For our post-Christmas show, with most of the leagues taking a break (along with our studio), the Echo Sportscast #15 puts the spotlight on Dan Selin, who has helped some of the best hockey players in the area stand out.

Selin has published a book about the high-end skills techniques that raise the bar in how someone can utilize hundreds of skate, stick and body movements that train the brain to react and move as fast as possible without needing to watch the puck. With elite skills changing the game at all levels, Selin believes better players will see reduced injuries, including fewer concussions.

Learn more about his Concussion Neuro-Training Program at: https://www.hockeycpn.com/

The Echo Sportscast #14 features NDA overtime hockey with the Barons clipping the Ravens wings, news about the top boys basketball teams, including a red-hot junior Trojans team, a salute to the Bears powerlifting team, a bit about girls volleyball and a spotlight put on the North Stars special needs hockey team.

Today's Echo Sportscast features a basketball win for the Chippewa Ravens, volleyball victory for St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Bears and a hockey puck drop update.

High school interviews in the show hosted by Paul McLean and Dave Dale include Olivia Mancari, captain of the Bear's senior girls spikers, Seamus Gagne, captain of Chippewa's senior boys hoopsters and assistant coach Mike Mitchell. A long-time coach, Mitchell says the NDA is benefitting from the Spartans rep basketball program for intermediate-age players. Our Spotlight interview explores the popularity of billiards with Partners owner Bonnie Zufelt, a former ladies fastball provincial champion.

And we follow that up with a good look at how local hockey teams are doing, including a big weekend for Junior Lakers girls teams that were at out of town tournaments last weekend.

And we discuss some of the best options for naming the new twin pad community centre being built at the Steve Omischl Sports Fields Complex.

This week's Echo Sportscast features high school girls volleyball, hockey action and a salute to the NDA football all-stars, as well as a recent good example of concussion protocols preventing further harms and a discussion about the possibility of the private sector getting into the ice rink business. The Spotlight interview is with North Bay's own Malory Dominico, one of the top offensive weapons for the Nipissing Lakers women's hockey team. It was recorded right before their last two games of the first half of the OUA season (they ended up beating Queen's but lost a close one to Waterloo).

We talk about her surpassing her sister Maria's scoring record on the perennial OUA contender, what it's like to be coached by Darren Turcotte, her development of skating and playing skills through Dan Selin Concussion Preventative Neuro-Training, and her efforts to help out young female hockey players.

The full interview can be found on the North Bay Echo YouTube channel, along with several other interviews featuring the people who help make local sports thrive. Additional varsity coverage includes Wednesday's big match up between the Lakers and the Waterloo Warriors, the top two teams in the province and each ranked in the top five nationally. There's video clips of the action, including the shootout which ended Nipissing's winning streak with a 2-1 decision going to Waterloo.

We also salute tournament champs after another great curling event at the North Bay Granite Club.

Link to full Malory Dominico interview: https://youtu.be/C4lix1W5Z-s

Echo Sportscast #11 cuts the ribbon on the NDA’s winter high school sports schedule as boys basketball and girls volleyball teams take to the courts across Nipissing District this week … although the start was delayed by the ‘snow storm’ Tuesday, pushing the first games to Wednesday.

We also caught some all star boys volleyball action on Monday and we had good intentions to drop by the girls basketball as well, but it wasn’t in the cards on Wednesday.

We did, however, get to the first games of the 49th annual NDA hockey tournament this morning (see below for some of tonight’s sched). It wraps up Friday afternoon at Memorial Gardens with semis at 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. with the championship game at 7:30 p.m.

Our Sportscast Spotlight features Greg Richardson, a retired teacher who is continuing as coach of the Chippewa Ravens, the defending Nugget Shield league champions.

And we have a special promo spotlight with Malory Dominico, one of the top offensive producers with the Nipissing Lakers women’s hockey team who has a dollars-for-points fundraising again this year … Nipissing is ranked third in the nation with a 10-1 record and hosts Queen’s on Saturday at 4 p.m. and Waterloo on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

The 10th Echo Sportscast kicks off the new NDA hockey season with a video contribution from an up-and-coming cinematographer who captured the spirit of an overtime win for the Ravens over the Bears in the 2024 opener. In addition, we have some clips from the Bears win over the Barons on Wednesday night at the Sam Jacks Recreation Complex in West Ferris and a promo of the NDA hockey tournament next Thursday and Friday.

Also featured is the OFSAA 'AA' girls’ basketball championship tournament taking place in the city with playoffs set for Saturday at West Ferris and Chippewa gyms. We checked out the opening game with the host West Ferris Trojans taking on the Stratford Warriors, the fifth-seeded team, Thursday morning.

And we’re keeping an eye on the Chippewa Ravens senior boys in Kingston for the provincial AAA championship and the Algonquin Barons senior girls hoopsters going for OFSAA ‘A’ gold in the Kitchener area.

In post-secondary action, we have interviews with five local products on the Nipissing Lakers men’s hockey team, including both goalies, following a much-needed two-win weekend at the Gardens. We even have video of the overtime heroics in a 4-3 victory Saturday night.

And our Echo Spotlight interview is with Darren Turcotte, coach of the Lakers women’s hockey team ranked third in the nation with a 9-1 record – our way of promoting their Saturday night contest at Memorial Gardens against the visiting Wilfrid Laurier Golden Knights. Puck drops at 8 p.m.

The Ninth Echo Sportscast in a row features championship game interviews after the girls’ high school basketball finals between the Bears and Barons – with the senior contest going into overtime. There’s also a feature with video highlights on the Jr. Lakers U15 girls team that won gold on Sunday at Memorial Gardens with almost 100 teams in the city to celebrate female hockey’s 25th anniversary season in the Gateway City. You’ll love the clips of visiting teams cheering during Friday night’s university varsity contest between the Nipissing Lakers and Western Mustangs.

Podcast co-hosts Paul McLean and Dave Dale also make a prediction for tomorrow’s NOSSA showdown between Algonquin and the host Sault Ste. Marie champs, a strong Korah Colts squad. They also announce which teams they are cheering for in the Grey Cup this Sunday with North Bay’s Mike O’Shea coaching the Winnipeg Blue Bombers against North Bay’s Ryan Hunter and the Toronto Argonauts.

In junior football action, we have the Bears scoring the game-winner on video … beating the Barons 8-0 to go undefeated this year for the NDA championship banner. Plus the Spotlight interview is with one of the inaugural Nipissing Lakers women’s hockey team members, Laura Mady (McKenzie at the time) who has made North Bay her home.

The full interview with Laura is available on the Echo channel here: https://youtu.be/Q-lwEjvy3tM

Echo Sportscast #8 will be posted Friday and includes NDA high school semifinal action and results for girls basketball and boys volleyball, including the schedule for the championship series that begins tonight and continues Monday, plus some interviews on the Mike O’Shea Field after Algonquin beat the Trojans for the senior football championship.

Of course, the junior Barons (which upset the Trojans last week in semifinal action) are champing at the bit to be the underdogs again in today’s championship game against the undefeated St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Bears with kickoff at 4 p.m. on the Father Cundari Gridiron.

Our feature interview this week is with Tim Lowe, the new chairman of the North Bay Sports Hall of Fame, and our post-secondary varsity report includes an interview with Darren Turcotte, coach of the Nipissing Lakers women’s hockey team, which hosts the Western Mustangs tonight at 7 p.m. to help celebrate World Girls Hockey Weekend with almost 100 teams in town for the 25th anniversary North Bay and District Girls Hockey Association – formerly the Ice Boltz and now the Jr. Lakers. Expect a packed and rowdy Memorial Gardens.

Highlights in tomorrow's Echo Sportscast #7 include district high school quarterfinal action and results setting up next week’s semifinals in girls basketball and boys volleyball, with two big football games this Friday. 

In post-secondary and club reports, we have action clips of the Lakers women’s soccer team earning a berth in the Ontario final and national university championship in Halifax – including the collision that knocked Nipissing’s starting goalie out of the semifinal.

Echo was also at the Lakers women’s basketball team’s first win to get action video, including North Bay product Katelyn DeCook playing big minutes to get by the U of T Blues. A follow-up interview with the coach sets up their home game against Brock this Sunday at 2 p.m.

On the ice, we have neat report about a Lakers minor hockey girls team playing in the Lake Placid tournament this past weekend – winning the gold medal using the USA’s Dream Team dressing room.

Today's Echo Sportscast #6 comes as the NDA’s regular season action wraps up and prepares for playoffs starting Friday for football while the girls basketball and boys volleyball post-seasons begin next week.

Video clips include the Chippewa Ravens winning their first junior football game, Scollard remaining undefeated by beating West Ferris and in senior action, there's some eye candy of the undefeated Algonquin Barons and Trojans.

In NDA girls basketball, we interviewed Sean Plamondon, coach of the Chippewa Ravens junior team and Nancy Cirullo of the Scollard Bears senior boys volleyball team. Our middle interview is with former Scollard coach and athletic director John Whittet, a long-time friend and associate of both hosts, Dave Dale and Paul McLean.

There's also coverage of the Nipissing Lakers women's soccer team's playoff drive and the Lakers men's hockey team and its tough start. And we celebrate the Nipissing District Soccer Club's Excellence Awards recipients.

The Heritage Moment features Dan Clement, 91, a member of the North Bay Roughriders in the early 1950s.

For more information, see the description of the Small Town Times Production interview in the network directory below.