The young Hawks, all just seven and eight years old, competed in the U9 B division against teams from across the province and capped off the tournament with an emphatic 8-1 victory over the Arthur Aces in the championship final.

The championship is the first provincial title for the Huntsville Hawks since the U13 team captured its division in 2022.

The Hawks entered provincials after an outstanding regular season, posting a 19-9-1 record, good for 17th overall in the province and a spot in the B division.

In round-robin play, Huntsville finished first in its pool with a 2-0-1 record, earning victories over the Clarington Gaels and Wallaceburg Griffins, along with a tie against the Orangeville Northmen.

The Hawks carried that momentum into the playoff rounds, defeating the Guelph Regals in the quarter-finals before advancing to the semi-finals against the Owen Sound North Stars.

That set up a championship matchup against the Arthur Aces, where the Hawks delivered a dominant performance to claim the U9 B provincial title with an 8-1 win.

The championship caps an exceptional season for a group of young athletes who have worked hard throughout the year, supported by their coaches, families and the Huntsville lacrosse community.

Champions Parade

Huntsville District Minor Lacrosse will celebrate the team’s achievement with a Champions Parade on August 31.

The parade will begin at Huntsville Public School at 5:15 p.m., travelling down Main Street and then up Brunel Road before concluding at the Active Living Centre.

Fans, family members and community supporters are encouraged to come out along the parade route to celebrate and congratulate the young provincial champions.

Congratulations to the Huntsville Hawks U9-1 Bloomfield Construction team on an incredible season and their provincial championship!

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Rock the Pickle returns to Muskoka on Saturday, August 22, 2026, for its third annual celebrity-driven sporting event and fundraiser in support of Melanoma Canada. This year’s event is bigger than ever, expanding beyond pickleball to include Rock the Racquet, a new tennis division, while continuing its mission of raising awareness and funds for melanoma and skin cancer prevention, education, research, and patient support.

The event begins at 8:30 AM at the Port Carling Community Centre with player
check-in, breakfast, and celebrity exhibition matches before participants head to
stunning private courts throughout Lake Rosseau and Lake Joseph for tournament play.

The event concludes with The Pickle Ball, an evening celebration featuring cocktails,
dinner, awards, live entertainment, and fundraising.

“Rock the Pickle is about bringing people together through sport while making a real
impact in the fight against melanoma,” said Joel Hock, Founder of Rock the Pickle and
CEO of Solutions With Impact. “Each year we continue to grow the event, expand our
reach, and create more opportunities to support Melanoma Canada’s incredible work.”
Noteworthy celebrity participants include PGA Tour champion Rory Sabbatini, TSN
personalities James Duthie and Lindsay Hamilton, along with former NHL player and
now Sports Broadcaster and TSN hockey analyst – Mike Johnson. Their participation
will once again bring star power to the event, helping drive public engagement,
fundraising, and awareness for Melanoma Canada.

Net proceeds support Melanoma Canada, helping fund skin cancer education and
prevention initiatives, patient support services, research, complimentary skin cancer
screenings, and the Sun Guardians Grant Program.

Registration is now open at www.rockthepickle.com. Teams are encouraged to meet
the fundraising minimums of $2,500 for 2 players and $4,000 for 4 players, through
the DonorDrive fundraising platform. All donations are fully tax receiptable.

Event Website

Event Schedule (August 22):
● 8:30 AM: Player Check-In, Breakfast & Celebrity Exhibition Matches
● 10:30 AM: Tournament Play Begins
● 3:30 PM: Semi-Final & Championship Matches
● 6:30 PM: The Pickle Ball – Cocktail Reception & Dinner
● 8:00 PM: Awards Presentation
● 9:00 PM – Late: The Pickle Ball Celebration

About Rock the Pickle
Founded in 2024, Rock the Pickle combines sport, philanthropy, and celebrity
involvement to champion melanoma awareness and prevention. Now in its third year,
the event has expanded to include both pickleball and tennis, bringing together athletes,
business leaders, celebrities, and supporters for an unforgettable day in Muskoka while
raising critical funds for Melanoma Canada.
Complimentary Skin Cancer Screenings

As part of Rock the Pickle 2026, Melanoma Canada will offer complimentary skin cancer
screenings throughout the day at the Port Carling Community Centre.
A board-certified dermatologist will be on site providing free skin examinations to eligible
participants, helping identify suspicious lesions while educating attendees about skin
cancer prevention, sun safety, and the importance of early detection.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Canada, yet access to dermatologists
remains a challenge for many Canadians. By bringing a certified dermatologist directly
to Rock the Pickle, Melanoma Canada continues its commitment to improving access to
potentially lifesaving screenings and promoting early detection.

About Melanoma Canada

Melanoma Canada is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to supporting
Canadians affected by melanoma and skin cancer. Through education, advocacy,
patient support, research funding, and early detection initiatives, Melanoma Canada
works to reduce the impact of melanoma and skin cancer across the country.
For more information about Melanoma Canada, please visit
www.melanomacanada.ca.

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The Toronto Tempo introduced two new members of the team Tuesday night: Dez the Snapping Turtle and Dot the Arctic Hair, the franchise’s official mascots.

Dez and Dot made their debut at Scotiabank Arena and brought two very different kinds of energy – and a shared sense of rhythm – to the court for the first time.

“From the beginning, we wanted our mascots to feel distinctly Tempo – rooted in who we are as a Canadian team,” said Whitney Bell, Chief Marketing Officer, Toronto Tempo. “Dez and Dot have completely different personalities, but they’re better together. One knows when to slow things down, the other knows when to turn the energy all the way up. That balance felt like such a natural expression of Tempo, and we can’t wait for our fans to get to know them.”

Dez (she/they) is a Borealis Blue Snapping Turtle from Muskoka, Ontario. Their name is inspired by decibel, a nod to their love of music and role as the more measured half of the duo. Dez is calm, clever and always thinking a few steps ahead.

A Taurus who spins the 1s and 2s in their spare time, Dez’s secret talent is snapping – they also have a particular fondness for soft shell tacos.

Dot (she/her) is an Arctic Hare named for Toronto’s longtime nickname, T-Dot. Originally from the Arctic Circle, she brings seemingly endless energy, acrobatics and enthusiasm to everything she does – making her the undisputed hype woman of the pair.

A Gemini whose hobbies can best be described as “hops and hype,” Dot loves cotton candy, Drive to Survive, and any opportunity to get the crowd on its feet.

Their story began much farther apart.

Dot grew up chasing the northern lights across the Arctic, flipping and leaping beneath the aurora. Farther south, Dez could be found moving at her own steady rhythm through the lakes of Muskoka.

When the northern lights stretched south one winter, Dot followed them to Ontario, where she met Dez. The two quickly discovered a shared love of rhythm – even if they approached it very differently. Dez brought patience and timing; Dot brought speed and fearless energy.

Eventually, the pulse of Toronto drew them both to the city.

Together, Dez and Dot offer a new spin on one of the oldest pairings in storytelling: the tortoise and the hare. Instead of slow against fast, they are steady and swift – a reminder that knowing when to change pace can be just as important as the pace itself.

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The US, and to a lesser extent Mexico, may have attracted most of the headlines, but Canada hosting the world’s biggest and most prestigious soccer tournament is transformative, pushing the sport forward like the 1994 World Cup did for the US. Soccer was by no means unknown in Canada before this summer, but things could really change now.

There will be more coverage of the domestic game, as well as the international teams, more Canadian players being touted for big-money moves to the elite leagues of Europe, and, yes, more coverage of soccer in all the best Canadian sportsbooks. MyTopSportsbooks is the place to find out about those sites, but this cannot be just a momentary spike in interest. The World Cup happening right here in Canada should be the start of something incredible for Canadian soccer.

World Cup Achievement

Canada had qualified for a World Cup finals before and even played in the last edition in 2022. But the 2026 World being played on home soil was different, and the squad recorded a number of firsts that can be built on over the coming years. A first-ever point was won in the opening game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and then there was the first-ever win with the thrashing of Qatar.

The loss to Switzerland was a blow, as it meant that Les Rouges would not play in Canada again. But they showed their talent in Los Angeles when they won a first-ever World Cup knockout game against South Africa. These are the types of achievements that could have created Canadian soccer fans for life.

Recent Times in Canadian Soccer

Although Canada qualified for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, there was no ongoing benefit or national transformation. The three defeats came and went, and the team was lowly ranked when FIFA first set up their system around the time of the 1994 World Cup. Things got even worse throughout the 2000s, with the team falling as low as 122^nd in the world at one point.

Poor performances, and the resulting drop in world rankings, was matched by the dysfunction of those governing the sport in Canada at the time. It has only been in the last decade or so that the team has improved, as well as the way the game is run in this country. Now, all aspects of Canadian soccer seem to be working together.

The National Teams Lead the Way

Domestic clubs are the lifeblood of soccer, but in a country where hockey will always be number one (even though soccer is the most participated-in sport), the performance of the national teams is all-important. The women’s team has won Olympic gold and is currently ranked ninth in the world, so it has been the men who have had some catching up to do.

The last four years have been the most impressive in Canadian men’s soccer history. Qualifying for the 2022 World Cup was massive, but there was also regional success, where the team reached the semifinals of the 2021 Gold Cup. Now the target must be winning the CONCACAF title and qualifying, once again, for the World Cup. Success at a national level will bring even more fans and investment to the sport.

CPL and NSL

When it comes to domestic soccer teams, most of the attention goes to those competing in Major League Soccer. Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver (for now) are the best teams in the country, and like the Canadian teams in other North American major leagues, they will attract the most fans.

But the launch of the Canadian Premier League (CPL) in 2019 is one of the most important things to happen to soccer in this country for a long time. Developing a purely national league is the best way to produce the stars of tomorrow and inspire children across Canada. Almost 90% of players at this year’s World Cup semifinals debuted in their home countries, and that is where the foundations for success are built.

The way the CPL and the Northern Super League (NSL) were so visible during this year’s World Cup is a good sign of how much bigger they can get in the years ahead. The NSL is the top-tier women’s soccer league in Canada and was launched only last year. But news of an expansion team for 2027 and higher visibility is a real positive for the sport here.

Develop the Culture and the Infrastructure

Although Canada may have more work to do than either of its co-hosts when it comes to soccer culture and support, it is not as if the country is starting from scratch. What is needed is that the soccer culture and infrastructure already present across the nation be developed and improved.

Further investment and coverage are needed now, off the back of a successful World Cup, to grow soccer yet further in Canada. More people tuned in to watch Les Rouges play Morocco than watched the opening game of the NHL season last year, so the demand is obviously there.

Now, those in charge of the game in Canada must capitalize on the goodwill and support that has grown in the last two months thanks to the World Cup. Hockey might always be most people’s go-to sport here, but the sky is the limit for soccer.

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The 2026 event will once again feature:

● A celebrity hockey game starring current and former NHL players and up and
comers.
● Youth ball hockey experiences where youth fundraise to participate. Top
youth fundraisers will be given an opportunity to participate in an element of
the celebrity hockey game alongside NHL players, hockey elite and alumni.
● Opportunities for adults to fundraise to play on or coach one of the teams.
● Special upgraded VIP experiences and sponsor activations.
● Fundraising in support of important local charitable causes.
Businesses, and individuals are encouraged to become sponsors, register to
fundraise to play or coach, play in the youth ball hockey experience and /or
purchase tickets. Every contribution helps strengthen healthcare, youth
programming, support for families with sick children and community services
throughout Muskoka.

Tickets go on sale on July 13, 2026, at 8 am. We look forward to creating
memories that extend well beyond the final buzzer.

Registration, sponsorship opportunities, tickets, and donation information are now
available through the official Hockey Night in Muskoka website:
https://hockeynightinmuskoka.akaraisin.com/ui/hnim2026

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Registration is $860.00 per foursome or $225.00 per player and includes 18 holes with cart, light breakfast prior to a 9:00AM shot gun start, BBQ lunch, on-course contests, raffle prizes, and more. Golfers will also have the opportunity to win a brand-new 2026 Volkswagen Taos by sinking a hole-in-one on our designated contest hole. Corporate and community sponsors are also welcome to join; sponsorship provides high-visibility recognition alongside a powerful community impact.

This tournament has been bringing our community together for more than three decades,” says the BBBS team. “Every golfer helps ensure that local young people have access to positive role models and supportive mentoring relationships that can change the trajectory of their lives.”

All funds raised will directly support the no-cost mentoring programs provided by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orillia & District which include critical resources that promote positive youth development, healthy choices, and strong community bonds. As a fully community-funded organization, BBBSOD depends on events like Golf for Kids’ Sake to continue their life-changing work.

Details on registration and sponsorship can be easily found online at 31st Annual Golf for Kids’ Sake – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orillia.

Beyond registration and sponsorship, supporters can make tax-deductible donations through the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orillia & District website at https://orillia.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/ . Every dollar directly supports local children and youth.

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