bantamboys

CHICO'S BOWL BANTAM BOYS WIN PROVINCIAL TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

The Bantam Boys Team from Chico's Bowl was all eager and ready to "roll" during the Provincial Championships held in Dryden during the weekend of March 10 to 12, 2006. By the end of the weekend, this group of 8 to 11 year old boys had done what most bowlers will never accomplish. They are now the Northern Ontario Provincial Champions for 2006 and will head to the Nationals which will be hosted by Sudbury on May 6 to 8.

This happy group of boys, albeit somewhat tired from the stress of competition, proudly display their banners, emblematic of their accomplishment - Provincial Bantam Boys Team Champs. From the left we have: Roch Pelissier, Cole Brabant, Justin Foucault, Phillipe Butler, Kye Michaud and coach Rheal Labranche in the background

CHICO'S DOES WELL IN SINGLES COMPETITION AS WELL

In the Singles competition, Georges Theriault was a bronze medal winner in the Bantam Boys Division, while Kara Treling took home the silver in the Junior Girls' Division.

JUNIOR BOYS MEET TOUGH OPPOSITION

The Junior Boys Division provided tough competition and was just too much for the Chico's Juniors who did their best but finished out of the medals. Members of the Junior Boys team included Eric Filion, Prosper Audette, Mathew Wiebes, Ryan Brabant, Matthieu Butler, coach Denis Cayen.

BANTAM TEAM ON TO THE NATIONALS IN SUDBURY

Now that they have a Northern Ontario Provincial Championship under their belt, there is no time to rest.

Coach Rheal Labranche shown in the background, will be spending about three nights a week during March and April trying to bring the boys to the peak of their performance abilities in order to give them their shot at a National title.

The team which will be carrying the colours of Chico's Bowl are, from the left: Kye Michaud, Roch Pelissier, Phillipe Butler, Justin Foucault, and Cole Brabant.

Rheal Labranche is a Master Bowler with 18 years experience who posts an average of about 225 while playing in three different leagues during the week at Chico's Bowl in Hanmer. He then spends Saturday mornings coaching the Y.B.C. bowlers. It was from this Saturday morning group that he assembled the Championship Team.

"It's always been my dream to take a group of young bowlers to a National Championship," explained Rheal. "Now my dream can become a reality, so I am going to work hard with the boys for the next two months. All we need to do is get another 10% improvement from them and we have a real shot at the title.

The Nationals will be held in Sudbury from May 6 to 8, 2006. Play will be at all seven bowling alleys in the district. The Bantam Boys will be playing at the Valley Bowl in Chelmsford, so Rheal intends on holding many practices on those lanes in order to help his team get accustomed to the alley.

The entire community will be pulling for the young boys from Chico's as they attempt to bring a National Championship home to Valley East.