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Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports 47 | Friday, May 2, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com "Connected to your Community" MOHA Scores Big The Oakville atom white Winterhawks helped the Minor Oaks Hockey Association Score Big. The house league squad was one of three teams from across Canada to win a $10,000 grand prize for their minor hockey association through the Esso Medals and Certificates of Achievement 2013/14 Esso Medals Score Big Contest. The Winterhawks, an atom A team from Sherwood Park (Alta.) and a midget club from Hillcrest Village (Ont.) were randomly selected from more than 17,000 entries from across the country to receive $10,000 for their association as well as an additional $1,000 team prize. The contest was open to all minor hockey teams in Canada that reigstered to receive three Esso Medals of Achievement -- most dedicated, most improved and most sportsmanlike -- and 18 certificates for their club. MOHA president Mark Bentley said the association will use the money to provide complete hockey equipment for first-year players next season in the initiation program (ages 5-6). The donation will cover the cost of equipment for approximately 50 players, he said. Since the Winterhawks have already disbanded following the conclusion of the 2013-14 house league season, the $1,000 team award was disbursed by giving all players a gift certificate for Corbett's Source for Sports. "Esso has ben a valued supporter of minor hockey in Oakville through the medals program for a number of years. The current year funding awarded to our association reflects Esso's continued commitment," Bentley said. "The Board of Directors of the Minor Oaks Hockey Association extends our thanks and appreciation to Esso for their support of minor hockey in our community." Members of the Oakville atom white Winterhawks house league hockey team gathered with Esso representatives Tuesday at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex for a $10,000 cheque presentation to the Minor Oaks Hockey Association. The Winterhawks and two other minor hockey teams in Canada won the $10,000 funding for their local minor hockey association by entering the Esso Medals and Certificates of Achievement 2013/14 Esso Medals Score Big Contest. The MOHA will use the money to subsidize equipment costs for first-time hockey players. | photo by Nikki Wesley -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog One small Oakville street features two elite snowboarders by Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver Staff If you were to ask the people of Copper Mountain, Colorado what they knew about Oakville, Ont, they would probably guess that it is the home of a ski resort nestled at the foot of a mountain. And who could blame them after two Oakville snowboarders blew into town and dominated at the USA Snowboard Association nationals earlier this month? A flat, lakeside town that lacks a decent tobogganing hill, much less a ski slope, certainly couldn't possibly produce two multimedal-winning snowboarders. Remarkably, Griffin Haines and Kaylie Buck didn't just come from the same town, they live on the same street: MacDonald Road, where the most terrain you'll find in the neighbourhood is a speed bump. Having no easily-accessible place to practise their trade didn't stop Haines and Buck from turning in outstanding performances in Colo- rado, though. Haines won the junior men's (under-17) boardercross and followed it up the next day with another victory in the junior men's giant slalom. Buck swept both the breaker girls' (1314 year-old) slalom and giant slalom events. The double-gold performances capped stellar seasons by both snowboarders. Haines won provincial title in junior boardercross and earned a silver medal in the open division in giant slalom. He followed that up with a bronze at nationals and a silver at the Ontario high school championships. He also filled a busy racing schedule by competing for the second year in NorAm races, the top development circuit in North America. "It's definitely a lot harder, but it's a lot more fun, too," Haines said. "I want to get in as many competitions as I can. The more competitions I do, the better I get. It's good experience being around the best guys and seeing how they are riding." The Grade 11 student at Oakville Trafalgar see Snowboarders on p.48 Griffin Haines negotiates a turn during the recent USA Snowboard Association national championships in Colorado, where he won both the junior men's boardercross and giant slalom events. | photo courtesy USA Snowboard Association