1969-70 Yorkton Terrier Senior Hockey Team
The 1969-70 team won both the Saskatchewan Senior League championships and the provincial senior hockey championships. The team went on to represent Saskatchewan in interprovincial play, bowing out in the quarter finals to St. Boniface MB. This group of players was one of the many great senior teams to come out of Yorkton. From 1967 to 1972 the team won three league titles and four provincial championships. About three-quarters of the team played during all five years of this powerful Terrier era. In 1970-71 the Western Allan Cup playoffs were hosted in Yorkton. The Terriers placed a respectable third. This was the first time the tournament was held to determine the western representative in the Allan Cup.
The success of the team was due to the combined efforts of the executive, managers, trainers, coaches and players. The talent and the tenacity of the team could not be denied. The executive and Manager/Coach Jerry Bulitz built a powerful well-balanced team averaging 25 years of age. Players included overage juniors who had completed university or college careers, former pro hockey players and other local players with hockey talent. The 1969-70 the team had six players in the top 10 scorers of the Saskatchewan League with Barry Ross once again winning the scoring title. Many of this team continued to play for the Old Time Terrier Hockey Club after the Allan Cup disappeared and the Canadian Oldtimers Hockey Association was formed. The local team played in eleven national championships from 1974 to 1983, twice placing third.
Members of the club were Dr. Jack McIntyre, Jim Caudle, Bob Ribchester, Bill Flett, Ron Skinner, Bill Sharrock, Merv Martiniuk, Al Frisk, Scott Preston, Warren Hall, Lorne Graham, Glen Thorpe, Norm Andrews, Manager/Coach Jerry Bulitz, Jim Hyrciuk, Steve Kozicki, Merv Kuryluk, Terry Grindle, Reg Coles, Paul Josephson, Don Anderson, Jerry Hudy, Barry Ross, Terry Pollock, Barry Trapp, Al Ford, Rene Berthelette, Don Owen (stickboy), Doug Dilts, Ken Schutz, Dwight Burchell, Gerry James, Doug Everett, Marcel Mongrain, Mark Wilton and Larry Tymko (stickboy).
1982 Yorkton Macs Juvenile Boys Volleyball Team
1982 Yorkton Macs Midget Boys Volleyball Team
The Yorkton Volleyball Club teams had great success, exemplified by the 1982 versions of both the Midget and Juvenile teams. The Midget team won the provincial title and also the Western Canadian Championships held in Winnipeg. For Midgets, age 15 and under, this was the highest level of competition available. The Juvenile Macs won the Provincial championship and went on to place second, winning the silver medals at the Canadian finals in Saskatoon. The Yorkton Volleyball Club also produced a senior men's Western Canadian silver medalist team coached by Lawrence Wegner that same year.
Both the Midget and Juvenile teams were coached by mastermind volleyball coach Dennis Pomeroy. Both were part of an extended era of successful volleyball teams that continue to put Yorkton on the map as a hot-spot for volleyball throughout Canada. Both were renowned for their high level of skill and technique, attributed to the very successful junior high school programs in the city, the many local coaches who contributed to the sport at the school and club level, and to the commitment and technical expertise of coach Pomeroy.
A number of the players were on the 1985 and 1987 Canada Games team for Saskatchewan, where both teams won gold: Robbie Pasisnik and Mark Stebner in 1985 and Dion Pfeifer, Allan Tkatch, Mark Stebner, Brent Brezinski, Travis Koch, Connely Pura, Darren Tenyke and Brad Surjik in 1987.
The Macs Juvenile team members were Coach Dennis Pomeroy, Tim Bjornson, Ron Parchomchuk, Ward Stebner, Brad Reddekopp, Grant Duscherer, Glen Gibson, Robbie Pasishnik, Brian Gavlas, Tim Johnson, Ian MacKay and Michael Lackmanec.
The Macs Midget team members were Coach Dennis Pomeroy, Collin Maleschuk, Scott Borys, Paul Procychshyn, Dion Pleifer, Fred Dionne, Robbie Pasishnik, Gregg Parchomchuk, Ron Parchomchuk, Blaine Tendler and Edwin Mark. The club president was Harvey Stebner.
Michael Bidnock
Athlete: Swimming
Although proficient in a number of sports, it was at the swimming pool that Mike really excelled. In 1948, 1954 and 1958, Mike was the 1-metre and 3-metre Nova Scotia diving champion. In 1958 and 1959, he won the 3-metre diving championship for all of the Maritimes. At the same Maritime championships he won the 50 meter freestyle and in doing so, set a new record.
His prowess in the pool earned him an invitation to the 1951 Pan Am Games but due to his commitments to the Navy he was unable to attend.
Over the years, Mike took up and succeeded in a number of other sports, including fastball, track and field, bowling and golf. More than 100 trophies are a testament to his skill in these sports. Eventually Mike returned to his first love, the swimming pool. In 1998 he set new Master provincial records for 75 to 79-year-olds in the 25m, 50m, 100m and the 1400m.
Gail Harris (Williams)
Athlete: Track
From a very young age, Gail was involved in a broad spectrum of sports including figure skating, badminton, volleyball and basketball. She soon realized that her real love was track and field. While at Yorkdale Junior High, the Yorkton Regional High School and as a member of the Yorkton Legion Track Club, Gail represented Yorkton throughout Saskatchewan and across Canada.
After graduation she moved to Calgary to train with the Calgary Spartans Track Club. Improved training and coaching soon catapulted her on the international scene where she represented Canada all over the world. Her travels included the Bahamas, the USA, Japan, Israel, Poland, Britain, and Yugoslavia. The highlight of her career was a bronze medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand.
Gail's talent eventually earned her an athletic scholarship to Boston College. There she completed her degree and track career in 1993. Gail's talent and passion for track and field led to success at all levels. At various times she held over 30 records at the local, provincial and national level. A number of these records still stand.
John Loster
Athlete, Builder: Bowling
John Loster excelled in the sport of bowling as a competitor, a coach and adminisrator. Over his 27 years in the sport, he won numerous medals, trophies and awards at local, provincial and national levels.
John's true legacy is probably best summed up by the following quote from his nomination papers: "John put far more into bowling that he ever received. This however is not how he would see it. For he, in his own humble way, did not covet the awards that were given him. He simply wanted to help. His involvement in the sport was truly a reflection of who he was as a person. His sense of community, his humor and his humanity all found expression within the sport. His fondest memories were not of pins knocked down but people built up."
In April 2000 the John Loster Memorial Trophy was established and is given to the volunteer who gives most of their time and effort.
