Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 38

Got a comment, gripe, question about this section? Fax a letter to Journal Sports, 498-5601, or e-mail sportsthejournal.canwest.com We'll print the best of the weekly reader feedback every Sunday in Bench Jockey. THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2003 D2 EDMONTON JOURNAL i a raig :r.itnu.iJi IP 131 12 flH The secret life of Dave Nedohin Champion curler also walks on water well, almost SEE IT LIVE You probably know Dave Nedohin as the mild-mannered Edmonton chap who throws skip rocks for Randy Ferbeys world-champion curling rink. But when the rocks and brooms are put away for the summer, he heads for the lake to pursue his other passion: water skiing. He spoke to The Journal's Collin Gallant in advance of this weekends Canadian barefoot championships at Shalom Park. Most people know about your curling exploits you won your third consecutive Brier lastwinter but how has the professional water skiing been going? I was pretty competitive at the national, and even the international level, up until 1999.

I've been to a couple barefoot world championships, in the U.S. and England, and qualified for a few more, but didn't go. It's a different sport from curling, in that you don't always have the funding to go to all the events. When I was in university, I qualified for a world championship in Australia. It was during April, so I couldn't afford the time or the money.

I did teach water-skiing in the States for a few summers. Why curling and water-skiing? The two don't really seem to fit with each other. It's basically just what you grow up with I think. Growing up in Manitoba, all my summers were spent on the lake water-skiing and my parents curled during the winters. I don't think the two sports really complement each other, other than water-skiing is very good overall conditioning.

It's been very nice getting back into it this summer. Your rink split up $250,000 jumping, after years of training. Even then, you're not sure the first time you try it. I haven't had the chance to jump much in the last few years, so I doubt Til be very good this weekend. Tricks have always been my best event.

There was some criticism of the choice of Jaret Llewellyn a traditional water-skier as Canada's flag bearer at the Pan American Games. Could water-skiing be considered more of a recreational sport than a competitive one? Almost all the sports have a recreational and competitive aspect. Except maybe some track and field events, I mean you don't walk around with a javelin in your hand, but that also speaks to the numbers involved. Most of the winter and summer Olympic sports which would include water-skiing if THE JOURNAL. FILE Triple raise takeouts are great, but sometimes champion curler Dave Nedohin has to get his thrills in other ways, such as this tricycle race with teammate Scott Pfeifer at the 2002 Brier.

In the summer, Nedohin likes to perform tricks while being dragged behind a boat at 60 kmh. in prize money last winter. Your skip Randy Ferbey decided to buy some race horses, what did you do with your share? I started the season pretty sure that I was getting some lakefront property. So I was going to buy a canoe by the end of the season. But every time we won money, that got upgraded.

So I ended up with the boat I really wanted a 20-foot Malibu Flightcraft, a specially designed ski-boat. To me it's the best barefoot boat you can get, and it can get up to 50 m.p.h while towing a skier. Speaking of this weekend, youH be jumping off an 18-inch ramp at 60 kmh How do you prepare for that? It's quite an adrenaline rush, and still the thing that gets me going about the sport. You work your way up to it1! CATCH OF THE DAY SPORTS CALENDAR 14 15 16 17 18 I 19 20 THU. FRI.

SAT. SUN. MON. TUE. WED.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE: TRAPPERS BASEBALL 1.TAC0MA JJJ "Jj "Jj JJJ PORTLAND PORTLAND jH 1 35 PM 7:05 PM 7:05 PM 1:15 PM 7:05 PM 8:05 PU 8 05 PM r7 St HOME GAMES IN BOLD FOOTBALL NEXT VS. SASKATCHEWAN. AUG 23 PARK RACING THRBD 1 PM THRBD 6 PM TIME TV RADIO ESKIMOS NORTHLANDS THRBO 6 PM THRBD 1 PM ON THE AIR TODAY The Canadian barefoot water skiing championships will be held at Shalom Park this weekend near Rabbit Ski Hill south of the city (north of Hwy. 19 to Devon, and 8 km west of Hwv. 2).

Qualifying rounds will be held during the day Friday and Saturday. Category finals in tricks, slolam, and jumps held on Sunday beginning at 9 a.m. Admission is free. they allowed motorized vehicles all have both those components. That's the beauty of sport.

If you couldn't do a sport recre- arinnallv rhprp wnnlHn't hp tnn much of a draw to it. What's the outlook for the curling season? The rink (Ferbey, second Scott Pfeifer and lead Marcel Rocque) is extremely excited about the season. Actually, we just had a team meeting to discuss the approach to the season. Basically, we're not yet satisfied, or ready -to relax. We've done a lot over the last few years but we're back to square one again, ready to give it another shot.

cgallantthejournal.canwest.com THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NFL camp in Allen Park, Mich. JASON FRANSON. THt JOURNAL wheelchair basketball team. WOMEN'S TENNIS: Rogers Cup. Early rounds from Toronto 9a.m.9p m.

TSN GOLF: PGA CHAMPIONSHIP First Round from Rochester. N.Y. 11a.m. TSN CFL FOOTBALL: Edmonton Eskimos at Toronto Argonauts 5:30 p.m. TSN NFL FOOTBALL: Oakland Raiders at San Francisco 49ers 6 p.m.

FOX BASEBALL Toronto Blue (ays at Seattle Mariners 8 p.m. RSW dives for a pass while covered by cornerback Blue Adams during Wednesday's You have to live life today and not be afraid' 1 Detroit Lions receiver Pierre Brown low her to play. "Yeah, it weighs on my mind, but I believe you have to live life today and not be afraid of anything," Peers says. "The best women's wheelchair basketball player in the worid is over 40 and that's something Td like to do." And she'll make it. There's something very motivational about wanting to play for your country.

Former Alberta premier Don Getty called with a Commonwealth Stadium memory, he performed the first ceremonial kick-off in the park when it opened in 1978. "I really got something into it," says the ex-Eskimo. "The ball went for 54 yards. I wanted to beat (former prime minister Pierre) Trudeau's record of 23 yards." Martin Dugas, who spent time with the Edmonton Drillers before they folded, attended a recent wedding in Ariss, Ont. near Guelph and it was well, pretty unbelievable.

Dugas was invited to the wedding of Eric Campbell, brother of former Driller Shayne Campbell. The wedding was beautiful, reports Martin, with a great reception. "And then we went from utter jubilation to total despair," he says. During the wedding dance the father of the groom, Scott Campbell, had a heart attack and died. TAIT ON TWO Former Griffins basketball player doesn't let disability slow her down There were several days around 5 a.m.

when Danielle Peers wanted to hit the snooze button on her alarm dock. It would have taken considerably less energy than getting up for a hearty workout But then an image crossed her mind's eye and wouldn't go away. "Every time I woke up and didn't want to work out that morning, I just thought ofwearingared-and-white jersey with my name on the back," Peers says. She recendy returned from a women's wheelchair basketball camp in Toronto (yes, she also attended the Rolling Stones concert) for the Canadian national team. Peers, 25, is the only national team member from Edmonton-She was in mid-stride of a successful college basketball run as captain of the Grant MacEwan Griffins and then her legs became weak.

"I couldn't practise anymore." She was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy nine months ago, a disease that progressively weakens muscles. The Griffins made her an assistant coach. But Peers was determined to play ball again. So, five years ago, she tried the wheelchair version. "Wheelchair basketball is like playing stand-up basketball and riding a bike at the same time," she says.

"Shayne was in control of the situation and was a leader just like he was for our team," says Dugas. In the next few days Dugas saw wonderful community support for the Campbell family. "When he made a speech at the reception, Mr. Campbell quoted a song by saying We're here for a good time, not a long And then, shortly he was gone." Dugas is still in Edmonton and works for Goodwill Industries. TATT TIDBITS For inquiring minds, the big difference between Baseball Alberta and Little League is Baseball Alberta operates under national guidelines.

Little League is an international program. An unknown young woman showed up to try out for the new professional women's soccer team. She got stronger and stronger as the camp progressed. Her name is Meg Wenshlag and she's 15 years old. Her father Doug was hired by Peter Pock-Iington to be the general manager of the Edmonton Drillers in 1979.

Our condolences go out to Oilers GM Kevin Lowe whose uncle recently passed away. "My dad had eight brothers and this was the last brother to go," Lowe says. Ernmitt Lowe was 82. Talk to Tait, 429-53SI or -mai ctait9 thejournal.canwest.com CamTait Good Sports In Canada, able-bodied players can play wheelchair basketball However, to play at an international level, they must have a disability. In a strange twist of fate, a door was opened for Peers.

Her prowess for the game caught the eye of women's national coach Tim Frick. The club's first test was the North American Cup in June against the U.S. women's team and Canada won 49-38. Peers will be training by herself for the team's next big tournament early next year in Australia. Then the focus will be on the Paralympics next September in Greece.

The Canadian women are the reigning gold medallists. Peers is a realist. She knows her disability will make her progressively weaker, and there is a pos sibility her condition may not al Danielle Peers has made the national.