Page 6 January 1986-Cassiar Courier Cassiar Courier January 1986 Page.7 Cassiar Country A lot of people would agrce that an-involvement in sports helps develop character. Merv Prier definitely does. Merv teaches at Cassiar Secondary School and spends a good deal of his free time coaching youngsters in basket- ball, mini ball, T ball and softball. He thinks sports are important to children — first of all for the physical fitness they provide. He says, “If you get yourself involved (in physical activity) when you’re young, you’re more likely to stay involved.” However, more important, he says, “*...is the idea of belonging to a team, doing something with a group and having some success...making a committment and seeing it through to the end.” Merv coaches the boys basketball team at Cassiar Secondary School and coached the girls team last year. He also is the coach for the Lions basketball and softball teanis for children up to age 14. Merv helps out with the Lions work parties and fund- raising activities, but initially the main reason he joiried the Lions Club was because he wanted to see them take an active role in developing kids’ sports in town. The program has been a big success, In the winter he coaches mini ball (a scaled down version of basketball) for the younger children and basketball for the older age group. In the spring he coaches T ball for children age 8 and under and minor softball for 9 to 14 year olds. He’s very pleased with the programs and the community sup- port. A lot of people help out with the coaching and refereeing. Last year 110 children participated in the soft- ‘ ball program. He likes working with the younger children. “It’s very difficult to teach the fundamentals of the game to someone 16 or 17...1 like the idea of exposing them to a game when they’re younger, so when they reach high school they will be more interested in it,” he says. While running a sports program in the north Merv has found some problems difficult to overcome. He comments, “Many of the things people take for granted down south we just don’t find here...If we want to runa basketball team we have to go 100 miles to play a game with another team...We don’t have the close competition the kids have elsewhere.” by Pat Lewis Beaton schools. Last year. the girls basketball team held a very successful tournament here with two teams from White- horse. In 1986 both the boys and girls teams are planning a tournament in February again with teams from White- -horse. It will be a big weekend. Last year the girls played five games in two days, and they may play even more games this year. Merv Pri ier Mr. Prier was very involved in sports himself when he was young. He played basketball in high school and for the University of Regina where he received his teaching credentials. After university he toured Europe, taught at the University of Regina and worked for the federal and provincial governments before he and his wife Betty Ann (who teaches at Snowridge Elementary School) headed for Ross River in the Yukon in 1980. They taught school there for one year. When they came to Cassiar Mr. Prier taught grade 7 for three years and then moved on to the high school last year. He teaches physical education, social studies and math to grades 8 through 11. In commenting on the local high school he said, “It’s nice in many ways... we have small classes and there is a friendly’ atmosphere here that doesn’t exist in a bigger school....We may not have the fancy facilities available in bigger schools but we don’t have the problems either.” He added, “The biggest problem is many of the students and people who live in the north aren't as aware of some of the possibilities that exist...some-of the kids don’t set their sights very high in terms of careers...! think that people really limit themselves here: People don’t think, ‘What am I going to do 20 years from now?’ In cities they don’t always look ahead either but it’s easier to fall into things there.” As far as the curriculum. at Cassiar Secondary School is concerned he said, “I think we offer as wide a range of subjects as we possibly could...any kid who graduates here can get into university or go to a technical school, -if he or she takes the right courses.” He added, “If a student works hard he probably will do better here than elsewhere because he will get the attention...I don’t think that ‘big’ is necessarily better.” Through his teaching Merv Prier helps youngsters grow in knowledge. Through his coaching he teaches then: it is not only important to participate but to succeed. And that’s what life is all about! Coach Merv Prier with the 1985 Junior Girls Basketball Sheryl Farrell says “It’s a great party!” Santa comes to Cassiar The school teams do make an effort to play other Team The child yah Silene Alea } ra ? » » « The children’s Christmas Party. on. December. 14th cellent array of goodies, such as hamburger, pizza, r Soe iain Arca oe snd alent tis aca tas nnd md oc AN , , : ns i was highlighted not.only by a visit from Mr. & Mrs. hotdogs, french: fries, ice cream, pastries, etc. The 4 . Santa Claus and his elves, but also by an excellent children’s faces and’ their’ comments, when asked Ci Y | i ( ) i y | ; A ( : : ) N : i Ky 5 show put on by Dolly Hopkins as “‘Gumboot Lolli- “What do you like best about this party?” really VE i @ (4 . pop’. As usual, the Cookery staff provided an ex- say it all! erviee Lid |1NSURANCE LTD. 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