Roughriders’ Picton enjoys helping the kids in Saskatoon

Receiver still remembered for time with Rams

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Mitchell Picton gives a play call to a group of players.

Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Mitchell Picton chuckles for being known as the University of Regina Rams player that comes to Saskatoon to coach the kids.

Since 2022, Picton has made way up to Saskatoon from Regina to be a guest coach for Saskatoon Minor Football’s Playground To Pros camp. The Playground To Pros camp is the annual Easter time camp that helps with developing skills and fundamentals in players at the grassroots level.

Picton was back at this year’s camp that ran April 22 to 24 at the Indoor Training Centre on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds. While he has been a member of the Roughriders since 2017, Picton is amazed about how many locals remember he played five seasons for the University of Regina Rams from 2013 to 2017.

After the Rams were eliminated from the Canada West playoffs on November 4, 2017, Picton signed with the Roughriders on November 15, 2017 and has been with the CFL franchise continually from that time. Picton, who will turn 30-years-old on May 29, still gets into friendly jab sessions regarding the Rams rivalry in U Sports with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies every time he visits Saskatoon.

“It is definitely still alive,” said Picton, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 197 pounds. “I always make sure to pack a little bit of Rams gear when I come up to Saskatoon.

“I’m certainly still a Rams fan. I still have a little bit of distaste for the Huskies. They’ve got a few decent guys over there that I’ve become friends with over the years.”

Picton is part of a sizable group of CFL players who help with the Playground To Pros camp including Huskies alums in Riley Pickett and Nathan Cherry, who both play for the British Columbia Lions, and Josh Hagerty, who suits up for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Pickett, who also an alum of the CJFL’s storied Saskatoon Hilltops, is the Lions long snapper and fullback, and Cherry toils on the defensive line. Hagerty is a defensive back with the Blue Bombers.

Mitchell Picton sizes up a play call during a scrimmage.

While Picton enjoys getting to know and working with players on various other CFL teams, his biggest joy comes from working with the kids at Playground To Pros.

“It is always fun,” said Picton. “Being from Saskatchewan, a kid that grew up playing Regina minor football and that sort of thing and came through the Team Sask ranks, it is always good to come out and give back, because that little kid was me a bunch of years back.

“It always feels good to come out and be involved in the minor football community.”

The players who take part in the Playground To Pros camp get to try every position in the game of football. Picton said he tries to pass on simple lessons to the players he works with.

“You try to teach them the basics,” said Picton. “You see each kid for a very short amount of time.

“You try and give them one or two things to maybe work on and help their craft a little bit. You are not going to change them overnight or develop a player overnight. You try and give them the tools to take back to their teams for their football season to work on that is going to help their game progress.”

Growing up in Regina, Picton said he didn’t remember going to a camp that was exactly similar to Playground To Pros, but he did attend some development camps. He believes the Playground To Pros camps allows players to get a taste of every part of the game. Picton added he took part in a variety of sports growing up in Regina, and it is good to enjoy numerous sports.

Mitchell Picton, centre, hands a football to a player.

“There were always camps and stuff that we went to throughout the spring and summer,” said Picton. “I played a lot of sports growing up.

“Football season started for me when RMF (Regina Minor Football) started. I was playing hockey through the winter. Then into the spring, I played lacrosse.

“In the fall, it was time to play football. I was kind of playing different sports at different times. I’d pick up my football helmet again when football season rolled around.”

Picton also enjoys being on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds. He likes working out at Ignite Athletics and thinks the Indoor Training Centre is a perfect spot to hold minor football camps in.

“Ignite (Athletics) is great for us,” said Picton. “They treat us extremely well, so we always like coming up there and getting some work in.

“Just the facility, the turf and everything that they have here is kind of in one spot. It makes it easy for us to train and coach the kids and do all that kind of just under one roof. It makes it pretty good.”

He adds he is always impressed with how many of the guest coaches from the CFL ranks are Saskatchewan products.

“I think it speaks to the talent that we have in Saskatchewan,” said Picton. “There are a lot of guys playing football professionally now that are from Saskatchewan or played at the U of R or U of S and that sort of thing.

“It is great to get up here with them a little bit. We’ve trained together. It is always good to see guys like that and get a little work in.”

Mitchell Picton gives feedback to a group of players.

Of course, Picton said it is special when the young players recognize him for being a member of the Roughriders. 

He talks frequently about those encounters with Saskatoon product and Roughriders long snapper Jorgen Hus, who is an alum of the Rams and the Hilltops.

“For us, we almost not downplay it, but it has become pretty normalized for us,” said Picton. “That is our occupation.

“That is what we do is we play football. We try to not make it as big a deal between us. Then, it is cool when you see the kids, and they’re super excited.

“Then, you kind of do have that different perspective of what we do is important in the community, and people care a lot about it.”

Following the conclusion of the Playground To Pros camp, Picton returned home to Regina for a short stay before returning to Saskatoon. Roughriders rookie camp ran from May 7 to 9 at Griffiths Stadium. Main camp was set to begin on May 11 at Griffiths with the team returning to Regina on May 25.

Picton is looking forward to the upcoming CFL campaign.

Mitchell Picton shares a laugh with some fans on May 18, 2024.

“You’re excited for training camp to get going,” said Picton. “You’re excited to get into the season.

“You are not quite as excited for three weeks of living in dorms in Saskatoon, but that is all part of training camp and what we go through in our jobs. I am excited to get the season going and get up here and get to work.”

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

Photo roundup centre stage taken by Canada Games tryout session

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

A pitcher gets in the wind up for a pitch at a Canada Game tryout.

The field turf field at the Indoor Training Centre can be used for game or simulated game situations for both younger and older age groups.

The field that measures 90 yards by 50 yards has hosted game action for younger age groups in various sports. 

Most notably just months after opening in 2019, the Saskatoon Minor Softball League held its under-12 and under-14 city championships there when heavy rainy weather conditions made outdoor diamonds unplayable. 

Teams were able to take part in games using complete diamonds set to the dimensions for their respective age groups.

Older age groups are able to hold simulated games and scrimmages there too in order to get training and evaluations done.

A hitter drives a ball into the outfield at a Canada Game tryout.

On April 27, Softball Saskatchewan used the Indoor Training Centre to hold scrimmage game situations for the final tryout session for its Canada Summer Games Men’s Team in the U20 age group.

The diamond was positioned in a way to allow for a full infield and only parts of right field and left field were cut off.

Our lead picture for this photo roundup shows a pitcher in a wind up unloading a pitch to home plate. The second picture of this photo roundup shows a hitter smoking a hit into the outfield. The third picture shows a runner heading towards third base while paying attention to what is happening in the infield.

A runner runs the base path while being alert at a Canada Games tryout.

Along with the pictures from the final tryout session for Softball Saskatchewan men’s team that will play in the Canada Games, this photo roundup includes other scenes from baseball, cricket, football, softball and track and field. 

The images come from various facilities including the Indoor Training Centre, Cairns Field, Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Glenn Reeve Fields and the Track and Field Track.

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.

Valkyries back in action

The Saskatoon Valkyries, who have won the last four straight WWCFL titles, do a post-practice cheer on April 15 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Valkyries begin their regular season schedule on Saturday, May 10 when they host their provincial rivals the Regina Riot at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Saskatoon will also host the Manitoba Fearless on Sunday, June 8 at 1 p.m. at SMF Field.

Smart shot

A member of the Sixers cricket team drives a low throw into what would be an open part of the field during a practice session in a pitching lane on April 19 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Sixers and the rest of the Saskatoon and area cricket teams are enjoying the start to the outdoor season.

Passing on pointers

A coach from the Saskatoon Royals female baseball program, left, demonstrates a stance and other aspects of hitting to a young player on April 20 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Royals have been holding training sessions on Sundays during the off-season for a number of years at the Complex.

Playground battle

A running back tries to escape the grasp of a tackler during a session at the Playground To Pros camp run by Saskatoon Minor Football on April 22 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Easter time camp helps develop skills and fundamentals at the grassroots level.

Coach Mace is in the house

The second day of the Playground To Pros camp held by Saskatoon Minor Football at our Indoor Training Centre on April 23 finished with a sweet bonus for the players. Corey Mace, who is the Saskatchewan Roughriders Head coach and Defensive Coordinator, stopped in to give words of encouragement to the athletes.

Thank you photo for coaches

Following the third and final day of Saskatoon Minor Football’s Playground To Pros Camp at the Indoor Training Centre on April 24, the coaches posed for a group photo. A lot of familiar faces from the local football community helped out with this camp. The photo gives a thank you to the field bosses for offering their time to work this camp.

Big turnout for Playground To Pros

Everyone who was involved with the Playground To Pros camp held by Saskatoon Minor Football at the Indoor Training Centre posed for a group picture after the event’s final session on April 24. Memories were made that will last a lifetime.

Sweet hands

A receiver makes a big catch in traffic during Rush High School Female Flag Football League action on April 28 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Rush league has been a big vehicle for getting and keeping female players in the sport of football.

Running to find daylight

A receiver bolts downfield after making a catch during an evaluation session on May 1 at Saskatoon Minor Football field for the North Sask Academy program run by Saskatoon Minor Football. Following these evaluation sessions, Saskatoon Minor Football places players on six different teams via a draft for a schedule of spring season contests.

Track and Field Track returns to action

Kira Comfort, who is a member of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Women’s Track and Field Team, slings a javelin down the infield of the Track and Field Track during a training session on May 1. That was the first day the Track and Field Track was open for the 2025 season.

Here comes the heat

A Saskatoon Selects pitcher fires a pitch to home plate during game action on May 2 at Glenn Reeve Field #4 on May 2. Excitement was in the air as softball teams got outside for game action at the beginning stages of their respective 2025 campaigns.

Tracking the ball in

A Saskatoon Hustlers player follows the ball into her glove for an out during game action on May 2 at Glenn Reeve Field #7. After putting in time to get stronger and faster during workouts and practicing to sharpen up skills in the off-season, players enjoy getting to show off the results of the work they put in when the 2025 spring and summer season begins.

Pressure throw

A quarterback in the Rush High School Female Flag Football League fires a pass downfield under pressure on May 6 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The quality of play in the Rush league keeps getting better year after year.

Special Delivery

A Saskatoon Giants pitcher delivers a throw to home during under-18 AAA contest in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League on May 7 at Cairns Field. The Giants went on a magical run last season to win the provincial title.

Happy early Mother’s Day

A happy early Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. We hope you enjoy the above poem.

Home grown from small town Saskatchewan

Road to WCBL started in Carnduff for Berries’ star Beck

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Carter Beck hits a triple to complete the cycle on August 11, 2024.

Saskatoon Berries star Carter Beck had a beginning in baseball that was made in small town Saskatchewan.

Growing up in Carnduff, which is a town with a population around 1,200 located in the southeast corner of the province, Beck’s introduction to the game came from watching his father, Blair, play senior baseball. At a very young age, there were signs baseball might be a big part of Carter’s life.

“When I was three-years-old, I was already attracted to being a bat boy,” said Beck. “I don’t think I could carry a baseball back then, but I was trying to be the bat boy.

“I went and watched like pretty much every senior baseball game he played in Carnduff on the Astros when I was younger. I can remember when I was 13-years-old I got on the lineup, because they had nine guys.

“In case someone got hurt, I was sitting (in the dugout). I was ready to go. I was pretty excited.”

Other memories from those days watching Blair play senior baseball saw a youth aged Carter running around to collect foul balls to get 25 cents for each ball he returned to the scorers table. He would gather up enough foul balls to buy a Freezee at the end of the night.

He also had fun playing catch with his father’s teammates. The baseball games also provided cherished time for Carter to be with his grandpa.

“I just loved being around the ball field watching it, playing it and getting serious with the guys,” said Beck. “It really brought me close to baseball when I was younger.”

Beck grew up playing minor baseball in Carnduff and would end up suiting up for the South East Twins baseball program that plays games out of Estevan, Weyburn and Alameda. Playing for the Twins under-18 AAA team, Beck took part in Baseball Saskatchewan’s provincial championship tournaments that were held at Cairns Field on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds in July of 2022 and 2023. In 2023, Beck was named the most valuable player for the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League’s under-18 AAA level.

Carter Beck (#20) has great speed on the base paths for the Berries.

During his journey up the minor baseball system as a player, Beck often had Blair as one of the coaches of the teams he would play on including the Twins. Those years allowed Carter to become a player that excelled in the outfield mainly at centre-field and at the plate.

Beck suited up for the Berries as a rookie in their inaugural campaign in 2024. It ended up being a spectacular campaign for Beck.

In 51 regular season games with the Berries, he posted a .374 batting average, 11 home runs, 38 runs batted in and 53 runs scored. Beck claimed awards from the WCBL as the circuit’s Rookie of the Year and Most Outstanding Canadian.

Leading up to his second season with the Berries, Beck is currently playing in the NCAA Division I ranks with the Indiana State University Sycamores Baseball Team as a sophomore.

Beck was honoured to take home a pair of league awards in his first campaign with the Berries.

“It was really cool,” said Beck. “I think I was in my eighth or ninth grade when I saw they did a top Canadian award in the WCBL.

“I said to my dad, “That would be pretty cool to get one day.” Sure enough, last year being able to do it was pretty cool. It just kind of happened with the season I had going well for me all year.

“Getting some acknowledgement, I guess for a good season, that was really cool. It is good to have a small-town Sask kid get those awards in that league too being a Saskatchewan/Alberta league.”

During his final season with the Twins in 2023, the idea of playing in the WCBL in Saskatoon popped into Beck’s head. On March 29, 2023, the Sask Entertainment Group (SEG) and the WCBL announced during a press event at the Indoor Training Centre that Saskatoon was granted a WCBL expansion franchise to begin play in May of 2024.

Carter Beck hit .374 for the Berries in the 2024 regular season.

SEG would own the team that would be dubbed the Berries after a contest was held to name the club. Along with owning the Berries, SEG also owns and operates the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades and the NLL’s Saskatchewan Rush.

On July 5, 2023, the new baseball team announced that Joe Carnahan would be the club’s first head coach. He built a legacy in the WCBL in Swift Current playing for league championship teams in 2001, 2005 and 2006. Carnahan became the team’s head coach and guided them to league titles in 2010, 2016 and 2017.

When Carnahan came calling on the recruiting trail, Beck answered.

“Being in the first year definitely played a role,” said Beck. “I thought it was going to be a really cool experience.

“Just knowing like what they’ve done with the (WHL’s Saskatoon) Blades and the (NLL’s Saskatchewan) Rush and that it is all the same organization, that got me pretty excited. I just thought with the new team, there would be a lot of fans out there, and I knew they would do it right. I just wanted to play somewhere where I knew it was going to be a lot of fun and hopefully get some big crowds.

“They seemed to be the best fit.”

When Carnahan was recruiting Beck, the veteran coach knew the skill player developed a good reputation of being spectacular both at the baseball diamond and away from the game. Carnahan appreciated what Beck brought to the baseball park.

“I like just the way he plays the game,” said Carnahan. “He plays the game hard.

“He wants to win, and his skill set was very good too. The way he plays the game, he plays the game hard every pitch.”

Carter Beck takes questions during a post-game interview.

Carnahan said he got a better appreciation for how spectacular Beck was away from the diamond when the two dealt with each other on a daily basis with the Berries. Carnahan said the Berries aim to interact and be involved with the community. He was impressed with how well Beck interacted with people outside of the team and the community at large.

“He has been great,” said Carnahan. “That is exactly what we want with our organization.

“We want to have guys who are not only good players but good people. He represents our organization well, the city of Saskatoon well, his family well and now Indiana State well. He is a good ambassador for all that.

“We’re very happy to have him. He is one of a kind.”

Carnahan added that the first season Beck had with the Berries was pretty special.

“I thought he had a very good season especially for being a freshman to come in and not only contribute, but to be an impact guy defensively, offensively and with some power,” said Carnahan. “He did a great job for us all year.”

As an expansion team in 2024, the Berries went through their bumps. They started out 3-8 and improved rapidly to finish with a 31-26 record to place sixth overall on the 12-team circuit. The Berries packed Cairns Field attracting an average of 1,931 spectators for their 26 regular season home dates.

In the post-season, the Berries prevailed in a best-of-three East Division semifinal series 2-1 over the Medicine Hat Mavericks, who are annually one of the circuit’s toughest teams.

Game 1 of the best-of-three East Division Championship Series saw Beck deliver the most memorable moment in the team’s short history. In a 14-1 romp over the Moose Jaw Miller Express at Cairns Field on August 11, Beck hit for the cycle going 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs batted in.

Carter Beck signs autographs for some young Berries fans.

That meant Beck hit a single, a double, a triple and a home run all in the same game. Hitting for the cycle is one of the most difficult statistical feats to accomplish in Baseball.

With the single, double and home run under his belt, Beck came up to bat in the bottom of the seventh with a man on looking for the triple. He ultimately completed a feat that will always be a career highlight.

“My fifth at bat I came up with like we were up by 10 runs,” said Beck. “I looked at the outfield.

“I might as well try and hit the triple is what I thought. I looked at the outfield and saw that my place spot was in left field. I got a fastball away that I was able to hit over there.

“I think the left-fielder might have done a little bit of a circle to get to it. I’m sliding into third, and I’m almost over sliding the bag. Sliding into third, getting up and seeing everybody on their feet celebrating, it was really cool.”

The set with the Miller Express went to a series deciding Game 3 on August 13 at Cairns Field. The Berries season came to an end after they fell in a tight contest 5-3. They gave the fans a final salute before departing the field.

Last January 6, the Berries announced Beck as their first returnee for the 2025 campaign. The Berries open the season on Thursday, May 29 traveling to Weyburn to take on the Beavers at 7 p.m. at Tom Laing Park. They open their home schedule on Saturday, May 31 at 4 p.m. taking on the Regina Red Sox at Cairns Field.

During the 2024 campaign, Beck enjoyed having numerous family members come out to his games in Saskatoon and when the Berries played on the road against the circuit’s other Saskatchewan member teams. While 2024 was great, Beck is looking forward to a thrilling second campaign with the Berries in 2025.

“It is going to be super exciting,” said Beck. “I think people know what they are going to get now when they come to games too.

Carter Beck (#20) looks forward to the 2025 season with the Berries.

“I think everybody I talked to anyways had fun coming to those games. I know we are going to bring back some guys, and we’re going to bring back an even better team. We’re going to be really good this year, and it should be a whole lot of fun to watch seeing some of the guys we have coming this year.

“It should be a lot of fun again.”

For more information about the Saskatoon Berries and their upcoming WCBL season, feel free to check their website at www.saskatoonberriesbaseballclub.ca.

Badgers rugby takes centre stage in photo roundup

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Members of the Badgers take part in a game-type drill.

The champs are here, and they have become Indoor Training Centre regulars.

The Saskatoon Badgers Rugby Club have been holding training sessions on the field turf on Wednesday nights throughout the winter months. They are often one of the last groups to take the field, and if you cross paths with them, you will appreciate their upbeat vibe.

In 2024, the Badgers had a banner season going undefeated for the entire campaign. On September 14 of that year, they claimed the division 1 provincial title with a 37-15 victory over the Regina Rogues Rugby Club at Saskatoon Rugby Club Field 1 in the north end of town. The Badgers at one point rolled off 32 straight points in the winning effort.

Luciano Jolly completes a breakout dash down the sidelines.

During their sessions on the field turf at the Indoor Training Centre, the Badgers, who were founded in 1996, focus a lot of their drills around team play.

Our lead photo for this photo round up sees two Badgers plays at the right of the picture approaching a trio of defenders. The player who has the ball is looking to pitch it out of trouble. During the drill, the side with the ball is attempting to get to the other end of the field to score a try.

The second photo sees Badgers player Luciano Jolly completing a run into the clear down the sidelines. Along with helping the Badgers win a provincial title in 2024, Jolly aided the Saskatoon Hilltops in winning CJFL championships in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

A Badgers player, right, sets to receive the ball.

The third photo sees a Badgers player about to receive the ball after a pitch out before attempting to advance upfield. All three Badgers photos came from a training session held on March 26.

Along with the pictures from the Badgers training session, this photo roundup includes other scenes from the ski trails that run across the Glenn Reeve Fields and the Indoor Training Centre. On the ski trails, the weather helped for the Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club to get in some last lessons for their junior age skiers. At the Indoor Training Centre, baseball, cricket and softball groups continued to work towards getting better for their upcoming campaigns in the spring.

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 10 shots we hope you enjoy.

Big drive

A player from the Going Yard Baseball Academy drives a hard liner during a training session on March 11 at the Indoor Training Centre. Hitters were fine tuning their skills on this hitting day before taking part in some live at bats.

Fun on the hill

A group of skiers from the Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club were sizing up a downhill trail at the top of one of the ski hills on the trails that run across the Glenn Reeve Fields on March 16. The Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club aims to help youngsters get a taste of all aspects of skiing.

All about having a blast

A young skier from the Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club is having a blast taking part in a back and forth race on one section of the ski trails that run across the Glenn Reeve Fields on March 16. The skier was taking part in a race, where the skiers only used one ski. The coaches from the Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club are creative in finding ways for youngsters to have fun and get great experience with the sport.

Look it in

A catcher from the Saskatoon Berries Baseball Academy tracks a ball into his glove during a practice session at the Indoor Training Centre on March 20. The catcher was taking part in a session where the Berries worked on fielding, catching and hitting.

Line shot

A member of the Saskatoon Warriors Cricket Club drives a line shot during a practice session in one of the pitching lanes at the Indoor Training Centre on March 23. Hitters in cricket want to drive the ball to score runs, and they will also make defensive hits to prevent a bowler from hitting the wickets and causing an out.

Warriors are all smiles

Members of the Saskatoon Warriors Cricket Club were all smiles during a practice session in one of the pitching lanes at the Indoor Training Centre, because they were having a great Sunday fun day on March 23. The Warriors enjoy being in good spirits and socializing with others who pass by.

Hot throw to first

An infielder taking up the second base position guns a throw to first base during a practice session for Saskatoon Selects U17A Red squad on March 30 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Selects were getting repetitions in on infield defence, so they can execute those skills like second nature when the spring season comes.

Off to the races

A member of the Twin City Angels U17A jets down the first base line after making a hit during a simulated game session on March 31 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Angels like using the field turf at the Indoor Training Centre to work on game play situations. It helps the player get in a groove dealing with the unexpected things that come in a game situation.

That one is out of here

A hitter drives the ball for a deep shot during a training session held by the 222’s Fastpitch program on April 3 at the Indoor Training Centre. This photo was from one of the Hitting Factory sessions the 222’s hold on a regular basis during the winter months.

Textbook block

A catcher blocks a wild pitch during a training session held by the 222’s Fastpitch program on April 3 at the Indoor Training Centre. This picture was from one of the Catching Factory sessions the 222’s hold on a recurring basis over winter.

Reindl follows ultra-busy family track and field legacy

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Jason Reindl is one of Canada’s best track and field coaches.

In track and field especially on a coaching front, Jason Reindl seemingly does it all.

The 40-year-old has served as the head coach of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Track and Field and Cross-Country Teams since the start of the 2017-18 campaign. Reindl can coach athletes as young as eight years old all the way to 90-years-old. No matter who he coaches, Reindl is driven by optimism of what could possibly be.

“I’d say one of the biggest things is the future isn’t written,” said Reindl, who basically lives at the Track and Field Track on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds during the spring and summer months coaching athletes. “I’ve learned that no matter how much success or lack of success someone had today, the unknowns of the future are kind of what drive me to kind of push to help these individuals.”

Reindl began coaching in his teenage years while attending high school at Evan Hardy Collegiate and still competing in track and field as an athlete. He began coaching one day a week on Thursdays with the Saskatoon Track Club working with athletes around the age of 10. Reindl attended various coaching courses on weekends during his high school days leading to his graduation from Evan Hardy in 2002.

Since the start of January 1, 2024, his life schedule has been a whirlwind.

He coached his Huskies team through that time and saw the Women’s Track and Field Team win Canada West Conference Championships in February of 2024 and this past February for a run of seven straight conference title victories.

The Huskies Women’s 4 X 800-metre relay team won a Canada West title in February 2024 and a U Sports Championship in March of 2024 and was named Sask Sport’s Team of the Year for 2024 this past January. On Saturday, the Huskies Women’s Track and Field Team captured the bronze medal at the U Sports Track and Field Championships in Windsor, Ontario.

Reindl has been heavily involved with the Running Wild Athletic Club in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan Aboriginal Track and Field. He holds assistant coach roles with Saskatoon Track Club and supports Huskies athletes with Riversdale Athletics Club.

With Saskatchewan Athletics, Reindl is the master coach developer for the province, which is a fairly large role when to comes to coaching education helping future coaches. He was the personal coach for Michelle Harrison at the Summer Olympics in Paris that ran from July 26, 2024 to August 11, 2024.

Jason Reindl has coached track and field since high school.

Reindl was the sprints, hurdles and relays coach with Team Canada for World Under-20 Championships that ran August 27 to 31, 2024 in Lima, Peru. 

On the national front when it comes to education for track and field, Reindl was the lead combined events presenter for Athletics Canada in Winnipeg in October and sits on the national coach education committee. He is also a board member for the Coaching Association of Canada and Saskatchewan Athletics.

Again, those were all the roles Reindl has fulfilled for about the last 14-and-a-half months. He jokes he has to thank “caffeine” for allowing him to do all those roles.

On the serious side, Reindl said it helped that his parents in mother, Caren, and father, Bob, were great role models. 

During their lives, Caren (Rathie) and Bob were star track and field athletes and have served in numerous coaching and administrative capacities for the sport.

“I’ve been able to see a lot of amazing people through their network,” said Jason Reindl. “I would kind of say in my teenage years where you start to realize who you can kind of call upon for advice.

“Having the last name Reindl within the track and field and kind of the sport coaching community was a significant blessing, because I was able to inquire, ask questions and get a lot of support, but also see people in action. At the same time, I’ll say I know I’m blessed, and you know, the opportunities have come with hard work. It has been an interesting last couple of years we’ll say.”

When it comes to the highlight over the 14-and-a-half months, Reindl backs up the calendar to October 7, 2023 and said the highlight was marrying his longtime partner Rebecca Goldie, who competes in triathlons. For his coaching career, Reindl said getting to coach at the Olympics was the highlight.

He said the Olympics had a unique aura, but when it came to coaching and the execution of the track and field part of the games, it was normal to most other international events. While he was Harrison’s personal coach, Reindl said it was special to have two other athletes he worked with at the Olympics.

When Reindl lived in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and coached the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds before joining the Huskies, he coached 110-metre hurdler Craig Thorne. Thorne is based out of Guelph, Ontario, now.

Michelle Harrison, left, and Jason Reindl chat at a practice last May.

Reindl also coached 400-metre hurdler Savannah Sutherland. The bulk of that coaching happened in Saskatoon before Sutherland joined the University of Michigan Wolverines Track and Field Team in the fall of 2021. 

The veteran coach also worked with Sutherland for short periods of time when she returned home to visit family in her hometown of Borden, which is located 53 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon.

“It was pretty, pretty special that I was able to kind of give high-fives to three different athletes that I had an impact on at various stages of their career,” said Reindl. “It was very special and definitely the highlight at present.”

Reindl said getting to coach Harrison racing in the 100-metre hurdles was emotional and meaningful as the culmination of a big journey.

“It is hard to even put into words how remarkable and impactful it was,” said Reindl. “I actually can go back and say that when I was coaching the Saskatoon Track Club one day a week Michelle was one of those first athletes in the group.

“Not only was I one of her first coaches in her career when she was 10-years-old, the fact that we got back together in 2017 and had the next seven years from her and I both moving back to Saskatoon all the way to three national titles, university accolades, six national teams and culminating with the Olympic Games was pretty special. It is a journey that not a lot of coaches get to have.”

Harrison returned to Saskatoon in 2017 after training at the high-performance hub in Toronto from 2015 to 2017. She was injured most of the time she was at the hub and became disillusioned with track and field.

Upon returning to Saskatoon, Harrison got back in touch Reindl and rejoined the Huskies after being part of the program previously winning gold at the U Sports Championships in the 60-metre hurdles in 2014. After rejoining Huskies with Reindl as head coach, things took off for Harrison at that point.

“Jason (Reindl) was a major turning point in my career as an athlete, changing things for the better,” said Harrison, who turned 32-years-old in December. “He has been a constant source of guidance, belief and support throughout my journey.

Jason Reindl loves being at the Track and Field Track.

“He’s pushed me beyond what I thought I was capable of while always having my back through the toughest moments. His dedication and passion for the sport are contagious, and his ability to balance accountability with encouragement has helped shape me into the athlete and person I am today. I’m incredibly grateful for everything he’s done, from the tough workouts to the words of wisdom that go far beyond the track.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without him.”

Now, Harrison is expecting her first child with husband, Graeme Harrison. Reindl said it is always special to see his athletes embark on their paths outside of the sport.

“I think it is just that full circle where one journey ends and another begins,” said Reindl. “The number of athletes that I’ve been a part of their journeys that are married, have kids, have successful careers, MDs, PhDs, you name it.

“It is never lost on me the important of all of that. I guess the recency effect the time that Michelle and I spent together and seeing her grow and develop as a young woman to now her soon to be a mom is just a pretty cool thing. We just have a special relationship, and I am extremely proud of her.”

During the spring and summer and the month of September, Reindl enjoys coaching athletes of all ages at the Track and Field Track since it opened in the spring of 2019. He said the facility has developed a great upbeat vibe.

“It is just a fun place to be,” said Reindl. “I say a lot of coaches get the opportunity to kind of have a home.

“To get the chance to go to Gordie and know that I can execute my tasks to help these athletes achieve their goals with the equipment on hand and all the space, it is a blessing. It is something that I do not take for granted, because traveling the world and going to areas where you might have a track or you might have rubber, might not mean you have grass or it might not mean you have space to do medicine ball throws. There are a lot of intangibles that come around the whole facility.

“This year we’re actually going to have our first Huskies track and field sport camps there in the first two weeks of July. Getting the opportunity to kind of make that connection even stronger between our Huskie development side of things into that facility is something we’re really looking forward to.”

Jason Reindl, centre, enjoys coaching the Huskies.

As he continues coaching, Reindl always strives to help his athletes be the best they can be.

“I guess bringing that back to the Huskie side of things, the last couple of years we’ve brought in some athletes who were OK coming out of high school that have turned into all-Canadians national medalists,” said Reindl, who was a Huskies track athlete from 2002 to 2006 and a member of the U Sports men’s and women’s double title win in 2005. “I can’t promise that everyone will be an Olympian, but I can promise you will get better.”

Ski trail fun part of winter season farewell in photo roundup

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club members enjoy some fellowship.

The ski trails got a sendoff.

After about a 12 day stretch in the middle of February that had daily temperatures colder than -25 C, people rushed back to the ski trails that run across the Glenn Reeve Fields and to the ice surface at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval. Folks wanted to get in their last uses of both facilities as the winter season wound to an end.

On March 2, the Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club came with a sizeable group of its membership to the trails at Glenn Reeve Fields. They seemed to give the trails a sendoff skiing in a fun atmosphere throughout the day.

A trio of skiers heads down a trail in classic ski form.

Our lead photo for this photo roundup sees a large group of skiers hanging out and enjoying their friendships at a tent structure set up by the timing hut. The skiers were in an upbeat mood enjoying some beverages from Tim Hortons.

The second photo sees a trio of younger skiers making their way across the trails in classic ski form. The third photo sees a trio of slightly more veteran skiers returning to the main area of the trails at the Glenn Reeve Fields after going on a longer jaunt.

Over the past six years, the Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club has made great use of these trails. The club uses these trails frequently as a place to train junior aged skiers. The organization has hosted its annual Loppetapalooza event and the Saskatchewan Provincial Cross Country Ski Championships here.

Along with the pictures of skiing across the Glenn Reeve Fields, this photo roundup includes other scenes from the Oval and the Indoor Training Centre. 

A trio of skiers head to the main area of the Glenn Reeve Fields trails.

On the Oval, the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club and public skaters took their final strides. At the Indoor Training Centre, Baseball, rugby and softball groups continued their season preparations.

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 13 shots we hope you enjoy.

Gun it

A catcher from the Twin City Angels U17A team fires a throw to second base attempting to throw out a base runner during a practice on February 10 at the Indoor Training Centre. While they sharpen up their skills in their sessions, the Angels enjoy the vibe of the indoor facility.

Fun with technology

Saskatoon Berries Baseball Academy coach Logan Hofmann, centre, checks out some statistics with some players on a device that measures hitting analytics on February 12 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Berries were ending the session seeing if they could hit personal bests in various hitting analytics.

Special delivery

A pitcher from the Going Yard Baseball Academy sets to fire a strike across home plate during a training session at the Indoor Training Centre on February 12. Going Yard runs various pitchers’ sessions where they work on all aspects of a hurler’s game including skills and strength building.

All-out effort

A Saskatoon Selects player stretches out to make a diving catch during a drill on February 20 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Selects sharpen up a variety of skills during their training sessions including working on the most efficient way to make a diving catch.

Photo excitement

A couple of skaters eagerly check out a photo that one of them took during a public skating session on February 22 at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval. The skaters were stopped by the trees on the northwest corner of the track, which is a favourite area for selfie photos.

Snow plentiful at the Oval

A trio of skaters peacefully stride down the front straightaway of the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval on February 22. All the facilities on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds received a lot of snow this winter including the Oval. Even with skates on and being on an elevated ice surface, the snow on the sides of the track was up to the knees of these skaters.

Out in full force

A huge group of young skiers make their way down one of the trails on the Glenn Reeve Fields under the guidance of a pair of instructors from the Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club on February 23. The youngsters had a blast on the trails.

Lions hit their stride

A pair of members from the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club jet down the back straightaway of the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval on February 24. The Lions skaters were perfecting their stride taking full advantage of the lap time they had on the track.

All smiles under the Oval lights

A member of the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club cracks a smile coming out of a corner and cruises onto the back straightaway of the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval on February 24. The skater was enjoying one of the final Lions practices at the Oval for the 2024-25 season.

Toss to daylight

Luciano Jolly of the Saskatoon Badgers Rugby Club receives a pitch to get a free release down the sideline during a practice session on February 26 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Badgers tackled this session with the focus you see in the middle of the season.

Drive, drive, drive

A member of the Saskatoon Badgers Ruby Club drives back a teammate holding a blocking bag during a practice session on February 26 at the Indoor Training Centre. Rugby clubs like the Badgers ensure players execute the contact aspects of the game in correct fashion.

Final hurrah for Oval

The front straightaway of the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval sits peacefully in front of the K+S Potash Canada Multi-Sports Centre building on March 2. This was the view of the Oval as it closed up for the season later on that day. The Oval will return once again in December.

Rapid fire snag

A member of the Saskatoon Cubs baseball team makes this snag of a ground ball look picture perfect. However, the fielding of a ground ball wasn’t that simple as the Cubs were using a machine to fire ground balls downfield at a rapid pace. This drill was used to help the Cubs players with their reaction time.