There are not too many people around anymore who do things without asking for something in return.  That is why I am happy to introduce you to Mr. Dave Vere.

It is almost 2 years ago that I was introduced to Dave when I was working on the inaugural Richler Cup.  He was running sports at a Royal Canadian Legion in Preston and offered his time to run a qualifier for this prestigious event.

Since, then, I have spent countless hours over the phone with him talking about how to develop snooker in Canada and bring it to the next level.  We have discussed topics that vary from the psychology of the snooker player, to how Google analytics work, sponsorship programs, referees, juniors, websites, and a whole lot more.

In between all those talks were a lot of action.  Dave went out and solicited sponsorships.  He conducted qualifiers.  He went and supervised another qualifier in Mississauga.  He came down to Montreal to watch the Richler Cup with his wife, conducted interviews, introduced me to some more snooker players and all the while, with a smile and an energy that most human beings can only dream about.

Oh , and did I mention that he never asked for anything in return? not once!

So you would figure that the story would end there, but for some reason, Dave does not seem satisfied with things and would like to do his part for The 2015 Richler Cup, which will take place in Ontario this time.

Dave told me that he believes this one could be bigger and better than the last one, but again, talking is not good enough and action is what works for him.   He is already thinking about running another qualifier and to be quite honest, I am not surprised anymore.  At this point, I know Dave a little better, and more importantly , I trust and respect was he has done for the game of snooker.

Since Snooker Canada was founded 3 years ago, I have been disappointed by some people, where I thought they had it in them to survive small bumps in the road, and I have been pleasantly surprised by others that showed real character and poise in how they dealt with issues.

Thank you Dave for all the chats, thanks for all the listening, thanks for the moral support, thanks for the time and energy, thanks for your persistence, thanks for your professionalism,  thanks for your loyalty to your Legion, thanks for being one of the good ones in Ontario, thanks for being a friend, and looking forward to growth and a bright future for all the Legions in Canada as well as our beautiful game of snooker.