was formed in 1960 and they have won every one of those finals.

Whether Rovers can convert this minor title into a major one is still very open to debate, however. Over the weekend they only managed a come from behind to win against Byron Bay.

Byron, who will make up the five for the finals series, jumped away to a 3-1 lead against the minor premiers before Rovers steadied and Josh Saye slotted two goals.

Byron will travel to Maclean to take on the Bobcats this weekend in the first of the semis. Maclean is the dark horse - or dark cat - of this finals series. No other finalists are looking forward to playing them. They're mostly young and fast with a core of experience at the back, which makes the as dangerous as their mascot's name suggests.

Workers adversaries in the major preliminary final, Casino, are in good form for the match at Rec 12. The Cobras finished off Ballina's disappointing season 4-2 last weekend but the fixture incurred a number of injuries amongst the big country lads and they will take a weakened line-up into the semi against Workers. Workers made light work of Bangalow on the back of a hat-trick from lanky predator Tom Guttormsen, whose feat - and feet - snared him this year's Golden Boot award. The teams drew two weekends ago 3-all and the match promises to be full of fireworks and skill. Not to be missed.

Intershape Womens Premier League

Richmond Rovers disposal of Workers 3-1 and Lennox Head 2-0 assures the young squad of this year's minor premiership. The result ends many years of Workers domination in the women's competition.

SCU also held off Woodburn twice over the weekend winning the first game 2-0 and the second 3-0 to ensure their finals berth at the expense of the Woodburnians.

Harvey World Travel Lismore's Leading Goalscorers

TNR Premier Division: T Guttormsen 22, M Olley 18, A Bostock 16, G Nielson 16, W Mortimer 15, B Morhaus 9, C Starrett 9, N Scully 8, S Morrissey 8, T Matthews 8.

Womens' Intershape First Division: R Argent 30, E Turner 23, K Parker 23, K Gollan 15, C Dunsmore 14, T Want 14, R Mcintosh 14, L Kelly 12, J Gollan 11, T O'Reilly 10.

The big stage - Rugby League

The pressure-cooker of finals can produce strange effects. Big boofy blokes can become pretty little wallflowers and previously forgotten players can grow into giants before your very eyes, such is the effect of the big stage upon the psyche of the player.

Most of the Marist Brothers squad are fortunate to have experienced finals football and realise that to be successful at the business end of the season nothing must affect your focus and concentration. Errors must be instantly forgotten and successes must also be quickly put aside; because it's the next tackle or pass that matters.

Last weekend Ballina weren't prepared to do the hard work to make up for their own errors and the Rams, who have speed to burn all across the paddock, were quick to take advantage.

Ballina went into the semi on the back of solid end-of-season performances, but a few errors blew out into a messy game for the seasiders as they went down 38-12. A month ago Ballina monstered the Rams 56-30.

On the weekend Spears, Cameron, Campbell and Maher seemed to revel in the atmosphere and, although the Rams pack is smaller than the Seagull unit, they seemed to run all over the top of them.

This weekend the Brethren will not have the advantage of a home crowd when they take on the minor premiers, Mullumbimby. In both the games between the Rams and the Giants this year, the Mullumbimby lads have held on to win against a belated push from the men in blue.

David Latta, Mullumbimby's coach, is an ex-Brothers player and knows the strengths and weaknesses of the Rams line-up almost as well as he knows his own squad. It's a handy advantage but the real question is how will the Giants deal with the pressure of finals football.

South Gafton Rebels gave the Lower Clarence another dose of the same medicine as they did a fortnight ago, pummelling the Magpies 56-26 in the other sudden death semi.

The Rebels are a lighter, faster squad and their attacking flare proved too much for O'Doherty's men.

This weekend they will travel to Ballina to take on the Seagulls in another sudden death match. Considering their present form they have a good chance of coming away with the right to take on the loser of Marist and Mullum for a shot at the title.

Seahorses aim for finals - Rugby Union

The intensity and speed to the break down exhibited by Lismore City all year did not desert them in their hour of need during Saturday's major semi final.

Conlan, Oliveri and Taylor's scrambling defence and ruck fossicking - for want of a better word - produced enough ball for the Lismore men to come back from a 12-point deficit in the second half; which they did with some difficulty, finally overhauling the Bulls 27-24.

Of course that level of intensity at the break down often incurs penalties, so it was hardly surprising that Conlan received a 10 minute rest from the ref as the game came to a close for his repeated infringements in the ruck.

This weekend, the Ballina Seahorses get their chance to meet Lismore in the final when they take on Casino at Kyogle. The battle for domination of the set pieces will probably be the determining factor. Ballina should, in theory, control the lineouts and Casino the scrums. Ballina would be wise to play a long kicking game and turn around the stout Bulls forwards, whereas Casino will probably try to keep the ball in hand and use the rolling maul and their rucking power to overwhelm the seasiders.

The Ballina back row will need to work very hard at the edge of the ruck to contain the Bulls' raids. In a game where possession will be the key, maybe Ballina's kicking game could prove their downfall, although the Bulls' forwards might be worn down from the constant turnarounds. It should be a tough encounter and definitely worth the drive to Kyogle on Saturday at 5.15pm.