SportsLife is Manitoba’s amateur sports magazine. This is where
sports fans will meet the Olympians of tomorrow and the
medalists of today and they all compete right here in Manitoba.
We exist to pay tribute to those who make sport so important
to this province.
Published by SportsLife Publications, it is edited by Scott
Taylor and is designed and developed by Scott Taylor, Debbie
Dunmall and OV Suvajac. SportsLife Magazine is printed by The
Winnipeg Sun.
Any opinions expressed belong solely to the authors and do
not necessarily express the views of the magazine, or of the
publishers. All published work is edited for accuracy, style, and
clarity. We do accept unsolicited material as long as it refers to
athletes, coaches, or volunteers involved in sport in Manitoba.
For all information and advertising rates, we can be reached
at 204-996-4146.
PUBLISHER
OV Suvajac
[email protected]
#202B - 2621 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J 0P7
204-996-4146
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Scott Taylor
[email protected]
ART DIRECTOR
Debbie Dunmall
[email protected]
ADVERTISING
OV Suvajac, [email protected]
Antonio Martinez, [email protected]
Kat Burke, [email protected]
COVER PHOTO
Kelly Morton/University of Winnipeg Wesmen Athletics
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jeff and Tara Miller/100 Acre Woods Photography,
James Carey Lauder Sports Photography,
Kelly Morton, University of Winnipeg,
Joe Bryksa/Marlins Swim Club,
Phil Starr/Phil Starr Photography,
University of Manitoba Golf Team,
Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame,
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Scott Taylor,
Al Gowriluk
SportsLife is published at least six times a year by
SportsLife Publications. All sales are managed by
SportsLife Publications. All design and layout is provided by
Debbie Dunmall and SportsLife is printed by The Winnipeg Sun.
SKILL AND FUN
FROM ALL OVER
THE WORLD
often sell ourselves short
W ehere
in Manitoba. Because
our professional teams have
not been particularly successful
(only the Goldeyes have won a
championship since 1991), we
start to believe that our sporting
lives are somehow tarnished or
even embarrassing. I hear that
word, “embarrassing” quite often,
but because I spend most of my
time around amateur sport, I know that’s absolutely
not true.
We are blessed with brilliant amateur athletes in this
province and that’s why SportsLife is here. We’re here to
celebrate the lives of young men and women who play
sports because they love competition and they even love
the training that will help them reach their goals.
In this issue we’ll celebrate 16-year-old swimmer Abi
Shewchuk, Manitoba’s Amateur Golf Champion and
MMJHL hockey player Devon Schade and high school
football star Rain Slater.
We’ll also tell you about the 2015 Winnipeg High
School Football League championships that were just
completed at Investors Group Field. We’ll also introduce
you to the 2016 Inductees into the Manitoba Baseball
Hall of Fame and to David Muswaggon from Cross Lake,
who was just named Canada’s 2015 Softball Coach of
the Year.
But we also want you to meet two young athletes
who have chosen to continue their careers right here
in Winnipeg. Ryan Oirbans came from Australia
three seasons ago to play basketball at the University
of Winnipeg and he loves it. Thien Vo arrived from
Vietnam this year and he’s already dominating the
badminton scene in Western Canada. These are young
people who have chosen to live and compete right here.
Frankly, I don’t think we’re tarnished or em