Caps outstanding year with Atlantic championship, provincial IKON sport award

BY JOHN DECOSTE

jdecoste@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

All in all, it has been a pretty good year for 15-year-old Ashley McIntyre of Coldbrook.

McIntyre, a Grade 10 honours student at Central Kings and a member of the Kentville Karate Club, was selected to the national junior team and competed last September for Canada at an international karate competition in Ecuador.

She was the first-ever Nova Scotia female from her style (Uechi-ryu) of karate to be named to the Canadian national team.

In May, she won the Atlantic championship in her class (14-15 female, green belt and up) for a second straight year. She was selected to the provincial team and, based on her 2007 performance at nationals, also remains part of the national core team. She was also named Female Athlete of the Year for 2007 by Karate Nova Scotia, presented at the 12th IKON Sport Awards banquet May 31 in Halifax.

As for the highlights of what was a busy and eventful year, McIntyre said, “the trip to Ecuador was the biggest thrill,” both in terms of competition, culture and geography.

A third place finish at nationals (in the individual and team competition) earned her an alternate berth on the national team and she got to make the trip when the second-place finisher pulled out. She fought for a bronze medal in her class, competed well against the eventual gold medalist from the U.S., and eventually settled for fifth place.

McIntyre was quick to admit, though, “the awards (ceremony) was pretty nice, too,” as was winning a provincial award as Female Athlete of the Year in her sport.

Impressive results

McIntyre continues to turn in impressive results. Along with the Atlantic championship, she has been first once and second twice at three Grand Prix tournaments.

She continues to train at the Kentville Karate Club, where she also helps teach adult classes and offers advice to younger competitors.

She is looking forward to another busy – and hopefully successful – summer.

“They just picked the provincial team after our May 24 workout. Nationals are in Saint John in July, and whether I go further depends on how I do. If I finish first or second, I make the national team automatically.”

She feels optimistic: “I’m in the same age group and weight class as last year, but I’m a year older.”

She also gets points for having competed for Canada last year. This year’s Pan-Am (the competition she attended last year) is again in South America, in Chile.

McIntyre currently holds a junior black belt in karate and will be eligible to be tested for her senior black belt in December.

Kings’ IKON awards

Coach of the year - Bev Greenlaw (basketball)

Individual athletes of the year - Tineke Vanderweit (badminton), Laura Harris (golf)

Team athletes of the year - Ellis Ffrench (basketball), Sarah Burgess (baseball), Yvonne Martin (curling), Brehannah Hopgood (rugby)

Organization volunteers of the year - Canning native Linda Scott (disabled skiing)