Posted by Sudbury Northern Life
Each and every week, I encounter dozen of reasons to remind
me that athletic optimism prevails in the Nickel City.
A few weeks back, I shared a coffee with police constable Rob
St. Marseille - just another in what seems to be an endless
string of Sudbury volunteers simply looking to move forward
with their particular sporting passion. In the case of the son
of former NHLer Frank St. Marseille, that would be cycling, or
mountain biking to be much more specific.
St. Marseille is spearheading the Walden Mountain Bike Club, a
group with a mandate that he maintains helps to fill yet
another void in the fabric of sport in Sudbury.
"I would love to have a club here that would be active in the
community and help to build a riding community," said the
long-time cyclist. "To offer an opportunity for people to go
mountain biking with an organized group and at the same time,
learn about bike safety, bike maintenance and how to be a
better rider."
Cycling, most certainly, has a presence and rich tradition
within the area. The Sudbury Cycling Club, with coach Battista
Muredda at the helm, can boast Olympians, international riders
and many among the provincial elite in the listing of the
club's alumni.
St. Marseille would be only too happy to see his group inch its
way closer to attaining a similar status. That will take time,
and many small steps along the way. The awarding of the 2010
Ontario Summer Games to the City of Greater Sudbury has helped
move the process along, as the multi-sport event includes both
mountain biking and BMX racing within the sporting realm
Sudburians will be treated to come next August.
To that end, St. Marseille and company have been working very
closely with the energetic gathering that is the Walden
Cross-Country Fitness Club.
"The Naughton site is a combination of the ski trails, plus a
number of people have made some single track trails that could
be used as hiking trails and snowshoe trails in the winter,"
said St. Marseille. "And it's also good mountain biking."
So what constitutes a "good mountain biking course" when it
comes to challenging the talents of some of the province's top
young riders?
"Fitness has to be as much as a component as your technical
ability," St Marseille explained.
"Mountain bike racing has a combination of single track and
double track sections - there has to be some fairly significant
climbing involved, and some obstacles on the course - rocks and
roots."
While the Ontario Summer Games and the development and
progression of a competitive racing arm within the Walden
Mountain Bike Club represent important steps forward, St.
Marseille knows all too well that growth within the club will
come much moreso from the recreational cyclists.
"Our club should promote mountain biking as a fairly
cost-effective, fun and relatively safe sport that everyone can
enjoy," said St. Marseille. Further, he said he envisions the
club playing a larger role, maintaining a responsibility within
the local sports community.
"We have a responsibility as a club to foster a good
relationship with other users of the trails."
It's a vision St. Marseille said he hopes he shares with many
in Sudbury.
Another Sudbury athlete moving to post-secondary competition
In last week's column, I noted a handful of local athletes
moving onto the next step in their sporting careers. Add
goaltender Shawn Sirman to that mix. Fresh off an appearance at
the Royal Bank Cup national championships with the Kingston
Voyageurs, the Valley East resident has accepted a scholarship
offer with the University of Maine Black Bears come September.
Sirman was part of an exceptionally talented troika of
1990-born netminders coming up through the local hockey ranks
at one point, plying his trade alongside OHLers Tyler
Beskorowany and Alain Valiquette for many years.
After suiting up with the Valley East Cobras of the Great North
Midget League in 2005-06, Sirman enjoyed success at the junior
level, first with the Blind River Beavers (2006-07) and the
Quinte West Pack (2007-08), before settling in nicely with the
Voyageurs this past year.
Through their playoff run to the Royal Bank Cup, the Voyageurs
leaned heavily on Sirman, as the former Oshawa Generals draft
pick played every minute of every single post-season game
between the pipes for Kingston.
Heading to join coach Tim Whitehead and the Black Bears'
program, Sirman will hook up with a school that has enjoyed 11
appearances over the years at the Frozen Four among a total of
17 NCAA tournament visits.
Randy Pascal is the voice of Persona 10 Sports and the
founder of SudburySports.com.
