Page 2 - Brandon Sun - Community Leader Awards

B2 ■ COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS 2019 THE BRANDON SUN ■ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26 2019

» Developing better people as a coach

Continued from Page B1
Ramsey teaches half-time
at Riverheights School, a job
he will continue to hold next
year. He has coached a num-
ber of school sports there, and
was involved in house league
fastball in the past. This sum-
mer, he coached the under-12
Westman Magic softball team
that won provincials.
Over the years, he has
worked with players of varying
abilities and wants to have an
impact on them all.
“I think it’s just being able to
develop a connection with all
of them individually,” Ramsey
said. “I think understanding
where they’re coming from
and where they’re at in their
skill development and really
helping them develop indi-
vidually to help the group is
something that is challenging
with a lot of groups, but cer-
tainly something that is very
rewarding when you can take a Ramsey with the Brandon Midget AAA Wheat Kings directs his team at the Sportsplex. (File)
kid and help them individually
increase their skill level so that to move to Virden when their fits of it is just the relationships come together as a group and
they become a member of the house sells. and the connections and net- learning how to work together.
group that succeeds is pretty He faces a new challenge as working that you do through “Really the resiliency that
rewarding. the head coach and GM of the team sports,” Ramsey said. kids learn from team sport
“Certainly having to make Oil Capitals, but the ultimate “There is just stuff that lasts a is amazing and is something
an individual one-on-one lesson won’t be much different lifetime. I’m seeing it now with that helps them not only in
connection with each kid is than it was for the U12 Magic my daughter being involved their sporting lives but will be
something that’s important to team he coached in the sum- in team sports and the friend- beneficial lessons for them to
try to help them be successful mer. ships that she’s made, not only think back on and refer back
from wherever they start to the Ramsey wants good team- in her small group of friends to when they move into their
end of the season.” mates who work hard and from Brandon, but she’s got professional careers.”
His family, which also in- compete because those are the friends from all over southern
cludes wife Tracy and daugh- attributes that will last. Manitoba. That to me is the » pbergson@brandonsun.com Ramsey directs players during practice at the Sportsplex.
ters Emma and Avery, plan “I think one of the real bene- coolest part, kids having to » Twitter: @PerryBergson (File)

2019

Nate Harrison and one of his plush sharks. (Drew May/The Brandon Sun)
»ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER OF THE YEAR, SPONSORED BY KOCH FERTILIZER

Environmental steward’s advocacy never ends

BY DREW MAY cold get sick too,” Nate says while was two. The family visited a shark think we look like seals and seals from him and it gives me a lot of
holding a plush shark and wearing conservation centre, where he had are their food.” hope to see where our future is go-
Nate Harrison has a passion for a shark-print Hawaiian shirt. the chance to see the animals first- Jamie said it was a bit of an ad- ing to see kids doing such amaz-
sharks. Jamie Harrison, Nate’s mom, hand. justment for the family when Nate ing things. It makes us very proud
On his ninth birthday — his most says her son has undertaken a wide “All the creatures on the earth are first started pushing them to be — even though he says it’s cheesy
recent — he asked for donations variety of projects aimed at help- important, and if we didn’t have greener, but it has resulted in real when I tell him that,” Jamie said.
and gave $565 to the Rod Stewart ing the environment. Nate and his them we wouldn’t be alive,” he said. changes. The family has a green Nate also has an Instagram ac-
Foundation, which works to pro- family do a garbage cleanup along Nate is particularly passionate bin to compost food scraps and count (@natetheshark) where peo-
tect sharks in the wild. Victoria Avenue every spring and about banning shark finning, a doesn’t use chemical pesticides ple can follow along with his envi-
Harrison’s love for the ocean- participate in larger community practice where sharks have their on the lawn, she said. The family ronmental projects.
dwelling predator motivated the cleanups. He also recently started fins cut off to make shark fin soup. is also working to reduce plastic Overall, Nate said one of the
Grade 4 student to do his part to designing a rainwater collection When this happens, the sharks are waste and uses reusable bags be- goals of his young life is to make
help the environment and encour- system for his family’s home. thrown back into the ocean, where cause of Nate’s work. Brandonites more conscious of
age his family to lead a more envi- On top of his other environmen- they inevitably die. “He’s very vocal about it at their environmental impact and
ronmentally friendly lifestyle. For tal activities, Nate is also encour- He wrote letters to Brandon- home,” she said, to help make the Earth a little bit
his work, Harrison has won the aging the City of Brandon to ban Souris Conservative MP Larry Ma- Nate’s work is inspiring, Jamie greener.
Brandon Sun’s Community Leader single-use plastic bags. guire to raise awareness about the said, even if he is shy about always “I just want everyone in Brandon
Award in the Environmental Lead- “The plastic is affecting the ani- issue. Canada banned the import sharing it, saying he is somewhat of to know you should clean up after
er category. mals in the ocean most, so if we get and export of shark fins in June a reluctant leader. Nate said even yourself and not throw your gar-
“I just want to help save my rid of those we can have a cleaner 2019, something Nate said made some of his friends don’t know bage wherever you want because
friends. If you don’t have sharks environment,” he said. him very happy to see. about all the environmental work it’s affecting us.”
— they eat the sick or injured fish His love for sharks stems from “Sharks are good creatures and he is doing. » dmay@brandonsun.com
— and if we eat that fish then we a family trip to Hawaii when he the only time they bite is when they “I love the empathy that I see » Twitter: @DrewMay_