Gordie Howe Sports Complex living out big dreams

Sport park’s family has grown and is open to all

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Carter Beck hits a triple for the Berries on August 11.

The dream has become a reality.

Way back on March 1, 2019, the Gordie Howe Sports Complex Management Incorporated officially took over management of the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. The non-profit body came into existence over the dream of having a unified group coordinate everything that went on at the sports park.

Before Gordie Howe Sports Complex Management Incorporated came into existence, each sport was responsible for coordinating the activities on the facilities on the Complex’s grounds like Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the baseball and softball diamonds and the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval in winter. The dream of a unified group overseeing the operations of the sports park came with the hope things could be run in a more positive manner for all sports groups that would ultimately allow them to pull bigger events to the Complex.

A young cricket player practices making a defensive hit.

Fast forward from those beginnings to the present day, the Complex had a really successful 2024 year hosting various events from the sport of baseball, cricket, football, lacrosse, Nordic Skiing, rugby, softball, speed skating, track and field and ultimate disk. People have flocked to the Complex for training sessions and to take part in all sorts of events like the John Sands Classic Long Track Meet for speed skating, the massive SHSAA Track and Field Provincial Championships, Saskatoon Berries Baseball Club contests, Saskatoon Valkyries games, Saskatoon Hilltops contests, two Softball Canada nationals, various big games in baseball, football and softball, and an extremely successful and memorable high school football season.

Muriel Gieni has set numbers Canadian masters track and field records.

“The amount of athletes that have been here for the last 2,000 days is unheard of,” said Bryan Kosteroski, who is the Chairperson of Gordie Howe Sports Complex Management Incorporated. “We are an example of a group of people who had a dream, who partnered and collaborated with all the sports organizations that are here.

“We created one of the top sports venues in Canada. We’re fully self-operational. We’re a full-fledged business now.

“We hire students of all ages year round. We really fill a void that has been in Canada about organizations taking a facility and growing a facility and operating a facility all in one.”

Cadence Colborn drives a hit for the Prairie Dog Selects on August 3.

The Complex’s family has welcomed everyone of all ages and cultures since being established in March of 2019. That included hosting athletes from the Saskatchewan North Central Softball Academy’s Timbits Saturdays program who are aged five to 10 and to 66-year-old star athlete Muriel Gieni, who has broken Canadian masters record in track and field on at least 60 occasions in her career.

“The 222’s (Fastpitch program players) come from all across Western Canada for their programs here,” said Johnny Marciniuk, who is the Gordie Howe Sports Complex Management Incorporated Operations Manager. “We’ve got people in their 20s and 30s and 40s who are playing ultimate disc here.

Ultimate disc is a sport that attracts a wide group of athletes.

“The whole facility is multi-dimensional.”

Over the past year and a half, the Complex has welcomed the cricket community, who use the Indoor Training Centre for off-season work. The Saskatoon Berries played their inaugural Western Canadian Baseball League season in 2024 attracting an average of 1,931 spectators for 26 regular season home dates at Cairns Field.

The track and field community has hosted the SHSAA Provincial Championships for two straight years at the Track and Field Track. It is common for that event to draw in 4,000 people between athletes, coaches, support staff and spectators per day.

“For me, the highlight of this year was the increased amount of new sports and new athletes coming to the Complex,” said Kosteroski. “You look at how Cricket has grown.

The Mount Royal Collegiate Mustangs celebrate a win on Sept. 27.

“You look at track in the summer. You look at all of our sports they are all growing. To me, the Gordie Howe Sports Complex family keeps on expanding from year to year.

“The big thing there is that I look at the amount of people that come to the Complex a year. We say an average of 600,000, and we’re probably out of whack now. To me, that is the biggest highlight for me on the Complex personally.”

On top of the various sports communities gaining special experiences on the Complex’s grounds, Ignite Athletics has called the Complex home since the Indoor Training Centre officially opened in March of 2019. The crew at Ignite want to help the athletes they train to improve every day, so they can meet their athletic goals.

The John Sands Classic Long Track Meet attracts a lot of skaters.

As a result of the great work the Ignite staff does, they’ve attracted elite athletes from a wide variety of sports along with people who just want to be in better shape. In 2024, Ignite Athletics had a special year helping add to the overall family at the Complex.

“One of the things I’m really proud of is this being the Canadian Sport Centre for Saskatchewan in cooperation with Ignite Athletics, which is really cool and prestigious for us here,” said Marciniuk. “Ignite was an instigator for that, but they couldn’t have done it without the facility is what (Ignite Athletics co-owner) Joel (Lipinski) was telling us.

The Glenn Reeve Fields become ski trails in the winter.

“We also have Ignite Health that opened up weeks ago. It is something that is flourishing for them. They have chiropractor, dietician, physiotherapy, massage and dietary and nutrition.

“All of that is awesome.”

As for some other improvements in 2024, the Berries arrival saw the concession at the K+S Potash Canada Multi-Sports Centre be revamped, new foul poles were added to all the Glenn Reeve Field diamonds and a total of 80 trees were planted on the Complex grounds. The City of Saskatoon helped out building a bike path and new fencing along Dudley Street on the north side of the park.

The Saskatoon Wild Oats Rugby Club uses the Indoor Training Centre. 

Working with the Gordie Howe Sports Complex Management Incorporated board of directors that includes members of the sporting groups that use the park’s facilities, a revamp was done on the technological side. Kosteroski said the collaboration of the sports organizations has always been important in moving the Complex forward.

“The Gordie Howe Sports Complex in the fiscal 2024 had major business infrastructure adjustments where we created a new website, new booking systems and new accounting systems,” said Kosteroski. “Why the Complex did that was to ensure that we meet our customers’ demands and our growth needs in the future.

The Sentinels Lacrosse Club enjoy practising at the Indoor Training Centre.

“This year has been a major business development increase for the Complex. That is huge for a business to do all of those three different things in one year. We have to thank the Board of Directors for supporting this initiative as they see the growth of the Complex keep on going.

“We had to increase our capabilities, but also adjust our infrastructure to support that growth. That is huge for this business to do those three big things in one year.”

Now, the Gordie Howe Sports Complex is well into year six. Moving into the future, Kosteroski said the various sports communities are working towards bringing more major events to the Complex.

More big events like Softball Canada nationals will come to the Complex.

“Now, we’re starting to see all of our organizations looking at big bringing in world, national and international events,” said Kosteroski. “A lot of our ALTRs (authorized long term renters) are looking at now bringing in these major events because of the infrastructure in place now at the Complex.

“It took time for us to grow the infrastructure. Now for a lot of sports, that infrastructure is in place. Now, it is time for them to partner and start hosting major events, which we’re seeing a lot of verbiage from and a lot of noise about.”

As the various processes unfold in bringing more big events to the Complex, Kosteroski said the Gordie Howe Sports Complex Management Incorporated will be there to continue to collaborate with those sporting groups adding that everyone on the Complex grounds is family.

The Berries salute their fans on August 13.

“We talked about that when we started forming the Gordie Howe Sports Complex about how we’re going to grow and how we grow the family,” said Kosteroski. “The family is growing by itself now.”

For more information on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, feel free to check out the Complex’s recently revamped website at gordiehowesportscomplex.ca.

Winter season rushes in for photo roundup

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

The Glenn Reeve Fields sit ready for Nordic skiers.

Winter arrived in optimal fashion this year for the Gordie Howe Sports Complex.

On November 9, the schedule at Saskatoon Minor Football Field closed out with the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s 5A Provincial Championship game. That contest was barn burner as Prince Albert’s Carlton Comprehensive High School Crusaders just edged the Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints 35-34. Crusaders receiver Zane Litzenberger caught the winning touchdown pass from quarterback Sullivan Smith-Windsor with 72 seconds to play.

Saskatoon Minor Football Field sits at rest for the off-season.

That contest was played in conditions as perfect as you could get for a November 9^th date. Just 11 days later, snow came in big quantities and winter officially arrived in Saskatoon.

The lead picture of this photo roundup looks upon the snow-covered Glenn Reeve Fields, which now contains ski trails that will be used for likely the next three or four months. The Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club uses this area as one of its main places to teach junior aged skiers.

Snow falls also create photogenic scenes for our outdoor facilities that are out of season and are sitting at rest until spring arrives. The second picture of our photo roundup shows Saskatoon Minor Football Field on December 2 under a blanket of snow. The third photo from that same day looks out upon Joe Gallagher Field which is packed full of snow.

Joe Gallagher Field is still a sweet sight even in winter time.

With winter in high gear, the Indoor Training Centre is the centre of activity on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds. Business will be picking up more on the ski trails and the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval, which is slated to open Sunday, December 15 from noon to 6 p.m. weather permitting. Still, action from the Indoor Training Centre makes up the bulk of the pictures in this photo roundup.

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

Without further ado, here is a selection of 15 shots we hope you enjoy.

Litzenberger’s forever memory

Zane Litzenberger, who is a star receiver for Prince Albert’s Carlton Comprehensive High School Crusaders, reacts to making the winning touchdown catch for his team in the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s 5A Provincial Championship game played on November 9 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Litzenberger caught a five-yard scoring pass on a slant pattern from quarterback Sullivan Smith-Windsor to give the Crusaders a 35-34 victory over the Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints.

Crusaders are the champions

Prince Albert’s Carlton Comprehensive High School Crusaders raise Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s 5A Provincial Championship trophy on November 9 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The win marked the first high school provincial title for Carlton Comprehensive since the school first opened in 1975.

Not so fast

A defensive player holds up an offensive player during a Sentinels Lacrosse Club practice on November 18 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Sentinels play the field lacrosse version of the sport, and the space on the field turf at the Indoor Training Centre gives the travel program a chance to work on all aspects of the game.

Keep away

An offensive player looks to find a shooting position against a defensive player during a Sentinels Lacrosse Club practice on November 18 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Sentinels operate in the fall season and found a home at the Indoor Training Centre shortly after it opened in March of 2019.

Picture perfect bunt

A player from the 222’s Fastpitch program lays down a textbook bunt during a practice session on November 27 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Indoor Training Centre is the home of the 222’s program.

That one is out of here

A player from the 222’s Fastpitch program drives a deep shot during a practice session on November 27 at the Indoor Training Centre. The 222’s program allows players to get in off-season work playing softball and offers players the chance to compete in tournament action across North America.

Slick toss

A player makes a smart toss to get out of a jam during Saskatoon Ultimate Sport-Disc Society league action on November 28 at the Indoor Training Centre. Athletes from all sorts of skill levels and backgrounds take part in Saskatoon Ultimate Sport-Disc Society league play.

Happy high fives

The Saskatoon Ultimate Sport-Disc Society prides itself on ensuring players have a fun experience taking part in ultimate disc competitions. On November 28 at the Indoor Training Centre, this league contest ended with a lot of smiles and upbeat high fives between teams.

Laser focus

A pitcher zeros in on the strike zone in his wind up during a Going Yard Baseball Academy training session on November 29 at the Indoor Training Centre. The players were ensuring they used proper technique in delivering their pitches over the plate.

A quick coaching tip

Instructor Jordan Draeger, right, gives a pointer showing a young player how a skill is performed during a Going Yard Baseball Academy training session on November 29 at the Indoor Training Centre. Going Yard has been a mainstay at the Complex dating back to March of 2019.

Airing it out

A quarterback throws to a receiver on a deep route on December 3 at the Indoor Training Centre during a tryout session for the Toon Squad female flag football travel teams overseen by Saskatoon Minor Football. The tryouts attracted a sizable number of skilled players.

Break it down

The players and coaches do a big cheer on December 3 at the Indoor Training Centre following a tryout session for the Toon Squad female flag football travel teams overseen by Saskatoon Minor Football. The Toon Squad travel teams allow an extra avenue for players to experience elite level competition.

Let it rip

A young hitter follows through on a drive into the net during a Saskatoon Berries Baseball Academy practice session on December 4 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Berries Academy focuses on helping players in Grades 8 to 12 improve their skills playing the game.

All-out effort

An infielder tracks down a line drive during a Saskatoon Berries Baseball Academy practice session on December 4 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Berries Academy allows players to work on their skills as part of a school day.

Female cricket festival coming Dec. 21

Cricket Saskatoon is looking to give female players of all age groups and skill levels a great experience with the game.

Cricket Saskatoon and the Saskatchewan Cricket Association have collaborated with Cricket Canada and ICC (International Cricket Council) to host the first ever Women’s Criiio Festival in Saskatoon on December 21 at the Indoor Training Centre at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a special Winter Camp theme. This Cricket Festival is FREE to register and open to female players of all age groups and skill levels. Prior experience or knowledge of cricket is not necessary.

Refreshments and equipment will be provided for the games. The girls will have a fun time playing the game of cricket with a six-a-side format. Women’s CRIIIO festivals were introduced to provide a fun first experience of cricket to female participants new to the game and help them develop an interest in the game.

Limited spots are available. To register click on https://tinyurl.com/CRIIIO-SK.

Going Yard’s Dean aims to make a difference as a coach

Instructor enjoys working with all ages at baseball academy

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Marshall Dean is a popular instructor with Going Yard.

“He cares.”

That is the biggest message Marshall Dean hopes all the baseball players he instructs take with them.

“I like to think my players know I care,” said Dean. “It is not just my job.

“I care about them both on the field and in other aspects of life. I want to teach them how to be men from an early age, not just go through the motions, but work with a purpose. Every day is an opportunity.

“I hope they grow up to just be strong, hard-nosed baseball players. That is what I want is competitive kids that do things the right way and approach the game the right way.”

Having grown up playing minor baseball in Saskatoon and moving on to play at the post-secondary level as a pitcher, Dean reflected that he had a great experience playing baseball. When his playing career wrapped up, Dean wanted to give back to the game by becoming a coach. He aimed to help young players playing the sport in Saskatoon to have similar positive experiences with the game like he had.

After coming on to be an instructor with the Going Yard Baseball Academy in 2016, Dean has developed a reputation for bringing a great joy to training sessions working with players in a wide range of age groups. Some coaches find they work better with either younger players or older players at the post-secondary and professional levels.

As for Dean, the 33-year-old finds he is at his best when he working with players from all different age groups on a weekly basis. He has fun helping players get better, and you would be hard pressed to not see a big smile running across his face during daily practice sessions at the Indoor Training Centre at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex.

“It helps you as a coach,” said Dean, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighed 190 pounds in his playing days. “It helps you learn different aspects of the game and how to approach different players.

“It has been really fun to coach kids at a young age, set that standard and expectation early and watch them grow into the players that they are now. I’d say that is what I’m most proud of as a coach is the guys that I’ve coached from the time they were 10-years-old and now they’re 16 and 17-years-old men ready to go to college.”

Marshall Dean instructs a group of young pitchers.

No matter how different the ages of the players he works with are, Dean said his approach to working with those athletes is pretty consistent.

“It is a lot different, but it is a lot the same,” said Dean. “It is the same standard you set as far as what the expectation is at practice and the right way to approach the game and your work every day.

“Obviously, it is gentler at the younger age groups, but it is really the same. You practice the right way, you play the right way and you approach every day the right way.”

Of course, Dean only envisioned himself being a player, when he started in the sport. When he discovered the game, his motivation to be in the sport was to be like his two older brothers.

“I’m the youngest of three boys from an athletic family,” said Dean. “My brothers played baseball.

“I fell in love with it early going to their games hanging out in foul territory playing around and just stuck with it. I figured I had a pretty good arm, and it’d be a good option for me.”

He took to being a pitcher early on when he began playing the game. A lot of Dean’s love for the game of baseball comes from the competition of pitcher versus batter.

“It is a thinking man’s game,” said Dean. “It is not just straightforward.

“You have to use your mind a little bit. I always enjoyed that. I enjoy the battle inside the game pitcher versus hitter, pitch to pitch.

“I enjoy the thinking part of it.”

Marshall Dean gives a pointer during a fielding drill.

In Saskatoon’s minor baseball ranks, Dean played out of the Blue Jays zone before joining the Saskatoon Cubs 18U AAA team. With the Blue Jays and the Cubs, Dean had Todd Plaxton as a coach through most of those years in the sport.

Dean said Plaxton was his mentor playing the game, while growing up. The hurler credited a lot of his success to his long time minor baseball coach from his Saskatoon playing days.

“He (Plaxton) coached us the right way really early,” said Dean. “He taught you to respect the game, play hard and work hard.

“I think that is a big part of why I do this today is trying to bring some of that back to these boys and making sure they’re viewing the game the right way, practising and playing the right way.”

While suiting up for the Cubs, Dean got his first experience of playing baseball with adults. From 2006 to 2008, Dean played for the now defunct Saskatoon Yellow Jackets in what is now known as the Western Canadian Baseball League.

These days the WCBL is strictly a summer wood bat league for players from the post-secondary ranks. Back in 2006 to 2008, the WCBL was a summer league in an era where teams could use players from all sorts of age groups, if they were good enough to be on the team. Dean did face players in their late 20s and early 30s with the Yellow Jackets.

“It was pretty wild being a teenager in that league,” said Dean. “Todd (Plaxton) always used to say you’re going to grow some whiskers, and I definitely did.

“I mean playing against grown men you learn a lot really quick good things and bad things.”

After graduating from high school, Dean played for Colby Community College Trojans in Colby, Kansas, from 2009 to 2011. He moved on to throw for the University of Central Missouri Mules in Warrensburg, Missouri. With the U of Central Missouri, Dean completed his bachelor’s degree in physical education and coaching.

Marshall Dean set to the ball during a fielding drill.

In the summer months, Dean returned to Canada to play in the WCBL for the Moose Jaw Miller Express. During those post-secondary playing days, Dean started thinking seriously about becoming a coach in the sport.

“I realized I wasn’t going to be a professional baseball player,” said Dean. “Around the time I was about 20 or 21, I realized that the dream wasn’t necessarily going to come true.

“I just wanted to help guys from Saskatchewan reach their goals. If you have a goal to play college ball or whatever that goal is in baseball, I just wanted to help out back home.”

Upon returning to Saskatoon, Dean started working as an education assistant as a substitute and later full time at Caroline Robins Community School and Dr. John G. Egnatoff School.

He originally wanted to find a coaching spot with the Cubs, but he joined the staff of the Saskatoon Diamondbacks 18U AAA team after getting a call from Matt Kosteniuk. Kosteniuk brought Dean to Going Yard.

Dean has loved every bit of his time with Going Yard starting with the old training warehouse the academy was originally located at on Alberta Avenue before moving to the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds on March 1, 2019.

“It is really cool to work with your buddies that you grew up with,” said Dean. “Obviously, it is really cool to coach with a guy like (MLB alumnus) Andrew (Albers) who you looked up to growing up, and now, he is just your co-worker.

“That has been fantastic. Some of the younger guys that we have coming up that have spent time in professional baseball or very high-level baseball, it is really fun to watch them come back and again just be your co-workers.”

Dean has enjoyed seeing Going Yard grow over the years that included developing the Goats travel team program. Looking to the future, he believes his passion for coaching will always be there.

Marshall Dean gives post-practice talk with a group of players.

“I’ll do this as long as I can,” said Dean. “It is awesome to go to work with your friends every day.

“It is awesome to do what you love. I think a lot of people would look at this job and be jealous of what we get to do every day. We get to have fun with the boys.

“We get to help them grow and watch them grow. I’ll do this for absolutely as long as I can.”

For more information on the Going Yard Baseball Academy, feel free to check out their website at www.gyba.ca.

All-time classic contest featured in photo roundup

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Aulain Penner (#26) and Samuel LaFreniere (#22) shake hands.

Saskatoon Minor Football Field might have seen one of its greatest “Friday Night Lights” games ever.

When people remember the 2024 high school football season in Saskatoon, the Saskatoon Secondary Schools Athletic Directorate’s 6A City Championship game will go down as the most memorable moment of the campaign. That contest was played on the night of Friday, November 1.

It featured the St. Joseph High School Guardians taking on the Holy Cross High School Crusaders. The squads featured the two most exciting high school players in the city in running back Samuel LaFreniere of the Guardians and tailback Aulain Penner of the Crusaders.

The two sides engaged in two regular season meetings with Holy Cross taking both those encounters. The Crusaders claimed a 29-28 victory on October 4 and 48-35 triumph on October 17.

Aulain Penner cuts into an open lane for the Crusaders.

In the November 1 clash for the city title, LaFreniere scored the winning touchdown with 3:54 remaining in the fourth quarter to ultimately give the Guardians a 38-34 victory. The Crusaders mounted one last long final drive to go back ahead, but they ultimately turned the ball over on downs with less than 40 seconds to play.

LaFreniere and Penner were heroic in the city final. LaFreniere ran the ball 25 times for 305 yards and four touchdowns. Penner carried the ball 29 times for 305 yards and three major scores to go with one pass reception for eight yards.

Our lead photo of this photo roundup shows the two warriors shaking hands and having a quick visit following the city title contest. Penner is in the centre left and LaFreniere is centre right.

The second photo sees Penner breaking downfield for one of his long gains on that November 1 night. The third photo shows LaFreniere taking off on one of his long jaunts from that game.

Samuel LaFreniere jets downfield for the Guardians.

Along with photos from the championship encounter between the Guardians and Crusaders, we have more pictures from high school football and photos from the CJFL’s PFC final between the Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder. 

We also have baseball and softball training session pics from the Indoor Training Centre.

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 15 shots we hope you enjoy.

Up and away

Evan Hardy Collegiate Souls running back Lucas Dean jumps through the arms of a couple of Bedford Road Collegiate Redhawks players on October 10 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Souls held a 32-24 lead in the second half and closed the contest on a 19-point surge for a 51-24 victory.

Ready and waiting

The Track and Field Track that sits next to the K+S Potash Canada Multi-Sports Centre is set up with speed skating tiles placed on top of the track surface to create the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval on October 17. A big thank you goes out to Saskatoon Urban Camp for helping set up the tiles. Flooding will occur to create the Oval whenever temperatures fall enough to allow for flooding.

Fun entrance

Saskatoon Hilltops mascot Topper found a new way to take the turf at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on October 20. Topper took the field riding on the back of an ATV before the start of the PFC final between the Hilltops and Regina Thunder. The Thunder would claim the contest 24-19.

MVP set to sling

Saskatoon Hilltops quarterback Trey Reider (#3) sets to fire a pass behind the protection of left tackle Davin Johnson in the CJFL’s PFC final on October 20 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. For the 2024 CJFL season, Reider was named the most valuable player, the offensive player of the year and most outstanding quarterback for the PFC. He also claimed honours as a PFC all-star and a first team CJFL all-Canadian all-star. The Hilltops fell in the PFC final 24-19. Reider completed 23-of-41 passes for 305 yards and one touchdown, while throwing one interception for the Hilltops. He ran the ball nine times for 102 yards in his final CJFL contest.

Off and running

Running back Sadik Sadik charges downfield for the Regina Thunder during the PFC final on October 20 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Sadik, who was playing out his final season of CJFL eligibility, played a big role in helping the Thunder post a 24-19 victory over the Saskatoon Hilltops. He carried the ball 28 times for 178 yards and two touchdowns. The Thunder piled up 321 yards rushing as a team.

Repetitions make perfect

A player makes a throw taking part in an infield drill during a Going Yard Baseball Academy training session on October 22 at the Indoor Training Centre. The instructors at Going Yard ensure players get lots of repetitions in drills so players perform skills like it is second nature during games.

Tracking down a fly ball

A player settles under a fly ball during a Going Yard Baseball Academy training session on October 22 at the Indoor Training Centre. Going Yard has been a mainstay at the Complex since March 1, 2019, and the players and instructors have enjoyed being able to do outfield drills during the winter months due to the high ceiling at the facility.

Saints reclaim SSSAD 5A title

The Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints celebrate reclaiming the Saskatoon Secondary Schools Athletic Directorate’s 5A City Football Championship on October 25 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Saints downed Aden Bowman Collegiate Bears 42-6 in the city title game. The Saints last won the 5A championship in 2022, while Aden Bowman claimed the 5A crown in 2023.

Big catch in traffic

A Knoll Panthers receiver makes a catch against a pair of Schoenals Titans defenders during a KFL Hilltops Division semifinal contest on October 27 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Titans would prevail in this contest and ultimately win the championship for the Hilltops Division.

Celebrating good times

A receiver with the Schoenals Titans celebrates a touchdown with his teammates rushing to meet him in the end zone on October 27 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Titans would prevail in this KFL Hilltops Division semifinal contest and ultimately win the championship for the Hilltops Division.

Escaping to the open field

A Mercury receiver slips past a Sparks defender during Toon Squad Female Flag Football League action on October 28 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The players on circuit, which is run by Saskatoon Minor Football, play the game at a very high level and make lots of exciting and athletic plays.

Mystics take Toon Squad title

The players and coaches of the Mystics are all smiles as they pose for the customary team picture after winning the championship of the Toon Squad Female Flag Football League on October 28 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Mystics edged out the Sparks 13-7 in the circuit’s title game.

Guardians bask in epic title win

The St. Joseph High School Guardians bask in their epic 38-34 victory over the Holy Cross High School Crusaders in the Saskatoon Secondary Schools Athletic Directorate’s 6A City Football Championship game on November 1. The Guardians had a moment under the “Friday Night Lights” of Saskatoon Minor Football Field they will remember forever.

Working for that sweet swing

A player from the Saskatoon Selects program works on her swing during a practice session at the Indoor Training Centre on November 6. The Selects players find it is never too early to work on skills in the off-season and just enjoy being in the game of fast pitch softball.

Beating the throw for the double

The Saskatoon Selects concluded their training session on November 6 at the Indoor Training Centre with a simulated game. A base runner here beats out a throw from the outfield sliding into second base for a double.