ONTARIO JUNIOR BASSMASTERS TEAM
HEADS SOUTH OF BORDER TO DEFEND TITLE
On July 11th, the Ontario Junior Bassmaster
Divisional Team will be competing in a youth-only bass tournament on
Buggs Island Lake in Virginia. Here they will try and defend their
2002 Junior Bassmaster Divisional Champions" title. Last year in
Delaware, they surprised the bass angling world when they defeated
all the other state youth teams with their first place finish. This
also marked the first time ever that a non-American team won the
Junior BASS Championships. Three of the Juniors are veterans from
last year's team, but for the rest it's a whole new experience. All
of these young anglers are incredibly proud of their accomplishments
so far. They are even more proud however to be representing Canada
and competing amongst all the American youth in this prestigious
fishing event.
The Junior Bassmaster Team:
11 to 14 years old: Kyle Heels from the Barrie club, Joe Elliott,
South Bruce club (Teeswater), Trevor Studiman, KW club (Cambridge)
and Scott Barnim, West Toronto Brawling Junior Bassmaster club (Ennismore).
15 to 17 years old: Darcy Whytock, South Bruce club
(Teeswater), Josh Toonders KW club (Cambridge) and one alternate
Steve Rowbotham from the Barrie club.
From this tournament one angler from each age group
will qualify to go on and represent Ontario in the Junior
Bassmasters National Tournament in 2004.
For hundreds of avid bass anglers across the
province, the Ontario BASS Federation (OBF) is synonymous with adult
clubs that hold tournaments, perform conservation projects, host
casting kids events, and are involved in promoting fishing as a
wholesome and rewarding activity. Several of Ontario's best young
anglers however, belong to youth Bassmaster clubs that also perform
their own conservation projects, and fish in their own youth
tournaments. Each year the top young anglers represent Team Ontario,
but unlike their adult counterparts they also have to complete their
annual "resume books" which outline all the community, and
conservation events the young anglers took part in that year.
Two representatives from the young Ontario team who
have already qualified last year will hit the road again shortly
after they get back home to Canada for another even larger bass
tournament. This time the tournament will be The JUNIOR BASSMASTERS
NATIONAL TOURNAMENT at Smithville Lake in Missouri on July 18-19
2003. The two skilled young anglers were each the top 2002 points
leaders from the Juniors - 13 year old Kyle Heels from Barrie and
the leading senior 17 year old - Darcy Whytock from South Bruce.
The OBF's ultimate goal in sending these fine young
anglers to these prestigious tournaments is not just about winning
or loosing. The Ontario BASS Federation is all too aware that
angling participation among today's youth is declining. We believe
that by sending these Junior Bassmasters to such high profile
events, that in some small way we can highlight the great sport of
fishing for today's youth and ultimately attract more young anglers
at the grass routes level.
For more information about the OBF Youth program,
please check out the website at:
www.ontariobassfederation.com
Press release prepared by:
Wil Wegman
OBF Conservation/Media Director
wil.wegman@rogers.com
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