Tuesday's With Dave

 A few notes about last weekend's Jacob Ranton tournament and Online auction. I spoke to Doug and Sandra on their tenth year of supporting the WRSPC ( Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council) and shared some amazing stats and emotions about the support shown.  The amount from the year is still be finalized but the total will be around $450,000 raised through the love of the Waterloo and basketball community. Speaking of love, not only did one of Jacob's teammates from Memorial bring his Gonzaga team from St John's, NFLD for the third year but in a beautiful moment during the coaches breakfast Doug and Sandra were called out in the hall and there stood three other Memorial alumni!  The beauty of the human spirit.  Speaking of human spirit, Olympia Sports Camp has a long list of  'larger than life' personalities who have walked the land of Interlaken and inspired hundreds of campers. None greater or more impactful than Walker D Russell.  The journey of Wal...

This blog entry is a reprint from one written on Dec 12, 2022. The reason for the reprint is that the annual tournament is coming up this weekend. Doug and Sandra Ranton have done a lot for the WRSPC over the ten years since their son's death. They have decided, with heavy hearts, that, although the tournament will continue in Jacob's name, this will be their last fund raiser. They want the 10th  to be the best ever, and I hope this blog helps. Please like and share to help spread the word.  You Are Never Alone on your Journey ( written Dec 12 2022) This Friday we will be at the Jacob Ranton Memorial Basketball Tournament at Waterloo Collegiate. The tournament features 16 teams from around the area but a more important aspect is that the tournament raises money for the Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council.  The title of this blog: "You Are Never Alone"s serves two purposes: One is that there is always someone with whom we can share our vulnerability in times wh...

World Class Athlete, World Class coach What is the signature part of Olympia Sports Camp? Is it the Norwegian-inspired main dining hall? Is it the Zip Line or the Big Tower? Is it the 5 basketball courts laid out with OxBow Lake as a backdrop? For many, including Stand Up Paddling ( SUP) coach Ariel Amaral, it is the 1,500 feet of shoreline  that captures the true beauty of life at Interlaken. The A Frame docking system that is the centre point of activity throughout the day and the many paddle boards, canoes, kayaks and sailboats make it an aspect of Olympia Sports camp that is the envy of most camps in Canada. And It's where Ariel shines. It was the waterfront that attracted Ariel Amaral to Olympia in the first place. Never having come to Olympia as a camper, Ariel visited a friend who was a counsellor at the time, went for a quick swim, and that's all it took. Ariel has been coaching at Olympia coming up to ten years in the summer of 2025. She has never missed a year; not wh...