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Tisdale recognizes Harvey Weber for decades of track and field coaching

TISDALE — A former Tisdale Middle & Secondary School teacher was presented with an award to recognize his 28 years as an athletics and track and field coach.
Harvey Weber
Harvey Weber, right, was recognized with a Volunteer of the Year Lifetime Achievement from the Town of Tisdale for his 28 years of coaching athletics and track and field. Beside him is Carmen Messer. Photo by Jessica R. Durling

TISDALE — A former Tisdale Middle & Secondary School teacher was presented with an award to recognize his 28 years as an athletics and track and field coach.

Harvey Weber was presented the Volunteer of the Year Lifetime Achievement for his work with creating the track and field team in Tisdale at the 38th annual Appreciation Night in Tisdale.

“I was a [University of Saskatchewan] Huskie track and cross-country athlete for four years and after finishing university I wanted to try to make the national team,” Weber said. “I didn’t make it; I was one spot from making the national team to go to Wales.”

That was in 1987.

This wasn’t his last chance; there was another competition he was confident he could qualify for making the national team in 1988.

“I was sitting in the Ottawa airport and had to make a decision to go back to my mom and dad’s 25th wedding anniversary, or I go to our competition in Montreal which I probably would have qualified to make the national team. So right there, sitting with my coach, I decided to go back to my mom and dad’s 25th wedding rather than try out and make that last chance and the national team. I don’t regret it, family is very important to me.”

Afterwards he started to work as a teacher in Fox Valley.

“I taught for two years in Fox Valley,” Weber said. “I was still training athletes. I wanted to be within two hours of Saskatoon and I also wanted to be closer to my home, which is Wadena. So I applied for a job here in Tisdale and initially I was their second choice.”

As fate would have it their first choice rejected the offer, finding employment in Prince Albert, and Weber was hired as a teacher in Tisdale during the fall of 1990.

“When I moved to Fox Valley I continued to train but I had made a decision I’m probably not going to make the national team, I’m probably not going to make the Olympic team. So in Fox Valley there wasn’t an abundance of programs and opportunities but when I came to Tisdale there were so many more athletes, so many more kids, so much more equipment and facilities that I thought I needed to start this program.”

He found Tisdale to have a community to support his program.

“I really liked the people and I liked how there was so much community support, so much parent support that I got,” Weber said. “Anytime I needed parents to drive to a track meet or help out at a track meet or co-ordinate something there was always somebody there I could lean on, and that just made it so much easier than trying to do it on my own. If I was trying to do it on my own it wouldn’t have happened.”

While he is retired as a teacher and as a coach for the Tisdale Track Club, he still is involved with the sport.

“I’m not retiring from track, what I’ve been doing, actually in Saskatoon I’m involved with two track programs there,” Weber said. “Then I’m still competing on my own and I do coach actually some adults as well, they’re actually new residents and new immigrants to Canada and I work with them on a weekly basis as well.”

Weber said one of the things he’ll miss the most about retiring from the Tisdale Track Club is seeing the athletes progress, and achieving their highest level.

“It’s when they make that achievement and you know they’re unbelievably happy, that means the most to me,” Weber said. “I’d just like to thank the community, for 28 years Tisdale has been my home. It’s amazing to come back, even that I’ve only been away for a short period of time. Hits me right to my heart.”

The Tisdale Appreciation Night delivers awards to members of the community for their accomplishments in sports, arts and volunteering.

Other award winners included the Tisdale and District Strings, Tisdale Peewee AA Ramblers, TMSS Archery, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Nipawin Hawks and Tisdale Track Club.

The Tisdale and District Strings included members Jennifer Summach, Tilka Chapman, Natalia Stephaniuk, Austin Novak, Sianne Bassingthwaite, Shawn McAdam and their instructors Rebecca Hankins-Vopni and Alicia Vopni-Summach. Members of the Tisdale Peewee AA Ramblers, Co-provincial Champions, included Zachary Bansley, Hunter Bleile, Franky Chaboyer, Blake Ekren-Bratton, Luc Fortier, Pavel MaKenzie, Cohen Morin, Owen Myhre, Matthew Ofukany, Nolan Patterson, Finley Radloff, Tarin Smith, Cole Taylor, Raydr Wallington and Roan Woodward. Their head coach was Mike Woodward, assistant coach was Sheldon Ofukany, trainer was Curtis Bleile and managers were Christie Myhre and Sonia Flamand. For TMSS Archery included Regan Squires, with the coach Jordan LamMa. For the Tisdale Track Club Loukas Sherlock was presented with the coach being Weber.

An Honourable Mention was given to Jordan Simoneau and Carter Sawatzky, 2018 Canalta Cup Champions with the Nipawin Hawks.

“I’m very proud to be a part of this 38th annual Appreciation Night,” said Lesley Thibault, director of Recreation and Parks with the Town of Tisdale. “Our community is lucky to have athletes and musicians that accomplish these sort of championships in a community this size.”

“I think that when it’s in writing in newsprint or whatever, it gives other people the opportunity to read about the accomplishments from students and young adults and adults that we definitely have some talent in the community.”