Page A12 The Castlegar Sun Wednesday, August 2, 1995 South Slocan’s Kozak filling some big shoes BOB HALL Nelson Daily News It’s been the kind of summer Mount Sentine! grad Shane Kozak always imagined—total volleyball immersion. By play- ing and training with some of the best players his age across Cana- daand the United States the local product is reaching the top of his game © Presently, the 18-year-old South Slocan resident is in Van- couver where he is filling the power hitter role with the B.C. under-19 team. Kozak and his mates, which include LVR grad Chris Sylvester, will compete in the Western Canada Games being held in the Lower Main land August 15-20. “This is a great chance to train with a bunch of high level ath- letes on a daily basis,” Kozak said from his billets home in White Rock. Playing volleyball with the best in the province’ is not new for Kozak. This is the fourth straight year he has played provincially during the summer months. “To get into the program is quite difficult, but once you're in you can’t help but to get better.” In preparation for the upcom- ing games, the under-19 team is BINGO ROBSON RECREATION SOCIETY Summer Bingo * AUG, 10TH Early Bird 6:30 pm © Regular 7:00 pm SOO NA zs Castlegar Community Complex BINGO #797033 PACKAGES AVAILABLE heading south to California on Monday. Kozak will get the opportunity to play with some of the best up-and-coming volley- ballers in the United States when they play and train with U.S Junior National team. The team is composed of the best under-17 players south of the border. Travelling is an added bonus of training at a high level, -but Kozak has earned the right to play with the best. Earlier this summer he was in Florida to par- ticipate with his White Rock club team in the Junior Olympics. “All this training has definite- ly made me a better player,” said Kozak. “I wouldn’t be as strong a player if it wasn't for summer training and playing.” After his busy summer finally grinds to a halt, Kozak will most likely attend the University or Calgary and be back on the floor for the U of C Dinosaurs. = Summer Games demolish Prince George 66-25 for fifth place but the damage was done “In the two games we lost, wg didn't score in the last quarter,” said Closkey, “We got good shots, they just didn't go in, The entire tourna- ment we played outstanding defence, but we had trouble scoring when we had to.” Other Castlegar results from the Summer Games included Women’s Field Hockey with Trudy Clow, Mirielle Evans, Darby King, Michelle Kooznetsoff, Mandy Nevakshonoff and Tashi Papau finished eighth, Glen McIntyre in Senior Parachuting placed fifth, Kalindi Sharp finished fourth in the 4 X 100m Integrated Relay, Nicolle Binnie placed sixth in the 4 X 400m Girls Relay, Tammy Sherbinin and Carole Verigin were member of the seventh place Girls Volleyball team and Garth Vatkin played with the fifth place Boys Volleyball team. 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But the Castlegar team preparing to play in the Friendship ‘95 hock- ey tournament is playing like thunder. The Castlegar Friendship ‘95 hockey team is a group of 20 peewee level hockey players who have embarked on a friend- ship mission to New Zealand. At the moment they are touring New Zealand and Australia as well as playing exhibition games with local teams. But the main event is the World Friend- ship Tournament August 5-15 in Christchurch, New Zealand. That's where peewee teams from all over the world will be congregating for the relatively non-competitive tournament which began in Japan six years ago. It runs every odd year opposite the World Peewee Champi ips and is desi; d for sportsmanship rather than competition. “No scores are kept, and there are no winners or losers,” said Dayna Bell, the coordinator of the Castlegar team, back in April. “Everyone wins by partic- ipating. The theme is friendship as opposed to winning.” But Castlegar seems to already be on the winning track after beating an Auckland under-17 house team 6-1 in exhibition play last Sunday in Auckland. The game was just a warm-up for the tournament but the victory over the 17-year-olds was impressive for a team made up of 12 and 13-year-olds. Josh Kulbaba led the way for the Castlegar team with two goals and two assists followed by Aaron Kinakin and Robbie Bosse with a goal and assist each. Other goalscorers for Castlegar were Travis Huggett and Clayton Ryscn The team is currently on another tour that will have them end up in Christchurch at the end of the week with their first game scheduled for Saturday morning PROFILE The Castlegar Sun » WEDNESDAY, August 2, 1995 B ‘| “Soilat™ Duala AN IT ére we go now. What’ ll you give H:: for it?” The opening words of John Russell, auctioneer extraordinaire, breaks the tension and the sale begins. Most of the bidders are tenta- tive to begin with, but as they settle into the rhythm of Russell’s voice and selling pattern, things begin to hum. Some people flash their bidding cards prompted by Russell's voice and his eye contact with them. Others are lifting their cards without really wanting to bid on the item at hand. A few are still trying to figure out the auctioneering pattern, and so they keep their heads down and try not to fidget. They don’t want to bid unknowingly. “It takes all kinds,” acknowledges John Russell. For Russell, auctioneering is in the blood and it's pure entertainment. Sure, he's in the business to make enough money to feed his family and keep his enter- prise afloat, but he’s had a lot of fun along the way. Russell began auctioneering in 1976, but the germ slipped into his system many years before. When he was a boy of seven in Killarney, Manitoba, he and his uncle saw an auction taking place at the back door of a hardware store. What they were doing looked like fun, so he bid on a clock — and bought it with a bid of $2.50. Of course, his uncle had to paid for it Beaming as he carried the clock home, he thought about how that auctioneer had people in the grip of his voice. How thrilling it was to listen to the man and feel the undercurrent of excitement running USSELL LIC TION Flair for the dramatic: Armed with microphone and the gift of the gab, auctioneer John Russell drums. up interest in the latest item on the selling block at a recent public auction, held at his business site along Highway 3A in Thrums. “Over several years, he has convinced the local population that sellings things by auction is indeed a good way to get a fair price; the best way to receive near-market value for whatever you're selling. Competitive bidding will do that. The other advan- Keep your eye on the guy at the front: A small crowd of dedicated deal hunters pays close attention to the proceedings as Russell auctions off his wares. With the use of bidding cards, potential buyers let him know of their interest in particular items. Russell says it doesn’t take a lot of people to make for a good sale, if there are seri- ous bidders on hand. through the crowd as each item came up for sale. The young Russell never forgot that excitement. Many years later, he was working in the West Kootenays in the construction industry. As an elec- trician, he moved from place to place as the work required. But he noted that nowhere in the region was there an auction service. It was a business wait- ing to happen. But before he could set up an auction service, he had to learn how to do it. Off to Billings, Montana, he went to the Billings School of Auction. There he learned the essentials of the auction business and ped a style of p ion of sales items. The Billings area had 60 with- tage is that you can get rid of the item quickly. Most people who buy and sell at auctions go away happy. He states unequivocally that he has never had a bad sale. One time in Grand Forks, only 8 people showed up. But they were serious buyers, and so it was a fine sale. Russell classifies himself as a general auctioneer. He finds it profitable not to specialize — he will sell anything if he can get together enough merchandise to, make the sale interesting. The last antique auc- tion was an incredible sale, but he has had good luck with general household furniture and estate items over the past 12 years. in, a hundred miles — and all of them seemed to be doing well. Russell soon realized that the West Kootenays — where no auction service existed — was a major untapped resource. When Russell began Russell Auc- tions in 1977, the Kootenays were not ready for auctions. No one had ever sold items that way before. People were not ready to trust their handise to him. he had to buy items just to have a sale. ly, he handled an auction of mostly government vehicles There were 53 vehicles to purchase, and 190 people registered to bid One person bought 11 vehicles, and 12 vehicles didn't sell, so only 30 people out of 190 got the vehicles they wanted. But the bidding was excellent — and Russell was in sev enth heaven. People often have the idea that auctioneers take too large a cut For several years, he operated out of the back of a truck, stored things in warehouses, and occasionally rented the Robson Hall as an auction location. It was a frustrating way to work at the business you loved. He knew he necded a building and a location. The Billings School had taught him that he needed 3000 to 5000 square feet of space and a nearby popula. tion of at least 5000 people. Thrums fit the bill perfect- ly, as it was near a growing Castlegar, but it also gave the business access to the Slocan Valley and Nelson. Finally, in 1983, he built the huge auction house in Thrums where his auctions have been held ever since for very little work. Russell s: that’s wrong. He works hard. Often he has to an estate to see if it has any value as an auction com- modity. Sometimes he travels long distances to pick up truckloads of items, and then unloads them at his building. Next begins the laying out of items in a log- ical sales order and the actual cataloguing of them Then he must advertise the sale and wait for buyers. On auction day, he must arrange for the items to be viewed ahead of time, then he must auction the items off for the best price he can get, and finally he must help people take their purchases away. As he says, “It’s like any business because your mind works on it more than from 8 to 5. The pressure is never released until the last cheque clears the bank.” Russell Auctions is one of the few auction centres which c items for c When you pay your dollar to register on auction day, you receive a list of the items being sold. You also receive a numbered bidding card which you will hold up as you bid. These procedures make the auction itself a smooth event Auctions are held Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons at advertised dates throughout the year. Helping Russell with his business are his wife Phyllis and his son Robin. Phyllis — with help from people like Barb Makortoff — handles the regis- tration and the front counter procedures. She takes the buyer's money and exchanges it for items bought Every auctioneer needs at least one ring man, and Robin Russell usually plays that role. Sometimes, these people are called floor men. These helpers watch part of the audience for bids that are being signalled. In addition, they often help bidders understand where the bid is at and who has the high price. You'll find Robin holding up items that are currently being bid on, and he will be shouting “yes” every now and then as he notes a bid-card flash in the air. Russell is adamant, though, that the most important person at the auction is not the auctioneer or the ringman — or even the customers. The key individual to an auction's success is the recording clerk. Carolyn Anderson has been doing this job for years. It is her task to know when bidding is finished, to enter the correct bid amount, and to assign a customer number. If she fails in any part of her job, the business could lose a lot of money, M EVERY 30 SECONDS and there could be many unhappy customers. Russell states that there’s imumense satisfaction in putting up a good sale and getting good funds for your client. He’ remembers, for example, being sent a trailer load of government office furniture from the Purchasing Commission in Victoria. The Commis- sion didn't think it would get back the $1900 it put up for freight costs. When the sale was over, Rus- sell was pleased to be able to write a cheque to the Commission for $12,000. The worst problem encountered by auctioneers occurs when people buy items and then walk away without making payment or taking the item. At Russell’s recent auto auction, a customer from the Lower Mainland bid $18,000 for a vehicle. He said he would be back in a day or two to get it. Later, he phoned to say he couldn't get financing. Episodes like this upset Russell. The terms and conditions of the auction are listed on the card you receive as you register. You must have the means to pay for the item now — or you shouldn't be bidding. What bothered Russell regarding the $18,000 car was that someone else would have gladly taken the auto for $17,500. The style that Russell uses during auctions is not that used at cattle auctions. He knows that most people cannot follow that type of incomprehensile auction lingo. His buyers are ordinary people, so he refuses to use filler words and the high-pitched voice standard in those venues He has two goals at every auction. He wants the audience to understand him and he wants to sell every item. To do-so, he believes in eye contact with individual buyers and good voice control. He seeks clarity and directness. He likes to joke with buyers from time to time, and he also gives them directions about the bidding process. A road less travelled: Russell has been doing business in the Kootenays since 1977. He has seen local interest in his unique brand of retailing grow slowly but steadily dur- ing that time, despite residents’ initial hesitations. In looking back, John Russéll is pleased he took this road less travelled and became an auctioneer. His flair for the dramatic and his keen sense of busi- ness have enabled him to be highly successful in a profession he happened upon when he was only seven years old. * All in a day’s work: A: satisfied customer walks off with two paintings he has pur- chased following a successful round of bidding. Russell says he is proud of the fact that most of the people who buy and sell at his auctions go away happy.