Sensei Kenzo Dozono practises kihon (basics) with his class at the Shotokan Karate International Belleville Karate School. Photo by Sarah Swenson

By Andrew Austin

Score: The Bulls celebrate a goal by Cory Tanaka. Matt Beleskey assisted on the play. The Bulls lead the semi-final series. Photo by Andrew AustinThe Belleville Bulls clashed with the Oshawa Generals in the first game of the Eastern Conference Championship series and won the hard-fought battle with a tight score of 3-2.
The game was close from beginning to end: The first period brought a goal for both teams in two minutes. The Bulls' took the lead while shorthanded. The first period ended with the Bulls' ahead by two. Both teams had the same amount of shots on net.
It was in the second period when the Bulls' took charge offensively, placing heavy the pressure on Oshawa goal tender Daryl Borden. Borden had a strong game stopping 45 shots out of 48.
A.J. Perry, an acquisition from London showed strong with two of the three goals.
"Perry has played great for us since he came over from London, he had a play-off where his scoring numbers were down a little bit, but he has done a lot of other things for this club, it's nice to see him rewarded," said George Burnett, the Coach for the Bulls.
Perry was happy with his performance.
"It was a good feeling after a seven-game scoreless streak," said A.J. Perry.

By Chad Ibbotson

Fishing: Frank Moynes stands beside his Legend fishing boat. Moynes has been entering the Trenton Kiwanis fishing derby for about 13 years. Photo by Chad IbbotsonAnglers from all over North America are gearing up to tackle the fishing season, and the local economy is biting hard.
According to Bob Long, who is in charge of membership development for the Belleville and District Chamber of Commerce, the annual Trenton Kiwanis Walleye World Live Release fishing weekend brings a lot of tourists to the area.
"It really does. That weekend if you go around to any of the motels on the Friday night you see boats everywhere in the parking lot. It really does bring in a lot of people," he said.
The event takes place Saturday and Sunday May 4 - 5.
Suzanne Andrews, Manager of the Quinte West Chamber of Commerce, said the weekend doesn't just bring in tourists; it brings their dollars.
"With that many fishermen coming into town there's always spill-over into the local economy. A lot of these fishermen - judging by the phone calls that go on and the addresses that are on the mail-outs - are coming from all over the province. A lot are from southwestern Ontario, just north of Toronto," she said.
Andrews said anglers also come from the United States and from other provinces.
"Especially Quebec," she said.
Andrews said these people provide a small economic boost to the region but said the chamber of commerce doesn't keep any numbers.
"These people come into town and they stay in the hotels and on the campgrounds. They're certainly purchasing gas and food while they're here."
She said one large infusion of dollars comes from the sale of derby tickets, which cost $30 for adults and $15 for juniors.
"The main benefit to the economy is that the local Kiwanis club that hosts the derby usually net around $50,000 which then goes right back into the community in the parks and waterfront development projects they're working on," Andrews said.

By Michelle McCarthy

Game: From left Coral Fox, 12, looks for someone to pass to as Curtis Smith attempts to block during a Little NBA game held at Nicholson on April 14. Fox plays on team Heat, while Smith plays for the Bucks. Photo by Michelle McCarthyThe players in the Little NBA league may not have a perfect jump shot or be extremely tall, but they have one thing in common: a love for the game of basketball.
"I just love the sport," said Coral Fox, a 12-year-old student from Holy Rosary Catholic School in Belleville and member of the Little NBA Heat. "You have your own team so you're not switching up, and you get to meet new people."
Participants in the league get a chance to play with children from different schools because the teams are community based not school based.
Coral, like true lovers of any sport, doesn't believe her love of the game is simply because she enjoys winning.
"It doesn't matter what happens," she said. "As long as I have fun and we work as a team, then we've won in my mind."
During the game on Monday April 14 against the Bucks, Coral had four breakaway shots in which she either scored a point or got an assist. She showed true enjoyment on the court, especially when she looked up at the stands to see if her family saw her attempts. Many parents could be heard cheering loudly in the stands as the teams played.
Coral's mother, Carrie Fox, believes recreational sports such as the Little NBA, offer kids a great deal more than just a work-out.
"Programs like this teach children to have team spirit, and how to act as a team. It also helps them with their social skills," said Fox.
The Little NBA has been an active recreational program in Belleville since the mid 1980s, according to Tim Coates, a teacher at Nicholson Catholic College.

By Brad Grant

The construction of a new sports dome at Loyalist College could see tennis participation increase with two new indoor tennis courts being part of the dome.
The dome, being constructed by the Farley Group, will allow sports such as tennis to be played all year round. The tennis courts in the dome will double as a basketball and a volleyball court, along with a separate soccer pitch. The complex is expected to be completed by September.

From left Coral Fox, 12, looks for someone to pass to as Curtis Smith attempts to block during a Little NBA game held at Nicholson on april 14. Fox plays on team Heat, while Smith plays for the Bucks.

Randell Dehaas paddles into the surging Moria River in downtown Belleville Tuesday afternoon. The water level of the river has risen several feet due to spring runoff. Photo by Seung-Chul Baik

Frank Moynes stands beside his Legend fishing boat. Moynes has been entering the Trenton Kiwanis fishing derby for about 13 years. Photo by Chad Ibbotson

By Michelle McCarthy

Moving on: Erica Cartwright, 17, skating her last time with the Quinte Figure Skating Club after 10 years of skating with them, she will now head off to University. Photo by Michelle McCarthyOver 120 skaters from tots to teens dressed in colourful costumes glided across the ice of the Yardmen Arena in the Quinte Figure Skating Club's annual carnival last week.
The extravaganza was a chance for the club's skaters to showcase the skills they've been perfecting during the season. Participants ranged in age from three to late teens and there were a variety of skill levels displayed.
The QFSC has been a force in the community for around 80 years and according to Wanda Coons, professional coach for the club for 29 years, it has always held an annual carnival. Coons skated with the club prior to being a coach.
This year the theme of the carnival was "get up and dance."
"We wanted to be able to include different types and eras of music," said Coons "This way the whole crowd was able to participate and get into it with the music."
The audience varied from children to grandparents who all seemed to enjoy the variety of performances and music. They all clapped and cheered loudly for the performers, especially for the younger children who were just learning to skate.
Coons and Kim Crothers, another coach at the club, were the directors of this year's show. Coons said she was heavily involved in preparing props and backdrops to accompany some of the 20 performances.
Coons said one of the difficulties this year was they had a shortened practice schedule due to the Easter holiday. She said the figure skaters only had two weeks to prepare for the show, when they usually have three.

By Brittany Kelly

George Burnett, the general manager and head coach of the Belleville Bulls, has been impressed with his team's performance over the entire hockey season and is very happy about sweeping the Barrie Colts in round two of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. The biggest challenge the Bulls will face in round three is dealing with a team that has better offensive veterans.

By Caitlyn Craggs

Loyalist College could reinstate its men's soccer team in the fall after five years of inactivity.
The men's soccer team will be a part of the school's varsity lineup playing a number of exhibition games in the fall. Eric Bauer the co-ordinator of the environmental sciences program, will be coaching the team.

Conor Hache is nominated for his contribution to sports and leadership at Prince Edward Collegiate Institute. Photo by Michelle Newlands

By Beth Sweet

Award winner: Jim Allin, 22, was awarded the Bob Howes award for the top Special teams Player of the year at an end of sean banquet for the Queen's Golden Gaels. Photo by Art MartinBelleville native Jim Allin was honoured by Queen's University Golden Gaels staff and teammates who voted him the winner of the Bob Howes award last weekend.
Allin was awarded the honour for his game-changing return ability when he returned a missed field goal for 117 yards to achieve a touchdown during a game against Western University in October 2007. He also set a new team record for longest field goal return.
Allin's high school coach, Rick Elliott, athletic director at Quinte Secondary School, had only praises to sing about Aillin's football talents.
"He was always under control. He's very calm and cool under pressure. He usually made the right play. You could really count on him to make the right play," he said. "He's was just a very skilled player. He's one of the best players to ever come out of high school around here."
Allin, 22, was the quarterback for Quinte starting in the fall of 2001, and, he played until he graduated. He currently plays for Queen's, where he is studying life sciences.
"He's in the pre-medical program here at Queen's. His degree is going to be in life sciences and then plans on going to medical school," said Pat Tracey, defensive coach at Queen's. "He's also very bright."
Allin was the only athlete who was a two-time all-star in the league last year, said Tracey. He was an all-star defensive back, which is a defender, and he was an all-star kick returner.
"He's an elite level athlete. His defensive position is to cover the very best athlete on the other team and he does that week in and week out," said Tracey.
Tracey compared Allin to other great Gaels like Brad Smith, Robert Bagg, and Bryan Crawford, all now playing on CFL teams.

By Monique Glenn

Steroid use has never been a problem at Loyalist but if a situation arose it would be dealt with severely, Greg Gavin says.
"It would just be a serious contravention of the spirit of our rules and if the coach was turning a blind eye to this it would be looked at pretty seriously," says Gavin, college athletics director. "We would probably end up replacing the coach."

By Monique Glenn

Record-setting player: Jaamal Carter is the new all-time high-score record holder for the Loaylist Lancer basketball team. Photo by Monique Glenn.Jaamal Carter's life at Loyalist is ending with warm memories. He won the Greg Gavin Award for Excellence and he leaves as the schools all time leading scorer with 1,100 points.
Carter said he will look back fondly on his days at Loyalist.
"I have grown up a lot here," Carter said. "I remember when I first came here I wasn't as focused on my work but over the years I gradually progressed. I graduated from business administration and I'm working on my second diploma now [in sales and marketing.] I am so happy with the way it turned out because I am still benefiting being here."
Jim Buck, the assistant athletic director at Loyalist, is sad to see Carter finish out his last days.
"We are really pleased at how he's grown as a person and obviously as a basketball player. We will miss him after this year for sure," said Buck.
Carter, 25, is from Ajax Ont. He has been playing basketball since he was in Grade 6 and started on his first team in Grade 8 and has been playing every year since.
"[Basketball] is something I really did for myself. Kept me out of trouble and gave me something to do," said Carter.
Carter was asked to come to Loyalist after being spotted by the Lancers coach at the time. Carter was playing on his high school team at a tournament at Durham College in Oshawa. Loyalist was there as well playing in another tournament and the coach spotted Carter.
"He sent a letter to my house after the tournament and I called Jim Buck and talked to him and came out to visit the school," he said. "It just worked out for me."