local sports

Coldstream’s Marty Stein (left) has signed with the National Hockey League’s Buffalo Sabres to be a Western Canada scout. Stein spent the last 25 years visiting arenas around North America as a scout with the Detroit Red Wings. (Morning Star - file photo)

Okanagan NHL scout moves from Red Wings to Sabres

Coldstream’s Marty Stein joins the Buffalo Sabres as a Western Canadian scout after 25 years and four Stanley Cups with Detroit

 

Vernon’s Predator Ridge Golf Resort has received high marks in a survey from a popular Canadian golf website. (Contributed)

North Okanagan golf course among Canada’s best public links

Predator Ridge Resort earns high praise for both of its 18-hole tracks at scoregolf.com

 

Andrew Poje and his ice dancing partener Kaitlyn Weaver were part of the Stars on Ice tour (Stars On Ice/Web)

Former Olympian set to coach at the Kelowna Skating Club

Andrew Poje competed in Sochi and Pyeongchang, now skates professionally

 

Coldstream’s Stacy Roest (left) enjoys a special moment with nephew Erick Roest of Lethbridge and the Stanley Cup Wednesday, Aug. 3, at Vernon’s Training House in Kal Tire Place North. Roest hosted a private function at the facility with the Cup, which he gets to spend a full day with as the assistant general manager of the back-to-back NHL champion Tampa Bay Lightning. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)

VIDEO: Stanley Cup makes Vernon appearance

Cup brought to private function by Tampa Bay Lightning assistant GM Stacy Roest of Coldstream

Coldstream’s Stacy Roest (left) enjoys a special moment with nephew Erick Roest of Lethbridge and the Stanley Cup Wednesday, Aug. 3, at Vernon’s Training House in Kal Tire Place North. Roest hosted a private function at the facility with the Cup, which he gets to spend a full day with as the assistant general manager of the back-to-back NHL champion Tampa Bay Lightning. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)
Lucas Hofer of the Vernon Jackals (with ball) stares down would-be Salmon Arm Yeti tacklers with teammate Kyle Richardson (left) in support during Okanagan Rugby Union action Saturday, July 24, at Salmon Arm’s Little Mountain Sports Field. (Vernon Jackals photo)

Vernon Jackals dismantle Salmon Arm Yeti as Okanagan Rugby Union kicks off

Four-time defending champion Jackals roll to 79-7 victory in season opener

Lucas Hofer of the Vernon Jackals (with ball) stares down would-be Salmon Arm Yeti tacklers with teammate Kyle Richardson (left) in support during Okanagan Rugby Union action Saturday, July 24, at Salmon Arm’s Little Mountain Sports Field. (Vernon Jackals photo)
Vernon Jackals back Travis Beck runs into a wall of Penticton Harlequins tacklers during the 2019 Okanagan Rugby League final in Vernon. The four-time champion Jackals, Harlequins and Salmon Arm Yeti begin the three-team ORU Saturday after a year’s absence. (Black Press file photo)

Okanagan Rugby Union returns to pitch

Vernon, Salmon Arm and Penticton will battle for spot in provincial finals in September

Vernon Jackals back Travis Beck runs into a wall of Penticton Harlequins tacklers during the 2019 Okanagan Rugby League final in Vernon. The four-time champion Jackals, Harlequins and Salmon Arm Yeti begin the three-team ORU Saturday after a year’s absence. (Black Press file photo)
Coldstream’s Stacey Roest kisses the Stanley Cup for a second straight year. Roest is the assistant general manager of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, who blanked the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 Wednesday, July 7, in Tampa Bay to win the final series four games to one. (Roest family photo)

Okanagan NHL executive relishes consecutive Stanley Cups

Stacey Roest is the assistant GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL champions in 2020 and 2021

Coldstream’s Stacey Roest kisses the Stanley Cup for a second straight year. Roest is the assistant general manager of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, who blanked the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 Wednesday, July 7, in Tampa Bay to win the final series four games to one. (Roest family photo)
The Kelowna Rockets’ Cal Foote warms up before a game against the Spokane Chiefs on January 10, 2017. (Marissa Baecker/Kelowna Rockets)

Kelowna Rockets alumni celebrate Stanley Cup win

Tampa Bay Lightning defencemen Cal Foote and Luke Schenn played junior hockey in Kelowna

The Kelowna Rockets’ Cal Foote warms up before a game against the Spokane Chiefs on January 10, 2017. (Marissa Baecker/Kelowna Rockets)
Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil has advanced into the second round of men’s singles at the Wimbledon Championships in London Tuesday, June 29, scoring a straight sets win over a Spanish opponent. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Rick Rycroft)

Okanagan tennis star sweeps into Round 2 at Wimbledon

Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil scores straight sets win over Spanish opponent Tuesday, June 29, in London

Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil has advanced into the second round of men’s singles at the Wimbledon Championships in London Tuesday, June 29, scoring a straight sets win over a Spanish opponent. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Rick Rycroft)
Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil begins singles play Tuesday, and doubles action Wednesday, at The Wimbledon Championships in London. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo)

Okanagan tennis star ready for Wimbledon

Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil tunes up by reaching quarterfinals at event in Eastbourne; won doubles at Wimbledon in 2014

Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil begins singles play Tuesday, and doubles action Wednesday, at The Wimbledon Championships in London. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo)
Vernon’s Eric de Nys will leave his role as head coach and program director of the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club to become the new NextGen coach with Nordiq Canada. (Nordiq Canada photo)

Okanagan man chosen coach of Nordiq Canada NextGen squad

Vernon’s Eric de Nys will leave the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club to take over new position in August

Vernon’s Eric de Nys will leave his role as head coach and program director of the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club to become the new NextGen coach with Nordiq Canada. (Nordiq Canada photo)
Accompanied by her crew, and with the adoring public on hand to welcome her, Vernon’s Leah Goldstein makes history Saturday, June 26, in Annapolis, Maryland, becoming the first woman solo rider to win the Race Across America. (Facebook photo)

Okanagan cyclist makes history as first female solo rider to win world’s toughest race

Vernon’s Leah Goldstein was accompanied by her crew Saturday night in Annapolis, Maryland as she finished the Race Across America

Accompanied by her crew, and with the adoring public on hand to welcome her, Vernon’s Leah Goldstein makes history Saturday, June 26, in Annapolis, Maryland, becoming the first woman solo rider to win the Race Across America. (Facebook photo)
Wayne Derkach buys a raffle ticket off Funtastic general manager Akbal Mund in support of local sports groups Friday in front of ARC Liquor. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)

Funtastic still pitching in support for North Okanagan sports groups

Despite no ball tournament or music festival, organizers are fundraising to give back

Wayne Derkach buys a raffle ticket off Funtastic general manager Akbal Mund in support of local sports groups Friday in front of ARC Liquor. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)
Former Vernon Panthers football standout Ben Hladik of the UBC Thunderbirds (top, in a game against the Manitoba Bisons, making one of his 38 Canada West solo tackles in 2019), was chosen by the in Tuesday’s 2021 Canadian Football League draft. (Rich Lam - UBC Thunderbirds photo)

B.C. Lions call on Vernon standout in CFL draft

Canadian Football League club selects former VSS Panthers star Ben Hladik in third round of league draft

Former Vernon Panthers football standout Ben Hladik of the UBC Thunderbirds (top, in a game against the Manitoba Bisons, making one of his 38 Canada West solo tackles in 2019), was chosen by the in Tuesday’s 2021 Canadian Football League draft. (Rich Lam - UBC Thunderbirds photo)
Splatsin First Nation member Darian Williams, 17, a Vernon archer, is one of six Interior region winners of the 2020 Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sports. (I-SPARC photo)

Okanagan Indigenous athletes recognized for excellence

Vernon archer Darian Williams and Kelowna multi-sport star Tuja Dreyer among six regional finalists for Premier’s Awards

Splatsin First Nation member Darian Williams, 17, a Vernon archer, is one of six Interior region winners of the 2020 Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sports. (I-SPARC photo)
The Chilliwack Chiefs and Coquitlam Express will finally play games in early April as the BCHL squeezes in a shortened 20 game season. Just-announced provincial funding may help the junior A league offset financial losses caused by the COVID pandemic. (Darren Francis photo)

Province provides relief funding for amateur sport

The government is directing $15 million to teams/leagues impacted by the COVID pandemic

The Chilliwack Chiefs and Coquitlam Express will finally play games in early April as the BCHL squeezes in a shortened 20 game season. Just-announced provincial funding may help the junior A league offset financial losses caused by the COVID pandemic. (Darren Francis photo)
Lumby Para-Alpine skier Logan Leach (left, with guide Caele Kassa of Vernon) races to silver at the 2019 Canada Winter Games. Leach is a finalist for Sport BC’s Athlete with a Disability Award that will be presented virtually Thursday, March 25, at the 54th annual Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards. (Facebook photo)

North Okanagan skier up for provincial honour

Visually impaired Logan Leach up for Athlete with a Disability at 54th annual Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards to be presented Thursday

Lumby Para-Alpine skier Logan Leach (left, with guide Caele Kassa of Vernon) races to silver at the 2019 Canada Winter Games. Leach is a finalist for Sport BC’s Athlete with a Disability Award that will be presented virtually Thursday, March 25, at the 54th annual Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards. (Facebook photo)
Greater Vernon B.C. Winter Games 2022 committee has released its branding for the event which will run Feb. 24-27. (Photo submitted)

Vernon BC Games committee releases branding

Branding, logo released; director of marketing named

Greater Vernon B.C. Winter Games 2022 committee has released its branding for the event which will run Feb. 24-27. (Photo submitted)
Armstrong’s Jesse Crowe, shown at the home of golf, St. Andrew’s in Scotland, has been named the Royal York Golf Course’s director of golf operations. (Facebook photo)

Okanagan golf pro soars to home course position

Jesse Crowe becomes director of golf operations at Armstrong’s Royal York Golf Course

Armstrong’s Jesse Crowe, shown at the home of golf, St. Andrew’s in Scotland, has been named the Royal York Golf Course’s director of golf operations. (Facebook photo)
Vernon’s Jim Cotter (left) and third Steve Laycock of Saskatoon will be joined by the Kelowna front end of Rick Sawatsky and Andrew Nerpin, and fifth player Tyler Tardi of Cloverdale, at the Tim Horton’s Brier Canadian men’s curling championship starting March 5 in a bubble environment in Calgary. (Black Press file photo)

Okanagan rink ready for Brier marathon

B.C./Saskatchewan team could play 14 games in 10 days to win Canadian men’s curling championship

Vernon’s Jim Cotter (left) and third Steve Laycock of Saskatoon will be joined by the Kelowna front end of Rick Sawatsky and Andrew Nerpin, and fifth player Tyler Tardi of Cloverdale, at the Tim Horton’s Brier Canadian men’s curling championship starting March 5 in a bubble environment in Calgary. (Black Press file photo)