Summer time athletes excelled in their respective sports, competing on the national, international and world stage.
July:
3 – Fruitvale athlete Claire Samulak is named to Canada’s Modern Pentathlon team and will compete at the Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.
4 – Fruitvale baseball players Allison Schroder (Team BC) and Daniella Matteucci (Team Ontario) play against each other at the Women’s National Baseball Championships in Okotoks, Alta. BC wins the game, but Ontario goes on to win the championship.
5 – Two Trail men, Brad Martin and Garry Dintheer, invent Rod Sprocket and make it to the top 100 finalists in Telus Pitch contest.
- Trail Track and Field athletes Jaxon Kuchar wins gold in the Steeplechase and Sadie Joyce tops podium in high jump at the Jack Brow Memorial Track and Field Meet in Kelowna.
10 – The West Kootenay ‘A’ Orioles clinch first place in the American Division of the Spokane American Legion Baseball League, and book a trip to the District playoffs in Spokane.
17 – Trail Minor All Stars win the Chataqua Days Baseball Tournament in Chewelah.
18 – Fruitvale golfer Scott Browell sinks an ace on the second hole at Champion Lakes Golf Course to win a $10,000 hole-in-one prize sponsored by Kootenay Chrysler at the Re/Max Men’s Open Championship.
19 – The West Kootenay Rebels fastball team brings home gold from the U16C Girls BC Softball Championships in Quesnel.
23 – Fruitvale native Barret Jackman is inducted into the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame on the weekend at a ceremony in Penticton. On hand to make the presentation was Trail native Steve Tambellini, who was inducted into the Hall in 2004.
- The West Kootenay Orioles capture the Spokane American Legion District title and earn berth into the Washington State American Legion ‘A’ championship in Richland, Wash., this weekend.
31 – Trail AM Ford Orioles get set to host the BC Men’s Baseball Championship at Butler Park.
August:
2 – West Kootenay ‘A’ Orioles capture the Washington State ‘A’ Baseball championship with 14-6 final victory over host team the Hanford Flames. Pitcher Marshall Debruyn earns tournament MVP.
6 – The Trail AM Ford Orioles lose 8-4 to the Kamloops Sun Devils in quarterfinal of B.C. Men’s Baseball championship.
7 – Kamloops Sun Devils win the Men’s provincial title with a stunning 1-0 victory over the Burnaby Bulldogs.
8 – Seven Trail Stingrays swimmers qualify to compete at the BC Summer Swimming Association provincial championships in Kamloops. Swimmers include Aubrey, Reuben, and Keira Demmler; Kate, Claire, and Paul Fricke; and Ian Markus.
9 – Former Beaver Valley Nitehawk captain Jake Morissette calls it a career, retiring from the Cardiff Devils of the Elite Ice Hockey League in Europe.
13 – Trail Track and Field athlete Jaxon Kuchar wins gold in the 1,500-m Steeplechase at the Royal Canadian Legion National Youth Track and Field Meet in Cape Breton, NS.
14 – The Birchbank Golf Course celebrates the 75th year of the Rossland-Trail Open.
- Trail native Burhan Pourmokhtari won first place in the light-heavyweight division at the Canadian Bodybuilding Federation (CBBF) National championship at Laval University in Montreal.
15 – Fruitvale pitcher Allison Schroder is set to play for Team Canada at the Pan Am Women’s Baseball Championship in Aquascalientes, Mex., with the top four teams qualifying for the 2020 WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup.
16 – Professional hockey player Travis St. Denis enjoys his return home to Trail and helping out with Champions Hockey School.
20 - Pitt Meadows golfer Kevin Hogg shot 9-under-par, 207, to capture his third Rossland-Trail Men’s Open title at the Birchbank Golf Course.
22 – Intraline endorsement helps Greater Trail golfer Garrett Kucher take his game to the next level and a swing at the European Tour.
29 – Expectations are high for the Beaver Valley Nitehawks as they start their Main Camp.
September:
3 – Trail Smoke Eaters announce leadership group with Tyler Ghirardosi, Kent Johnson, and Powell Connor assisting captain Philippe Lapointe.
9 – Trail Smoke Eaters kick off 2019-20 season in disappointing fashion, drop two home games to Penticton Vees.
17 – Brad Harding wins Birchbank Retirees Club championship with an overall low gross of 75, while Brian Austin wins low net with a 64.
18 – The Beaver Valley Nitehawks alumni raise over $9,000 for former player Tyler Leavitt in a golf tournament and fundraiser at Champion Lakes Golf Course. The 37-year-old Montrose resident is a husband and father of three young children, and battling Stage IV esophageal cancer.
19 - A strong contingent of West Kootenay athletes took home 89 medals including 30 gold, 27 silver and 32 bronze from the 2019 55+ BC Games in Kelowna.
25 – Smoke Eaters forward Kent Johnson earns Player of the Week honours for picking up 10-points in four games.
- Pride Gym’s Gilbert Champagne wins two gold medals and a silver at the NAGA Jiu Jitsu Tournament in Everett, Wash., while Noah Champagne captures double silver in Expert Teens class.
