The Saskatchewan Winter Games are just a few weeks away, and athletes from Estevan and area have already earned their spots on some of the Team Southeast squads.
The games are Feb. 18-24 in North Battleford and feature everything from target shooting and gymnastics to hockey and figure skating. The athletes on Team Southeast come from Balgonie down to the very corner of the province.
In total, there will be 1,900 athletes at the games, including about 200 from the southeast.
Jackson Miller, Alec Waldegger, Mason Fichter and Kaden Chrest of Estevan are on the boys hockey team, as are Redvers’ Austin Davis, Bromhead’s Colby Durr, Manor’s Colby Cuddington, Carievale’s James Mann and Bienfait’s Mason Kukura, with Midale’s Kyle Hoium as one of the coaches. The players have all had experience with the Estevan TS&M Bruins bantam AA team.
The synchro swim team has a few familiar faces from the Estevan Mermaids. Those include Hannah Mantei, Nyla Dyck, Caitlyn Graham, Marlie Weinrauch, Haley Copeland and Gemma Bittman. Brenda Lyons from the Mermaids will also coach them.
Carlyle has a near-monopoly on the weightlifters. Those include Aaron Chapman, Tyler Colpitts, Taris Rae, Jorja Bendtsen, Kendra Schultz, Karli Colpitts, and coaches Carson Brady and Mackenzie Craig.
Oxbow’s Caden Trafford is one of five members of the boys’ bowling team, and Carnduff has Laci Glennie, Hudson Walker, Rayna Stadnick and Carievale’s Alisa Paul on the girls’ team.
Girls’ hockey has Karleigh Mackenzie, Bailey Farr and Kayla Wanner from Estevan, as well as Starla Mann from Carievale, Dalis Prawdzik from Midale and Kelsey Carson from Lampman. Many of these players are on the Estevan midget AA Bearcats. Brad Robinson of Estevan is a member of the coaching staff. Brynn Kuntz of Estevan is on the Parkland Valley team, representing the Yorkton-Melville area.
Figure skating has representation from Lampman’s Kelsey Carson and Carnduff’s Carly Paton.
Table Tennis athletes from Estevan are Jean Rose Be and Bernadette Pangan and will be coached by Lindsay Collins from Estevan.
Brooke Hodgson was named to the gymnastics team.
Teams for wrestling, biathlon, snowboarding, alpine skiing and badminton have yet to be determined.
