Wonderboy 2020 wraps up with colorful closing ceremony

The 2020 Wonderboy Tournament at Wolf Lake in Haliburton came to an end with a closing ceremony that ran for about thirty minutes.

Spectators in the basement were treated to plenty of low-wattage lights, various types of pop music, and even a couple of trophy ceremonies.

The president of the Wonderboy Closing Ceremonies Subcommittee, Greg Desroches, used his speech to praise athletes from both Ontario and outside Ontario, who competed as a united team at this Tournament, for demonstrating their belief in "a peaceful future." He said WB would "continue this Wonderboy dialogue" after the Tournament is over.

He thanked the athletes for their "competitive spirit and fair play" and told the WB organizing committee: "Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Addressing WB host Kirk Cooper, Desroches said: "Thank you for your personal commitment and determination to make this Tournament so successful in every way."

Desroches then declared the 2020 Tournament closed and called on young people of the world to gather for the next Wonderboy Tournament in twelve months’ time at Percy Lake.  The 2020 Tournament officially ended with the Percy Lake 2021 flag handover ceremony before the Wonderboy flame was extinguished.

There were many brilliant moments during this year’s Wonderboy. Craig Hammond, this year’s first-time winner of the Wolf Lake Wonder Boy trophy, also became the first ever player to record a career win in each of the seven events at Wonderboy.  Hammond won this year in both Poker and Darts to complete his Seven Events.

Bill Draper had his best-ever result, finishing in 2^nd place with 11 points.  Draper was in the running for Wonderboy right up to the Ping Pong finals, where his team lost to a resurgent Alain Charlebois and his heir apparent as the best ping pong player, Drew Forsyth.

Ping Pong Pool B teams Jette-Cooper and Mesaric-Trahan collaborated on a touching tribute to Kobe Bryant in their quarterfinal game Saturday, playing to a 24-22 final score in remembrance of the No. 24 worn by the NBA great.  Ethan Cooper came out in a Lakers jersey for the match.

Although there were good things that happened at Wonderboy, there were also not so good things. Somehow the trophy presented annually to the "most objectionable player" in the WB tournament, the Horse's Ass trophy, might be in the worst shape of all this week.

The well-established tradition of day drinking resulted in the trophy taking a blow to the half horse that rises from the base of the Horse’s Ass trophy. The damage, a WB Trophy Maintenance Subcommittee official told the WB News, “is very minor” and will be repaired “right away.”

There was one arrest, of a 50-year-old Milton, Ont., man, who reportedly threw the trophy to the ground during a fit of pique. Other attendees and the tournament’s security director pointed to the aggressor and the man was quickly taken into custody. “I love WB, I didn’t mean to damage the trophy,” Greg Doan said, according to witnesses. WB officials did not respond to further questions, saying they could not comment on an on-going investigation.

WB Finance Subcommittee Announces Financial Results for WB20

The WB Finance subcommittee yesterday announced the financial results for the tournament that ended February 23, 2020, recording revenue of $0.00308 million and net proceeds of $600 for the Heaney Fund.

“Although Wonderboy attendance figures were flat, the Club is excited with the achievement of numerous positive developments and is confident these developments will lead to increased revenue and higher margins going forward” said David Panko, head of the WB Financial subcommittee. “The 2020 Tournament was a transitional year focused on pricing adjustments and supplier partnerships.”

WB 2020 revenue was positively impacted by the first increase in ticket prices in 21 years. The Tournament remains well positioned to capitalize on opportunities as they arise.  The Club has also taken initiatives to lessen their dependence on gate fees, by increasing their focus on subscriptions and merchandise sales.