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HONOURARY 2008 CHAIRPERSON - Jamie
Roach
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Some time in Grade 8, around 1976, it happened.
Basketball worked its spell on Jamie Roach. For kids in Sussex at
that time, their only exposure to the sport was through gym class or
watching the Sonics, under the direction of Peter McAleenan, who had
arrived in Sussex just a couple of years earlier.
Cable TV was in its infancy in Sussex but didn't
carry CBS, which aired the NBA games. The odd Boston game was
available on another channel, but if you lived in the country, tough
luck, cable didn't reach that far. As basketball surged in
popularity, so did sales of basketball nets and eventually a net was
set up in Roach's farmyard garage. Magazines like Basketball Digest
were gobbled up in a distant attempt to follow the pros and many a
night in bed was spent listening to gravel-voiced Johnny Most
calling the Boston games on radio when the faraway signal permitted.
After graduating from Sussex Regional High
School in 1981, Roach toiled on the family farm, but developed a
passion for the arts; mainly drawing, painting and photography. It
led to the beginning of a journalism career in 1987.
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Over the next 20 years, he
became a mainstay at the Kings County Record, working in several
roles including chief editor, sports editor, photographer, general
reporter and graphic designer. He has also won several Canadian and
Atlantic community newspaper awards.
The sports beat has followed Roach all along as
has his DTC involvement. He was away at art college when the first
DTC packed the SRHS gym in 1987, but has been there for every one
since - including many years as a committee member.
"Looking back on the DTC, the John Ryan years rank
as my favourite memories," he said. "It was a special time for the
tournament and the sport in Sussex. The Classic caught on quickly
with the public and crowds flocked to the gym for the event, usually
resulting in standing-room only attendance when the Sonics played."
Roach said the year the Sonic boys won the NBIAA
title in 1991 with a dramatic second-half comeback in the title game
against the Fredericton Black Kats was definitely a great highlight
as well. The Sonics also repeated as DTC champs that year.
"The Dairy Town Classic has raised the bar very
high in terms of a first-class high school basketball tournament,"
he said. "It is professionally organized and carried out; and the
competition is top-notch."
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GUEST SPEAKER - BANQUET,
Friday , 2007 - Darrell Turnbull
Darrell grew up in the tiny community of
Williamsburg, the oldest of five children, on a family farm. He had
responsibilities typical of a son on a farm and it was from these
responsibilities that he attributes many of the values and beliefs that
he holds today. He understood at an early age what hard work was, what
it meant to have people depend on you, and the feeling of satisfaction
when a task was completed to the best of your ability.
Darrell graduated
from Stanley High School in 1975. He then attended UNB in Fredericton,
first in the faculty of Forestry, and then in Education. While at UNB he
was approached to play basketball by then coach Don Nelson, but he
declined because of the work committment he had in Forestry. He regrets
that decision even to today, that he did not seize that opportunity and
at least try.
Darrell’s first teaching job was at Tobique Valley
High School in Plaster Rock from 1981 to 1986 and then he transferred to
Carleton North High School in Bristol NB where he still teaches.
Mr.
Russell Cook, principal of Carleton North at the time, was largely
responsible for his transfer to Carleton North. Russell was a basketball
nut and he was aware of the girls program that Darrell had started at
Tobique Valley and the quick success they were having with that program.
In just three years they were able to compete with the AA' schools in
the area, even though they were an A' school.
With Russell’s
unwavering support, Darrell was able to build a girls basketball program
to be very proud of, and one that is
one of the best at
any high school level, in not just NB, but in the Maritimes. In the
twenty year history (1987 - 2007) of the Final Twelve format, where NB
crowns it Provincial Champions at the Aitkin University Centre at UNB in
Fredericton, Carleton North varsity girls have played in 14 finals
winning 9 of those.
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Besides working in the high school
programs Darrell helped start the Northern Carleton Minor Basketball
Association. He has also coached at the mini and middle school level
and have been fortunate to work with good students, good athletes
and supportive parents which has helped the programs to be
successful in developing a strong feeder foundation for the girls
high school program.
A total of 13
girls have gone on from Carleton North to play basketball at the
university level, the most recent one being Jillian Sipprell, with
the Varsity Reds.
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Darrell
has been married to Mary for 25 years. It is true that behind every
good man is a better woman! They have two children, Eryn
in her fourth at St. Francis Xavier
University in Antigonish, NS and she will graduate this year with a
Bachelor of Science degree. Joshua is in his first year of
Mechanical Engineering at UNB in Fredericton. Darrell had the great
fortune to have been able to teach and coach both of his children in
high school and they have many memorable and fond basketball
memories to share.
With the graduation of Joshua from high school this past June,
Darrell decided to put the clipboard away and focus his energy with
other interests. Darrell will always be a strong advocate of the
"game". It has been a significant part of his life.
He will continue to encourage, support
and work with young student athletes that wish to learn and
experience all that the game of basketball has to offer.
In
1994, Darrell was honoured with the Peg McAleenan Award as the NBIAA
High School Girls Coach of the Year.
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PAST GUEST SPEAKERS
2007 - Jeff Speedy
2006 - Fred Nykamp
2005 - Micheal Bishop
2004 - Don Walker
2003 - Gary Young
2002 - Jim
Charters
2001 - Renee Poirier
2000 - Peter Corby
1999 - Meaghan Kenny
1998 - Brian Forsythe
1997 - Tim Hynes
1996 - John Ryan
1995 - Clint Hamilton
1994 - Jim Thorburn
1993 - Dick Steeves
1992 - Brian Forbes
1991 - Don Grant
1990 - Don Nelson
1989 - Rob Upshaw
1988 - Tom Hanley
1987 - Tony Tamaro
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PAST HONORARY CHAIRPERSONS
2007 - Ron Harvey
2006 - Michael Swift
2005 - Micheal & Mary Maxwell
2004 - Danny & Cheryl Keith
2003 - Gordon & Irene Lewis
2002 - Shirley Robinson
2001 - John Robinson Sr.
2000 - Linda Colpitts
1999 - Allan Stafford
1998 - Doug Doney
1997 - Ian & Brenda Leask
1996 - Gary & Sheila Nixon
1995 - Hans & Sandra Lammens
1994 - Jim & Eileen Ryan
1993 - Jackie & Cecil McGarrigle
1992 - Allan Charters
1991 - John Muscroft
1990 - Andrea Dwyer
1989 - George Keays
1988 - Jarvis McQuinn
1987 - Donald Reicker
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