Hus holds Gordie Howe Sports Complex in heart

Now Honorary Chair of “Sharing Sport Together” campaign

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Jorgen Hus coaches players at Playground To Pros in April.

Jorgen Hus keeps getting pulled back into the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

The 34-year-old Saskatoon product is the veteran long snapper for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and he has a lengthy history with city’s storied sports park. Hus played for the football program at St. Joseph’s High School taking part in games at Saskatoon Minor Football Field from 2003 to 2006.

He moved on to play three seasons with the CJFL’s powerhouse Saskatoon Hilltops from 2007 to 2009. The Hilltops have played their home games at SMF Field since 1960. After becoming a member of the Roughriders in 2015, Hus kept returning to SMF Field as the CFL squad began to regularly hold its annual “Green and White Day” there starting in 2016.

Making a career away from football as a mortgage broker in his hometown, Hus does all his off-season training in Saskatoon. Once the Indoor Training Centre opened on March 1, 2019 on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds, Hus was able to work on his long snapping on the field turf field and do conditioning training at Ignite Athletics.

“This park in general has been a huge part of my life,” said Hus, who helped the Hilltops win a CJFL title in 2007. “It has supported my career and being able to come here in the winters has just helped my career out in so many ways.

“It is pretty incredible what we have here. I just think I wish I had something like this when I was starting high school. I’m curious to see how things would have gone, and if they would have gone any different.

“It is a state-of-the-art facility, and these kids that get to come now they have no idea how good they have it. This is one of the top places in Canada, if not the best as far as I’m concerned. I have a lot of memories here, and a lot of opportunity.”

Knowing the impact the Complex has made on his football career, Hus thought it was natural to take on the role as Honorary Campaign Chair for the “Sharing Sport Together” campaign. That campaign overseen by Friends of the Bowl has a goal of raising $10-million to compete the final upgrades for the Complex grounds. Hus was honoured when he was presented with the opportunity to be the Honorary Campaign Chair.

Jorgen Hus works on long snapping at the Indoor Training Centre.

“This place it obviously has a place in my heart,” said Hus. “It has done so much for me.

“It continues to do even more. With the opportunities that are right there, anything that I can do to help that come to fruition is going to help the dreams of the next kid, the next generation be fulfilled. It is all possible.

“It was a no brainer for me.”

Johnny Marciniuk, who is the Operations Manager for the Gordie Howe Sports Complex Management Incorporated, was excited that Hus came on board to be the Honorary Campaign Chair for the “Sharing Sport Together” campaign. Marciniuk was pleased Hus took up the role, because of the positive history he has in Saskatoon’s sports scene.

“It is awesome to have Jorgen as our Honourary Campaign Chair as he is a successful local boy who played sports in our high school and junior system in the province,” said Marciniuk. “He is a role model for professional football players as well as young boys and girls and adults to strive to achieve their goals.

“What is even better is all of our clients young and old can end up walking side by side with him in our facilities as he uses them on a daily basis, which brings a sense of community to everyone. Lastly, Jorgen is a business man, husband, father and gentleman. We couldn’t be prouder to have him associated with our campaign.”

Hus said some of his earliest memories of playing football in Grade 9 was being able to get out of class early to catch the bus to come down to SMF Field. From there, he built more memories playing against buddies from elementary school who suited up for Evan Hardy Collegiate. The high school post-season inevitably seemed to lead to a showdown with Holy Cross High School.

Playing for either St. Joseph’s or the Hilltops, recollections piled up of playing on the old grass surface at SMF Field when it would eventually become a mud bowl often late in the season.

“There are definitely a few games there where you can’t even tell anybody’s number,” said Hus. “There are just so many games that have been like that.

“I can’t even like pick one out. There was definitely a lot of them. Those were the most fun games.

Jorgen Hus works with youngsters at a clinic in February.

“You’re sliding around in the mud. You feel bad for the folks who have to do the laundry, because that wouldn’t have been easy. That was all part of it playing in all the elements.”

Since 2014, the mud bowl became a thing of the past as a field turf field was installed. With the turf field that exists at the Indoor Training Centre, Hus has been impressed with the number of different camps and programs Saskatoon Minor Football offers thanks to the increased field time. He is a regular when it comes to coaching with SMF’s Playground To Pros Camp.

“All the camps and stuff that are going on now, obviously, they weren’t around when I was coming out of college,” said Hus, who helps coach long snappers at various levels of the game in Saskatoon. “I don’t even know if the CFL combine had lasers when I came out.

“There is definitely more opportunity. Now even with the indoor facilities that we have, we can go throughout the winter. There are no excuses.

“There is a time all year round. We don’t have to wait for the good weather.”

Hus said he has improved quite a bit working on the craft of his position since the Indoor Training Centre opened.

“I’ve had two all-star seasons since being able to work in this place and having the winters to do this,” said Hus. “It is no coincidence.

“I’ve been able to practice on good turf all year round essentially all winter. It has been huge for my career, massive.”

Along with improving for his sport, Hus has enjoyed meeting the numerous athletes that come to the Complex to train and improve in various other sports. He has found those athletes have developed a feeling of attachment to the Complex like he has. Hus said seeing the drive of the other athletes helps his drive.

Jorgen Hus speaks at the Hilltops End Zone Dinner on Sept. 30, 2023.

“You are seeing people come here and working their tail off chasing their dreams, and it is not hard to get motivated by that,” said Hus. “You can be walking in here on your worst day, and you’ll find plenty of reasons to get motivated and fired up.

“That is why I love coming here. I’ll be a client forever after the football career is done. It is pretty special.

“There are not a lot of places where you can see that and get that out of people.”

Valkyries grow into institution in Saskatoon

Female football sees big growth since club’s birth in 2011

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

The Valkyries raise the WWCFL championship trophy in 2022.

The meteoric rise of the Saskatoon Valkyries has given Saskatoon a vibrant female football landscape.

Back in the fall of 2010, Football Saskatchewan held a women’s tackle football clinic in Saskatoon to gauge the interest of women for the sport. Roughly around 45 women ranging in ages and athletic backgrounds from Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and surrounding areas came out to give the sport a shot.

From that initial gathering, Football Saskatchewan backed the start of two 12-player women’s tackle football teams with one in Regina and one in Saskatoon. In the spring of 2011, the Regina Riot and Saskatoon Valkyries began play in the inaugural season of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League.

The Valkyries won the first four straight league titles and eight league championships overall in the circuit’s history. Since the Valkyries start, numerous players from the team have gone on to coach or take on administrative and supporting roles in the sport.

Female flag football ballooned in “The Bridge City” since the Valkyries creation. The Rush High School Female Football Flag League was born around 2014. The Saskatoon F.A.T.E. (Female Athletes Tackling Excellence) program was created last fall to allow high school aged female players to play games in the six-person version of the sport.

More female players began to show up on high school rosters. Saskatchewan began sending provincial teams to national competitions and Valkyries players have represented Canada on the international scene.

Michelle Duchene, who has been the Valkyries general manager since the team’s inception, marvels looking at what has transpired in Saskatoon since the Valkyries played their first game back on May 22, 2011 downing the Riot 56-6 at historic Taylor Field in Regina.

“The best thing has been watching the sport grow in both flag and tackle for girls, and that we have created the space for females to have a place in football,” said Duchene, whose team hosts the Riot at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. “More and more of our players are moving on to coaching tackle and flag football or finding other ways to be involved in the sport once they retire.

“Hearing athletes coming from other sports talk about how they are treated like elite athletes in our community by being part of the Valkyries is a pretty special feeling. We get calls from groups asking our player to come talk to them or teach them about being an elite athlete and our sport, which is a pretty cool ask. It is amazing hearing young athletes talk to us about how excited they are to play for the Valkyries one day.”

Valkyries MLB Emmarae Dale (#45) chases Riot QB Aimee Kowalski.

Over the years, Duchene has recruited a number of players to come play for the Valkyries. Sometimes, the sales pitch comes from planting the idea in a female athlete’s mind that she should give football a try, and she might discover she likes the game.

One of those players Duchene planted a seed with was star middle linebacker Emmarae Dale. Before Dale joined the Valkyries in 2016, she played flag football and Duchene was her coach. Duchene passed on some friendly nudges that Dale would probably like playing for the Valkyries, if she joined the team.

Dale has since become one of the Valkyries most recognizable players. She helped the Valkyries win four WWCFL titles coming in 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2023.

Along with playing for the Valkyries, Dale was recruited to play for the Saskatoon Hilltops and joined the storied powerhouse CJFL club for the 2021 season. She became the first female ever named to the Hilltops roster, and she was also the first female to play in the CJFL regular season.

Dale also suited up for Canada’s National Women’s Team that played in the International Federation of American Football’s Women’s World Championship, which ran from July 28 to August 8, 2022 in Vantaa, Finland. She was one of 12 Valkyries players that was on Canada’s main roster.

Now at age 26, Dale has always loved being a member of the Valkyries and has gained a new appreciation being a veteran player of the team.

“It has been really cool to see kind of where the team has grown throughout the years,” said Dale. “It has been interesting even to just like witness my own transition from being a new player to a veteran.

“It is really awesome just to see all the rookies and new people that we’re getting out. It has been a pretty incredible career so far. I’m just really thankful for the years I’ve been able to have and will hopefully continue to have for a little bit.”

Alex Eyolfson (#15) calls a play in the Valkyries huddle.

Dale has also been active in coaching the female game in various capacities in Saskatoon. She has seen the number of female flag teams grow over the years and said it was cool to see the F.A.T.E. program debut last fall.

“It is definitely an interesting dynamic, but it is really cool being able to see both sides of the ball,” said Dale. “Us veterans that are starting to coach more, I think it has been helping our own play to able to coach as well.

“It is really honestly good to be on the coaching side and kind of get those friendships and memories too. It is kind of interesting to still be coach and an athlete for a lot of us. It has been going really, really well, and I think we all really enjoy it.”

Like Dale, receiver Ricki Obed joined the Valkyries in 2016 too. She was a member of their last four WWCFL championship teams and suited up for Canada’s National Women’s Team for worlds in 2022.

The 32-year-old enjoyed coaching in the F.A.T.E. program last year and the new realizations that continues to bring.

“Starting the F.A.T.E. league and coaching that was just such a great experience,” said Obed. “We coached it with a full female coaching team as well with most of those being Valks players and retired Valks players as well.

“It was just so cool to watch these girls get to experience tackle football and see them start to pick it up, see them start to learn it and love it was very exciting. Now, we actually have some girls on our roster that came from F.A.T.E. just last year. It is this whole big circle, and I’m just loving being a part of it.”

During her time with the Valkyries, Obed has enjoyed seeing former players become members of the club’s coaching staff including some of her former teammates.

“Obviously, the goal of the program is just to get more women involved in football,” said Obed. “To kind of watch that progression of some of our players from the earlier years becoming coaches now, we have Marci (Halseth) and Beth (Thompson), obviously, on our coaching staff.

Ricki Obed breaks downfield after making a catch for the Valkyries.

“Rienna Rueve and Beth Lalonde are out helping coach this year as well. To see that kind of shift watching them go though their career and then into coaching now is really cool. Obviously, it opens my eyes to those opportunities as well.”

Obed said all the former Valkyries players that she knows always have positive things to say about the team. She remembers being a rookie looking up to the veteran players. Obed enjoys that memory and all the memories she has made with the squad.

“It is like a family, honestly,” said Obed. “The girls in the locker room are like some of the closest people in my life.

“To have that and to meet people that way is pretty incredible. Obviously when you go to battle together, it creates a very close bond.”

Pat Barry, who has been the Valkyries head coach since 2017 and been with the club’s coaching staff since 2014, said it has been special working with the team’s players over the years and is pumped every time a new season comes around.

“I’m a long-time coach, obviously, even before this,” said Barry, whose team has regularly played their home games at SMF Field since 2015. “It is just something I’m super excited about every season.

“When you work with adults, life sometimes gets in the way, and I understand that. So many of our athletes, they come from different sports. They come from different backgrounds.

“Now some of them, football is their first sport. That is something that didn’t happen in the early years of the club, but you had players who played flag football for many, many years or now have played tackle football in the new F.A.T.E. league or on their high school teams as well.”

Of course, being able to win eight WWCFL championships has been special as well for the Valkyries over the years. Duchene said winning titles is a nice reward for the team, but when all is said and done, she wants the players to come away feeling being a part of the Valkyries was a great and special thing in their lives.

“I love watching our player reach their goals, get better each year, some go on to play for the national team, and I am so proud of them all for reaching whatever their goal is, even if it is just trying the sport for one year,” said Duchene. “The hope is that their experience with our team will help them all succeed in life after they are done their playing careers.

The Valkyries raise their helmets for a win on June 18, 2023. 

“The number of players who have come through this program is getting bigger, and it is super fun to have them come back and see the impact that they have made and relive the glory days.”

For more information on the Saskatoon Valkyries, feel free to check their website saskatoonvalkyries.com.

Business picks up for Baseball, football, softball in photo roundup

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Rachel Siwak drives the ball of a tee at the Indoor Training Centre.

The excitement and momentum for the spring season kept building and kept going when it finally came.

For the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, the arrival of May starts a period lasting about six to seven months where all the facilities on the Complex grounds are in operation. Baseball and softball begin regular season play.

Football gets going with numerous flag leagues, Saskatoon Minor Football’s North Sask Academy league and the Saskatoon Valkyries, who venture on a quest to capture another WWCFL title. The Track and Field Track gets swamped with various meets in May, June and July.

Of course, there is big excitement for the return of Western Canadian Baseball League to Saskatoon. The Saskatoon Berries will play their home opener on May 28 at 7 p.m. at Cairns Field against the Regina Red Sox. That contest will mark the first time Cairns Field has hosted a game in Canada’s premier collegiate summer wood bat league since the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets ceased operation following the 2014 season.

Activity was still busy inside the Indoor Training Centre as athletes in all these sports were peaking their training throughout April in anticipation of the calendar turning to May. One group looking further down the road in this calendar year was the University of Saskatchewan Women’s Softball Program. They held a tryout camp inside the Indoor Training Centre from April 13 to 14.

Samantha Moore runs down a ball hit into the outfield.

Our lead picture for our photo roundup comes from that camp and sees veteran centerfielder Rachel Siwak working on her sweet swing in a batting cage on April 13. The second picture sees veteran right-fielder Samantha Moore running down a ball hit into the outfield.

The tryout camp allowed the U of S players to get in some work before joining various club teams at the start of May and playing with those squads in spring and summer. The U of S squad usually begins play in late August.

The pictures in this photo roundup capture some of the memories that are made on our grounds. In this photo roundup, all of these pictures were taken by our Communications Coordinator in Darren Steinke.

Without further ado, here is a selection of 11 shots we hope you enjoy.

Focus on tackle form

A player with the Saskatoon Wild Oats Rugby Club concentrates on perfecting a tackling technique on a teammate during a practice session hosted by the program on April 10 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Wild Oats men’s and women’s clubs get in regular indoor training sessions as their respective seasons approach.

Lineout catch looks good

Members of the Saskatoon Wild Oats Rugby Club work at making sure the ball is caught in a lineout on April 10 at the Indoor Training Centre. Members of both the Wild Oats men’s and women’s programs were gearing up for their upcoming campaigns.

Securing the flyout

An outfielder with a Saskatoon Selects under-18 team gets under and secures a catch in the outfield during a training session on April 10 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Selects players were getting in as many defensive repetitions as possible with the season around the corner.

Tracking in top form

A catcher follows the ball into her glove during a tryout session hosted by the University of Saskatchewan Women’s Softball Program on April 13 at the Indoor Training Centre. The coaches with the U of S club were evaluating players before they departed to their club teams in May that play in spring and summer.

Take down

A young player flattens a tackle wheel during a drill on April 16 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Saskatoon Minor Football was holding an ID camp for its North Sask Academy in the under-16 age group on this day.

Running with power

A ball carrier powers through a couple of tacklers during a kick return drill on April 16 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The drill was part of the activities overseen by Saskatoon Minor Football as part of an ID camp for its North Sask Academy in the under-16 age group.

Winter reminder

Just when it looked like the weather outside was cleared up, winter sent a reminder that it could come back at any time. Saskatoon Minor Football Field is pictured here after a snow dump on April 18.

Sweet touch throw

A quarterback makes a perfect throw during a Rush Female High School Flag Football mass practice on April 22 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Players taking part in the Rush program develop a strong love for the game.

Well-timed juke

A ball carrier puts on a juke move to fake out a defender during a Rush Female High School Flag Football mass practice on April 22 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Rush program is outstanding when it comes to delivering fun and competitiveness.

All in the release

A young pitcher focuses on making a good release working on her craft at a Saskatoon Phantoms under-15 team practice at the Indoor Training Centre on April 28. The Phantoms coaches had pitchers working on their release before going into a full pitch wind up.

Turning on the jets

A base runner finds her top gear turning a well-placed hit into a triple during a modified scrimmage between a pair of Saskatoon Selects teams on April 28 at the Indoor Training Centre. The turf field at the Indoor Training Centre provides a perfect spot to conduct simulated game situations.

Safe at home

Saskatoon Giants base runner Tristin Tetreault Yaremko slides in safe at home during a Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League game in under-18 AAA play against the Saskatoon Diamondbacks on May 8 at Leakos Field. The Diamondbacks ultimately squeaked out a 4-3 win.

Special delivery

Saskatoon Diamondbacks pitcher Casey Rauckman finesses a pitch to the plate during a Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League game in under-18 AAA play against the Saskatoon Giants on May 8 at Leakos Field. The Diamond slipped past the Giants 4-3.

He could go all the way

Samuel Lafreniere from Team Green runs a punt a long way back to a touchdown during North Sask Academy league action on May 8 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Team Green took this contest over Team White 41-2.

Making it look routine

A Cardinals men’s team baseball player settles under a fly ball during a training session on May 8 at the Indoor Training Centre. A smaller group of Cardinals players were out getting lots repetitions in the outfield.

A beauty site

The K+S Potash Canada Multi-Sports Centre sits overlooking the Track and Field Track on May 9 waiting to be used for that evening’s twilight meet. It makes for a great site on a sweet sunny day.

Saskatoon football pumped flag game in 2028 Olympics

Popularity of sport expected to increase further

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Two players jet downfield in a Rush high school flag game.

Saskatoon Minor Football has always been cutting edge with its flag football programs, and a welcome development is going to add more luster to the sport.

On October 16, 2023, flag football in both men’s and women’s events was approved by the International Olympic Committee for play in the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, Calif. Flag football will be in the Olympic Games for the first time in 2028 along with squash, while baseball, softball, cricket and lacrosse return after varying absences. Flag football games at the Olympics will be contested in a five-on-five format on a 50-yard field with no linemen in both men’s and women’s action.

Brian Guebert, who is the executive director Saskatoon Minor Football, said the announcement that the flag game was going to be accepted into the Olympics was something his organization was anticipating for a while. He said there was a cool feeling when the official announcement came out.

“For it to be official was something really exciting,” said Guebert. “It was kind of that breath of fresh air going, ‘Alright. It is for real now and they’re moving forward with it in a high-performance capacity.’

“It has really changed the tune of how people are approaching the sport of flag football. A lot of times it was a secondary sport. It was something people did for recreation.

“Now, we’re seeing a lot of our young athletes saying, ‘I want to do this as my primary sport.’ That has been really exciting as a result of the announcement of it being an Olympic sport.”

Over the years, Saskatoon Minor Football has developed a number of flag programs including Lil’Tops 3-on-3 flag football, the NFL 5-on-5 Youth Flag Football League, the Rush Female High School Football Flag league, the Toon Squad competitive flag league and the Toon Squad travel teams. Outside of Saskatoon Minor Football, the Saskatoon Adult Flag Football League operates with men’s and women’s divisions and a number of those players coach in the programs offered by SMF.

Guebert said the inclusion of flag football to the Olympics will have a big positive impact on the elite-level side of the game.

“I just think that we will see some growth in our programing in particularly our high-performance program,” said Guebert. “We’ve been fortunate for the last two years in anticipation of this to give our athletes the best chance to compete.

Reed Thorstad coaches a Toon Squad league flag game.

“We have taken our Toon Squad teams, so our U16 and U19 female and male teams, down to the States the last two winters and compete in some high-performance tournaments down there. I think we will start to see a little more draw towards those programs especially leading up and following the Olympics.”

With that said, Guebert is expecting there will be increased popularity for the overall flag game and in all the flag leagues SMF oversees.

“Overall, our NFL youth flag league, our Rush high school girls flag league and we have a Toon Squad league that plays kind of a little more a high-performance model in the fall for females,” said Guebert. “I think we’ll see those steadily continue to grow.

“We’ve had some fantastic growth in really the last 15 or 20 years here. I think we’ll see those continue to sustain a pretty marked growth curve. I’m excited to see where flag football takes us as a football organization.”

Reed Thorstad, who is best known as a star receiver for the Saskatoon Valkyries women’s tackle football team, has played flag football for some time and coaches in both the tackle and flag side of the sport with SMF. She was excited flag football was accepted into the Olympics and said it is an amazing sport technically and tactically.

Thorstad believes Canada will be a high medal contender at the Olympics. She believes the fact flag football becoming an Olympic sport will add to what has been developed in Saskatoon.

“I think it is amazing what we have going on here in Saskatoon right now,” said Thorstad. “There has been a lot of growth in flag football both in the amount of girls playing flag football but also the level of skill that we’re seeing now.

“There is definitely an interest in it. I think that is going to continue to challenge everyone whether they’ve been playing for a long time or they’re new to the sport. Anyone that is chasing that Olympic dream should just work that much harder, because you know that next generation is going to be working for it too.”

Over the past two winters, Thorstad as a coach has taken an SMF female travel team to a tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida. She felt those experiences were eye opening for her players showing that they could play against the best players in their age group in the world.

As for herself, Thorstad will soon turn 28-years-old, so she isn’t sure where she would stand for potentially playing in the 2028 Olympics. She did say it is possible that players she coached could be playing in those games.

A quarterback, right, makes a pass in an NFL Youth flag game.

“Right now, I’m focused on our tackle season,” said Thorstad. “I’m still playing flag, and I love the sport.

“I think it would be an amazing opportunity to even have the chance to try and do that. I know that it is going to be tough competition in Canada, because we have some excellent flag football players and flag football teams. We will see what happens, but I think we’ll have some representation from Saskatchewan in some capacity.”

Cam Skinner, who is a defensive back for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team and is flag player too, believes having flag football at the Olympics is going to help the exposure for the sport of football overall.

“It is big for the sport for sure,” said Skinner. “You see just the flag numbers that have been rising.

“As a football player, it is cool to see more people just playing. Personally and just with the guys I’ve played with, we’re just excited for the potential to see something you’ve been playing on TV and in the Olympics and then have maybe the chance to go.”

Skinner, who is 24-years-old, is entering his fifth and final season of eligibility with the Huskies. He still has hopes of playing the tackle game professionally in the CFL, but he the added the opportunity of having the flag game as part of the Olympics is another chance to play the sport at a high level in 2028.

“The mindset is cool,” said Skinner. “The potential that would be my peak years.

“You always wonder now that it is an Olympic sport who is going to be available and excited to go. You look at the caliber of athletes we have in Canada. There are guys going to the NFL that might be vying for that spot kind of when that time comes around.

“As a guy that has played high level football in Canada and played a bunch of flag, it is an exciting opportunity just to even have that consideration out there. It will be interesting to see when 2028 comes around.”

Overall, Guebert said flag football has been important to SMF for some time, and have flag football in the Olympics gives that version of the sport an extra boost. He said it is a great entry point for the game because players need to bring cleats, and they are good to go.

“It is a low barrier of entry and then from a fundamental perspective it teaches fundamental skills that are transferable to high-performance flag but also transferable to tackle football,” said Guebert. “I’ll tell any of our parents that it is way harder to take a couple of flags off somebodies’ hips than it is to tackle them.

A Falcons runner rips downfield in an NFL Youth flag game.

“Flag teaches you to be in that good position to wrap up and make a tackle. It teaches you route running. It teaches you ball protection and ball catching and carrying.

“It teaches you coverage skills. It teaches you rushing skills. It teaches you pursuit angles. It is all really, really good without having any contact involved.”

For more information on the flag and other programs offered by Saskatoon Minor Football, feel free to check out their website at saskatoonminorfootball.com.

Playground To Pros and other fun pack into photo roundup

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

A receiver, left, makes a tough catch at a Playground To Pros session.

The enthusiasm that you can experience at Playground To Pros is contagious.

Saskatoon Minor Football ran the annual Easter break camp for young players in Grades 5 to 8 at the Indoor Training Centre from April 2 to 4. SMF brings in a variety of guest coaches that are either playing in the CFL or alums of the professional ranks along with some of the top football coaches in Saskatoon.

The players at Playground To Pros go through a variety of drills that focus on skill development in a fun environment. 

Jorgen Hus coaches young players at Playground To Pros.

If you are ever around one of the Playground To Pros camp sessions, you can tell the coaches do a great job of delivering fun, because it seems the players always exude a positive and energetic vibe.

All the sessions at the camp lead to a scrimmage session that is held in the afternoon on the last day, which was April 4. This session closes the camp and gives players a chance to show off what they have learned.

Our lead picture of our photo roundup sees a receiver making a great catch under tight coverage during one of the scrimmages on April 4. 

The second picture of the photo roundup shows Saskatchewan Roughriders veteran long snapper Jorgen Hus directing a group of players during a scrimmage session.

A defensive back mades an interception at Playground To Pros.

The third picture of the photo roundup shows a young defensive back making an interception in scrimmage action.

With the spring sports season almost here, the Indoor Training Centre has been a massive hub of activity for the past month. Various baseball, cricket, rugby and softball groups have been at the facility doing preparation work so they can hit the ground running when their various campaigns begin.

The pictures in this photo roundup capture some of the memories that are made on our grounds. In this photo roundup, the majority of these pictures were taken by our Communications Coordinator in Darren Steinke. Also, Vic Pankratz also checks in with a pair of photos from Playground To Pros.

Without further ado, here is a selection of 17 shots we hope you enjoy.

Hofmann shows off new toy

Our baseball family can now enjoy two new portable five-foot wide by 10-foot long mounds which will be safer for pitching drills. We have one for each the north and south fields at the Indoor Training Centre. Logan Hofmann is shown trying out one of the new mounds.

Got it at the wall

A Saskatoon Cubs outfielder makes a catch at the wall during a training session on March 13 at the Indoor Training Centre. On the dividing curtain that splits the field turf field into the north and south fields, the solid green lower portion of the curtain is meant to simulate an outfield wall.

Out at first

A Saskatoon Giants infielder sets to secure a catch at first base for an out during a training session on March 13 at the Indoor Training Centre. Baseball groups enjoy the fact they can set up a regular infield at the Indoor Training Centre for practices.

Mastering the wild pitch block

Saskatoon Cubs catcher Osher Stromberg makes sure he gets his body in front of a ball to control a wild pitch as part of a wild pitch drill he did on March 13 at the Indoor Training Centre. Stromberg is a player you can watch in order to pick up tips on how to be a better catcher.

Out at second

A Saskatoon Raiders infielder sets to secure an out at second base during a training session on March 19 at the Indoor Training Centre. Enthusiasm was high among the players at this practice as the spring season closes in.

Coming right at you

A hitter at a 222’s Fastpitch training session drives the ball hard straight into the net at the Indoor Training Centre on March 19. The players in the hitting drills at this practice focused on technique.

Eye on the ball

A catcher looks the ball into her glove during a 222’s Fastpitch training session held on March 19 at the Indoor Training Centre. The catchers did various drills revolving around technique with a particular focus on getting throws off to second base at this session.

Let it rip

A bowler from the Bison Cricket Club Saskatoon makes a delivery to a hitter during a live competitive session in a pitching lane on March 26 at the Indoor Training Centre. It is becoming more common that onlookers from sports groups in neighbouring surroundings will check out the work of the cricket groups.

Hitter with a reach

A hitter from the Bison Cricket Club Saskatoon reaches out to make a connection during a live competitive session in a pitching lane on March 26 at the Indoor Training Centre. The cricket groups are looking forward to their upcoming outdoor season in spring.

Windup with flow

A young pitcher flows through her windup during a 222’s Fastpitch Pitching Factory day on March 26 at the Indoor Training Centre. During Pitching Factory days, young pitchers aged 13 and under worked on the skills of throwing various pitches and take part in defensive drills from the pitching circle.

Here comes the heat

A young pitcher fires a toss during a Going Yard Baseball Academy training session on March 26 at the Indoor Training Session. The instructors at Going Yard were working with a younger group of hurlers on this day, and a lot of focus was paid to skill development.

Selects scoop toss

A Saskatoon Selects infielder makes a scoop toss during a rapid-fire infield tossing drill on Easter Sunday, March 31 at the Indoor Training Centre. This Selects session was held after the dinner hour, and the players had a tonne of fun on this day.

Toss out of trouble

A member of the Saskatoon Wild Oats Rugby Club passes the ball to a teammate during a drill at the Indoor Training Centre on April 1. The Wild Oats coaches will work to get their players to be able to make quick decisions as rugby is a sport with constant motion.

Throw to start a drill

A member of the Saskatoon Wild Oats Rugby Club passed the ball into his teammates to start a drill at the Indoor Training Season on April 1. The Wild Oats are preparing for their upcoming season in the spring.

Driving through the tackle

A couple of members of the Saskatoon Wild Oats Rugby Club work on a tackling drill with a blocking pad on April 1. The tackler is driving through the player holding the blocking pad with power.

Tough running

Vic Pankratz checks in here with a photo from a Playground To Pros session on April 2 at the Indoor Training Centre. In this picture, a young running back tries to get out of the grips of a tackler during a one-on-one competitive drill.

Catch coming in stride

Vic Pankratz also gave us this sweet picture from the Playground To Pros session on April 2 at the Indoor Training Centre. In this shot, a young receiver is set to make a catch in stride while running his route with a defensive back in the vicinity. You can check out more of Vic’s photos at vicpankratzmedia.com.