Saturday, March 9, 2024

Frisky to realize dream

Pitcher will play for Canada’s under-18 women’s softball team

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Emma Frisky will play for Canada’s under-18 women's national team.
Emma Frisky is going to live her dream a little faster than she anticipated.

The skill right-handed pitcher, who will turn 16-years-old on March 10, was named to Softball Canada’s Under-18 Women’s National Team that will play in the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation Americans Pan Am Championship slated to run March 30 to April 6 in Monteria, Colombia. While the official announcement of the Canadian roster came out on February 26, Frisky is still pretty awestruck by the news.

“It is kind of surreal still,” said Frisky. “It is a great honour to wear the leaf and represent my country.

“It has been a great since I was a little girl. It feels great that it is coming true.”

Playing on one of Softball Canada’s national teams has been a lifelong aspiration for Frisky. She began playing the sport at age four when her family was located in her original hometown in Tisdale.

Frisky played lots of minor softball for the Spirit program in Melfort. At the 2022 Under-15 Girls Canadian Fastpitch Championship held on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds in August of that year, Frisky was named the all-star pitcher playing for the Spirit.

From about age seven or eight, she also began training with the 222’s Fastpitch program in the late summer, fall and winter months at a young age and has been a member of their travel teams for about four years.

About two years ago, her family relocated to Martensville, which allowed Frisky to play her first season with the Twin City Angels program last year. Frisky, who stands 5-foot-8, helped the Angels win a provincial title and appear in the Under-15 Girls Canadian Fastpitch Championship help last August in Brandon, Man.

Even to this point in her young life, Frisky has gained numerous positive experiences from the sport of softball.

“All my best friends have come from this sport,” said Frisky, who also plays third base and shortstop when she is not pitching. “I’ve learned so many life lessons.

Emma Frisky chats with a 222’s Fastpitch teammate.
“I really like the feeling of being on a team where you know that all the girls have your back and that competitiveness you get on championship Sunday to go out and that edge to go win. It is a good feeling.”

In her current Grade 10 school year, Frisky spent the first semester attending Tommy Douglas Collegiate, where she did further softball training at the Tigers Softball Academy overseen by Trevor Ethier and Don Bates. She is taking her second semester of studies at Martensville High School.

She said the biggest influences she has had helping her along in the sport have come from the 222’s and the Tigers programs.

“I’d say the Twos (222’s Fastpitch) program has been my biggest influence,” said Frisky. “I liked all my coaches when I was younger growing up that have pushed me in this direction.

“A big shout out to Dean Holoien and Keith Mackintosh and “Rayzor” (Ryan) Ray, and then at the softball academy Trevor Ethier and Don Bates.”

Mackintosh, who is one of the 222’s veteran instructors and head coach of Canada’s under-18 women’s team, said Frisky had a great compete level and strives to get better. The veteran field boss, who is a member of International Softball Congress Hall of Fame, said Frisky excels at the sport for a number of reasons.

“I just think her work ethic has got her to the point where she throws with velocity,” said Mackintosh. “Her spins are great.

“She is very mature for her age in that regard. I really think the number on thing that probably makes Emma who she is as a player is her compete level. She just wants to play softball.

“She wants to win for her teammates. She is an unbelievable teammate that way.”

Frisky’s fastball has gotten up to 64 miles per hour, which is impressive for someone about to turn 16-years-old. She also had great control of her rise ball, drop curve and change up.

Mackintosh said Frisky deserves to be on the under-18 national team, and the coaches decided to take her and a couple of other players that are the same age as her having an eye to the future. If Canada finishes in the top five of the WBSC Americans Pan Am Championship, the squad advances to the WBSC Under-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage.

The World Cup Group Stages have been awarded to Sao Paolo, Brazil (Group A – July 23-27), Pingtan, China (Group B – August 14-18) and Dallas, Texas, in the United States (Group C – August 29 to September 2). If Canada is successful in the group stage earning a spot to the under-18 worlds in 2015, the 2006 born players who are on Canada’s roster at the moment will fall off.

Emma Frisky’s fastball can hit 64 miles per hour.
Knowing what could happen if Canada earns a spot at worlds next year, Mackintosh said the coaching staff was looking to carry some younger aged players on the under-18 team this year.

“We just thought we’re going to take some young players and give them a taste of international competition to see how they do, and then we know exactly where we are at a year and a half down the road,” said Mackintosh.“That was part of it.

“She (Frisky) earned her way on. She had a great camp. She had a great summer season.

“I’m really proud of the development she has had over the last couple of years. She just deserved to be there.”

Mackintosh believes Frisky has the potential to play softball at the highest levels long into the future.

“I think the sky is the limit for her,” said Mackintosh. “You look at the age of our senior national team going into an Olympic year in 2028 it is going to be a fairly older team.

“I think that the next generation of players that are coming up of that age group Emma is definitely one of those players that she could be wearing the maple leaf for a very long time. The hope is she goes to a good school in the States.I just think the upside to her and her career is unlimited.”

Frisky said she wants to follow in the path of her favourite player in Jorde Chartrand. Chartrand is an ace right-handed pitcher and power hitter with the NCAA Division I University of North Carolina Greensboro Spartans Women’s Softball Team in Greensboro, N.C.

A Weyburn, Sask., product, Chartrand spent a number of years playing in Saskatoon and training at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. She suited up for Softball Canada’s Senior National Women’s Team in 2022.

“Jordy (Jorde) Chartrand is my biggest idol,” said Frisky. “I look up to her.

“When she made the national team, that was kind of inspiration. To see her live her dreams kind of helped push me to get there myself.”

Emma Frisky takes part in a bunt defence drill.
Looking towards the future, Frisky wants to earn more chances to represent Canada at the international level and earn a scholarship to play softball for an NCAA Division I school. At the moment, her focus is on the immediate future in playing for Canada at the WBSC Americans Pan American Championship tournament.

“It is coming up pretty quick,” said Frisky. “It is really exciting.

“I’m super excited to go down there and meet all the girls. It is going to be an awesome experience.”

Photo roundup features winter in stretch run, spring around corner

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

QB Kelli Young fires a pass downfield for the Valkyries.
Don’t let the early March snow dump fool you.

Winter is in its stretch run and the spring sports season is just around the corner.

The Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval hosted its final practice sessions for the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club and public skating. It closed for the season following the public skating session on March 3, and there are already people anticipating its return in December.

The skiing community was dealt a tough hand by fate this winter season with the first real snowfall coming in early January. Still, the Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club pushed through maximizing use on the trails on Glenn Reeve Fields mainly with instruction sessions for junior aged skiers.

One of the big signs that shows spring is around the corner is seeing the eight-time WWCFL champion Saskatoon Valkyries preparing for their upcoming campaign at the Indoor Training Centre. The lead photo of our photo roundup sees Valkyries backup quarterback Kelli Young slinging a pass downfield behind strong protection during a team practice session on February 25.

Various baseball, softball and lacrosse groups continue to prepare for their outdoor seasons. The cricket sporting community gets as much time in as possible in anticipation of game action in the spring.

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team continues their conditioning work looking forward to their upcoming U Sports season in the fall. They are one of the many groups that works out under the guidance of the crew at Ignite Athletics.

This photo roundup concludes showing off something special that went up in all the buildings on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds.

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 14 shots we hope you enjoy.

Fun at Lions practice

The members of the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club aim to live the notion that if you love a sport it will love you back. During a practice on February 14 at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval, one of the Lions skaters has a bit of fun doing an airplane glide to the chuckles of those following in her group.

Open field juke

A young player puts a fake out juke move on a coach during a drill at a Saskatoon Havoc Field Lacrosse training session on February 21 at the Indoor Training Centre. The turf field at the Indoor Training Centre allows field lacrosse groups to simulate situations in outdoor contests.

Beauty February break camp swing

A young hitter makes a sound connection on a ball during a Going Yard Baseball Academy February break camp session on February 23 at the Indoor Training Centre. The four-day camp is set up for younger aged players to get a baseball fix in during their week off from school and create a change up from the other activities they are involved in.

Bringing the heat

A pitcher delivers a throw to home plate during a Going Yard Baseball Academy training session for the academy’s regular players on February 23 at the Indoor Training Centre. The pitcher was throwing in a live at bats session which always brings the competitive spirit.

Friendly push down the back straightaway

A couple of skaters have some fun coming down the back straightaway of the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval on February 25. One skater was giving a friendly push from behind to another skater during a public skating session. Public skating sessions are all about fun and enjoying the Oval.

Youngsters take over ski trails

An instructor keeps an amused watchful eye on a group of young skiers out on the ski trials made on top of Glenn Reeve Fields on February 25. A huge number of young skiers took over the ski trails on this afternoon.

Focused MLB

Saskatoon Valkyries star middle linebacker Emmarae Dale studies an offensive set during a set of scrimmage repetitions during a practice session on February 25 at the Indoor Training Centre. Dale often knows where the ball is going to go just from how an offensive unit lines up.

A different style of “stretch run”

Two members from the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team do work with resistance training with an elastic band on February 29 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Huskies players get put through various innovative workouts during their conditioning sessions overseen by the crew at Ignite Athletics to prepare for the upcoming season.

Eye on the ball

A catcher tracks the ball into her glove during a 222’s Fastpitch training session on March 2 at the Indoor Training Centre. The instructors with the 222’s help catchers to develop chemistry with their pitchers and create the skills to react instinctively to various defensive situations.

Into the windup

A pitcher focuses on taking the proper steps in delivering a pitch during a 222’s Fastpitch training session on March 2 at the Indoor Training Centre. The instructors with the 222’s assist pitchers with perfecting all aspects of their deliveries.

Special delivery

A bowler fires a ball down the pitching lanes at the Indoor Training Centre during a Bison Cricket Club Saskatoon practice on March 2. Bison members from junior to adult ages focused on sharpening up their skills.

Line drive

A hitter from the Bison Cricket Club Saskatoon drives a hit down the pitching lanes during a team practice on March 2 at the Indoor Training Centre. Hitters in cricket aim to master the art of knowing when to make big hits to score runs and when to make defensive hits to prevent outs.

Land Acknowledgement

All the buildings on our grounds have a new addition. When you enter any of the buildings on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, a Land Acknowledgement wall mount will be present in or close to the main entrance way.

Logo meaning

Here is a close up look of the logo that appears on the Land Acknowledgement wall mounts in the buildings on our grounds.

The butterfly is for truth and reconciliation.

The stemming is to give the effect of tree/represent community.

The two hands at different sizes promote different people helping another or others…or a coach/player or adult/child teamwork approach.

The six dots are for Treaty 6.

The Metis infinity represents the union of two cultures.

The growing plant…plants/leaves represent hope and growth.

The feathers…ultimate gift/reward to achieve from the community you provide for.

And lastly, the ring border is the medicine wheel symbolizing all four aspects for a holistic way of living…goals for athletes and all who want to feel holistic.

Friday, February 9, 2024

Cricket on cusp of boom in Saskatoon

Players use Complex while new facilities sought for sport

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

A young cricket player practices making a defensive hit.
Cricket in Saskatoon is on the verge of having a boom, but the potential boom could be deflated before it really gets going.

That is a scenario Bishwajit Sanyal, who is the President of Cricket Saskatoon, wants to avoid. Incorporated in 2003, Cricket Saskatoon plugged along with a modest number of players for a lengthy stretch.

In recent years, the sport has seen a spike in growth. Sanyal said two years ago there were 200 adult players taking part in the sport and that number has since grown to 400. He added in 2021 the sport had 10 teams, it grew to 14 teams last year and there could be 22 teams this year.

Sanyal said the fact there was a cricket community in Saskatoon helped keep him in the sport when he moved to the city from Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2015. His involvement in the sport locally grew from being a player, to a junior coach in 2019, to taking on Cricket Saskatoon’s Vice-President’s role in 2022 and becoming the organization’s President last year.

“When I moved to Canada, I never ever thought I would play cricket here,” said Sanyal.“When I came here, and I saw people were playing, then I also started playing.”

There has been growth on the junior side of the game too, which consists of players 18-and-under. Tapankumar Bhatt, who is the Director Junior Cricket Saskatoon, said there usually had been around five to 10 junior aged players in the game. That changed last year when Cricket Saskatoon attracted 55 junior players including both boys and girls.

“If I say Saskatoon is an immigrant hub, a lot of immigrants are coming from world wide,” said Bhatt. “This game is very popular in Southeast Asia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Caribbeans and America.

“Everywhere it is now growing popular, so people coming from other parts of the world they are missing this sport. Because we are conducting it now, the kids get a platform. Their parents are engaged.

“Their friends back at home used to play. Because we started this year, now, they get this sport.”

A bowler delivers a throw at a junior tournament.
Sanyal said the sport in Saskatoon needs new cricket specific facilities to handle the growth the sport is seeing.

“I just need to do all I can to take care of my kids,” said Sanyal. “Hopefully, the city will give them a good place to grow up, and they can go and play for Cricket Canada and Canada national team.”

Cricket does have a lengthy history in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan. When Canada became a country in 1867, cricket was declared the country’s first official sport. It was popular among early settlers in Saskatchewan, but the popularity faded as sports like hockey and baseball became more widely played.

Cricket still had a presence in Saskatoon with games regularly being played at Kinsmen Park until the 1980s, when the sport’s pitch was moved to the Saskatoon Forestry Farm. In the early 2010s, cricket began to grow again and two pitches were added in Pierre Radisson Park. The first pitch at that location opened in 2016 and a second pitch was added in 2021.

“Saskatchewan has a very old history about cricket,” said Sanyal. “We have three cricket grounds in Forestry Farm land and two of them on Pierre Radisson Park.

“Forestry Farm is now not playable. Pierre Radisson Park is very close to the neighbourhood, and we can’t even play proper cricket there.”

For indoor training in the winter months, Cricket Saskatoon has utilized both the Saskatoon Field House and the Indoor Training Centre at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. Sanyal said the staffs at both places have been great, but the coaches with Cricket Saskatoon have to modify or plan drills in both places. When both places were built, they weren’t originally planned to be used by cricket sports groups.

At the Indoor Training Centre, cricket players often practice the skills of their sport inside the batting cages. Sanyal said working in the batting cages is tough for the bowler (the player who pitches the ball in cricket), because the bowler usually needs a run up of 10 or 15 metres before throwing the ball.

With all that noted, two big successes Cricket Saskatoon had at the Indoor Training Centre was being able to hold the Indoor Junior Cricket Tournament on December 23, 2023 and the Envision Sports Club Tape Ball Cricket Tournament 2023 on December 30, 2023 at that facility.

A hitter makes a run to score a point at a junior tournament.
Bhatt was pleased the junior tournament went well. He said that event was a success because they had enough junior players to hold it, and they were able to successfully run junior games on the field turf at the Indoor Training Centre.

“That was amazing, because we never thought of that big successes,” said Bhatt. “We invited MLAs, MPs, and the councillors.

“The parents were here, so a lot of parents had never been in this facility before. They were amazed. They came from another part of the world.

“This kind of a bigger facility where you have indoor cricket you can play. It is a big ground, when you merge both north and south (fields). It was a very successful tournament, and we got a lot of visibility.”

Outdoors, Cricket Saskatoon hosted a Mini World Cup on May 6, 2023 at Pierre Radisson Park. Teams represented six community groups including Canada, Bangladeshi Community Association of Saskatchewan, India-Canada Cultural Association, Pakistan-Canada Culture Association, Sri Lanka Association of Saskatoon and South Africa. A total of 1,000 people came out to enjoy that one day event.

“It is a really fun game for like everyone that comes,” said Sanyal. “All our Saskatoon residents they are having fun, and now kids are also coming.”

Bhatt said he started playing cricket again after a number of years not playing the sport due to the fact his children are playing and he is involved as the director for the junior level of Cricket Saskatoon. The 41-year-old is looking forward to making good special memories when his team plays the junior side his children play on this coming season.

“We left cricket like 10 years back, 15 years back,” said Bhatt. “Now, we are starting it again, because our kids are playing.

“Our kids will face us in the game that is the biggest thing.”

Still, Sanyal is worried about turning players away and capping registrations, because of the lack of facilities for the sport in Saskatoon. He is concerned that players who are turned away or decide to leave the sport won’t come back if they elect to pursue other sports or activities. Sanyal believes cricket can be a great sport for the city.

A young player drives the ball at during a junior tournament.
“It is growing,” said Sanyal. “The main problem is we are having to choose with our facilities.

“We don’t have enough good ground for cricket.One of the greatest cricket players name is Sachin Tendulkar. He is from India, Mumbai.

“If anyone in cricket knows about cricket, they know about Sachin Tenduklar. I just want to make sure that one day we will produce that type of player, (and) everyone knows Saskatoon, where Saskatoon is all over the world.”

For more information about Cricket Saskatoon, feel free to check out their website at www.cricketsaskatoon.com. Check out the video below for an overview of the sport of cricket.

Blue Jays visit highlights photo roundup

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Jose Bautista works with a youngster on gripping a bat.
If you were at the Indoor Training Centre on the morning of February 2, there is a good chance you became a Toronto Blue Jays fan.

The Blue Jays are known as Canada’s MLB team, but that gained a new connection type feeling locally when Jose Bautista, Buck Martinez, Jose Berrios and Jamie Campbell visited Saskatoon.

All four dropped in to help out with a baseball clinic put on by Kinsmen of Saskatoon in the morning of February 2 at the Indoor Training Centre.

The clinic was part of the festivities associated with the Kinsmen Sports Celebrity Dinner held later that night at the TCU Place.

Andrew Albers and Jose Berrios give points to young players.
Bautista and Martinez, who are both retired Blue Jays players, along with Berrios, who is a current Blue Jays pitching ace, helped with the drills. Martinez is best known for becoming the beloved “voice of the Blue Jays” after the conclusion of his playing days. Campbell, who is a broadcaster, circled around visiting everyone who wanted to talk.

Our lead picture of our photo roundup shows Bautista working with a youngster on how to properly grip a bat. The second picture of the photo roundup shows retired MLB pitcher and Going Yard Baseball Academy instructor Andrew Albers along with Berrios passing on some instructions to a group of youngsters.

The clinic also included a football station overseen by Saskatchewan Roughriders members Noah Zerr and Jorgen Hus. They did a terrific job teaching the youngsters how to throw and catch. Our third photo shows the Roughriders pair giving teaching tips to a group of youngsters.

Noah Zerr (#68) and Jorgen Hus (#46) instruct at a football station.
Along with more photos from the baseball clinic from February 2, the pictures in this photo roundup capture some of the memories that are made on our grounds. This photo roundup contains images from the John Sands Classic Long Track Meet hosted by the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club along with pictures involving baseball, cricket, football, softball and Ultimate disc.

In this photo roundup, most of these pictures were taken by our Communications Coordinator in Darren Steinke along with one cool submitted check in.

Without further ado, here is a selection of 20 shots we hope you enjoy.

Sweet stroke

Hitter Olivia Prokopchuk works on her stroke during a Saskatoon Lasers training session on January 11 at the Indoor Training Centre. Prokopchuk has a strong ability to be able to crush the ball with power on the softball diamonds.

Set for delivery

A group of pitchers prepare to deliver the ball during a Saskatoon Royals female baseball program training session on January 14 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Royals had a healthy turnout of players from various age groups on this day who came out to work on the fundamentals of the game.

Ready to bring the heat

A Saskatoon Cubs pitcher sets to fire a ball across the plate during a training session on January 14 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Cubs also had a good togetherness vibe going as they look towards the upcoming under-18 AAA Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League season.

All about focus

A player keeps her eye on the ball focusing on a catch during a fielding drill at a 222’s Fastpitch program training session on January 17 at the Indoor Training Centre. The players at 222’s training sessions get a healthy amount of repetitions in drills which allows them to improve.

Conditioning key to on field success

George Idoko, who is a defensive lineman for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team, runs some short hurdles during a team training session on January 18 at the Indoor Training Centre. The work Idoko puts in now will allow him sack quarterbacks and stop running backs late in the fourth quarter of games in September, October and November.

Looking for an opening

An offensive player looks for a passing lane against a defender during Saskatoon Ultimate Sport-Disc Society league action on January 19 at the Indoor Training Centre. In Saskatoon Ultimate Sport-Disc Society league play, you get to see lots of athletic plays and fun.

Speed comes from the stride

A young skater focuses on making the perfect stride in a race during the first day at the John Sands Classic Long Track Meet on January 20 at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval. Everyone from the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club looks forward to the annual local meet.

Zamboni at work

Our own Greg Nichol drives the Zamboni for a flood of the ice surface at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval on January 20 between races at the John Sands Classic Long Track Meet. It is part of Canadian culture to dream about driving the Zamboni. With that said, Greg is one of the best in the province when it comes to that skill.

Blast off

A group of young skates takes off from the start line during a race on the second day of the John Sands Classic Long Track Meet on January 21 at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval. The John Sands Classic was a tremendous success thanks to the work of the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club.

Strategy in the pack

A group of skaters heads down the front straightaway of the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval as part of a 10-lap open race to close out the John Sands Classic Long Track Meet on January 21. The skaters were trying to determine a plan for the lengthy race.

Ready to deliver

A young bowler gets set to fire a ball down the pitching lanes at the Indoor Training Centre as part of a junior cricket practice on January 21. The crew at Cricket Saskatoon does an outstanding job teaching young players the skills of the game.

Making it look routine

One of the highly skilled wicket-keepers from Cricket Saskatoon’s junior program makes an off to the side catch look easy during a training session on January 21 at the Indoor Training Centre. Wicket-keepers have to be ready for all sorts of situations that could happen.

Impressive turnout for Valkyries

The Saskatoon Valkyries Winter Camp attracted a total of 95 athletes to the Indoor Training Centre on January 28. The Valkyries are taking their first steps on a quest to win a ninth WWCFL title. A big thanks to the Valkyries for this photo.

Bringing the heat

A pitcher fires the ball to home plate during a Going Yard Baseball Academy training session on January 30 at the Indoor Training Centre. The instructors at Going Yard assist players in perfecting various little fundaments to help them play the game better.

A little help from Buck

A young hitter gets some help with his batting stance from retired Toronto Blue Jays catcher and current “voice of the Blue Jays” Buck Martinez on February 2 at the Indoor Training Centre. Martinez lent a helping hand to a baseball clinic put on by Kinsmen of Saskatoon.

Set for the throw to first

A young player sets to make a throw to first base during an infield drill at a baseball clinic put on by Kinsmen of Saskatoon on February 2 at the Indoor Training Centre. The clinic allowed players to take part in various baseball skill building drills and meet members of the MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays.

Ready for spring training

Toronto Blue Jays ace pitcher Jose Berrios gets some work done in the pitching tunnels at the Indoor Training Centre on February 2. It won’t be long now before Berrios will be reporting for spring training with the Blue Jays.

Making an impression

A young receiver makes a catch during a high school camp run by the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football team on February 2 at the Indoor Training Centre. The players were looking to make good impressions for the Huskies coaches.

A well-deserved honour

On February 2, Bryan Kosteroski, who is the chair of Gordie Howe Sports Complex Management Incorporated and Friends of the Bowl Foundation, was named the 2023 recipient of Kinsmen Sportsperson of the Year award. The honour has been awarded since 1961. Kosteroski was given the honour for his many decades of service to sports in Saskatoon in various roles including athlete, coach, official and administrator. Kosteroski, right, is pictured with Jose Bautista.

Aiming to impress

A young pitcher unloads a throw during Saskatoon Phantoms evaluations at the Indoor Training Centre on February 8. The Phantoms were evaluating players in their U15 and U17 age groups.

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Scutchings’ focus on fun opens doors in speed skating

Lions member skates at Canada Games, ready for home meet

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Melissa Scutchings enjoys skating fast on the oval track.
Melissa Scutchings discovered that zeroing in on fun still opens big doors in the world of speed skating.

At age five, Scutchings followed her older brother Matthew into the sport joining the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club. At age 15, Scutchings was one of the youngest skaters taking part in the Canada Winter Games that ran February 18 to March 5, 2023 across Prince Edward Island. She took part in the long track speed skating competition at the Halifax Oval in Halifax, N.S., during the first week of the games.

“It was a little intimidating,” said Scutchings. “I remember on the first day on the very first practice I fell.

“I remember being kind of embarrassed, because I fell in front of these like national skaters, and they are all like these 20-year-old really buffed guys. I was like, ‘Oh.’After I kind of got over that, it was really fun.

“I had a lot of fun at the Canada Winter Games. There was a lot of community stuff like a lot of team building. I thought that was really fun.”

With being one of the youngest skaters at that multi-sport event, Scutchings was there to soak in the experience. While she didn’t win any medals, she skated lots taking part in the female 500-metre, 1,000-metre, 1,500-metre, 3,000-metre, mass start and team pursuit races.

In getting used to being at the Canada Winter Games, Scutchings said it helped she was there with a large contingent from the Lions including veteran skaters Luca Veeman and Serena Dallaire. Veeman won five medals and Dallaire captured a pair of medals at the Canada Winter Games. Scutchings said there is a good family feeling with the Lions club, which was a big plus going into a multi-sport competition.

“I feel like it is easier to go to a new competition, if you have someone you already know like someone you can warm up with and like skate warmup with,” said Scutchings. “I feel like it is easier than going there, and be like, ‘Oh. I don’t know anyone else. I am here by myself.’”

This season, Scutchings, who is now 16-years-old, finds herself as one of the older skaters at the majority of Lions practices as Veeman and Dallaire are both attending first year university in Calgary and training at the Olympic Oval. While Scutchings is a veteran skater with the club, she still focuses on having fun and enjoying the sport.

The Lions will be hosting their annual the John Sands Classic Long Track Meet on January 20 and 21 at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval, and Scutchings has been a regular skating at that competition over the years. She has a pretty high comfort level when it comes to skating at events at home.

“It is just a lot of fun,” said Scutchings. “You are just competing against people you’ve know for like forever.

Melissa Scutching skates at the Oval on February 28, 2023.
“It is really easy going. I think it is just a lot of casual fun.”

When she was younger, Scutchings saw the older skaters as being really fast and really cool and was always watching her brother. Now that she is older skater, Scutchings enjoys watching the skaters in the Lions younger age groups take to the track in events like the John Sands Classic Long Track Meet.

“I think they are just really cute,” said Scutchings.“They are really short, but they’ve got these big, long speed skates, and they are skating.

“I think it is really funny and they are cute.”

Chris Veeman, who is the Lions head coach and president of Speed Skating Saskatchewan, said it has been enjoyable to coach Scutchings over the years. Back in January of 2021, Scutchings was presented the Robb Family Olympic Trophy, which is the Lions club award that goes to the most improved female skater as shown by improvements in skating times as compared to previous years and faithful and consistent attendance at practices.

“She is great to have in our group,” said Veeman. “She is now one of the older women in the group.

“She has been with Group 4 for a number of years. She is a quiet personality, but I think you can tell that she really likes skating. I think at this point that I try to tell her that her focus should really be on enjoying the sport and getting to enjoy the movement.

“It can be an activity that you do your whole life. That is what I hope that she is getting out of it at this point.”

Veeman thought it was big for Scutchings to be able to take part in the Canada Winter Games as one of the youngest skaters in the field.

“It is a great opportunity, because there is not a lot of pressure,” said Veeman. “If you are 15 or 16 skating against 19-year-olds, you’re not expected to win medals or anything like that.

“It is more about enjoying the event – the multisport aspect of it where you get to meet all kinds of different people. It is a really big production with all the uniforms and that sort of thing. I feel like she made the most of it.”

Melissa Scutchings enjoyed being at the Canada Winter Games.
Scutchings looks up to Isabelle Weidemann who was a speed skater for Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. Weidemann, who stands 6-foot-2, won gold in Team Pursuit, silver in the women’s 5,000-metre race and bronze in the women’s 3,000-metre race.

“I like watching her skate, because you can always tell really clearly which one she is when she is skating like the team relays and the team pursuits just because she is so tall,” said Scutchings, who stands 5-foot-7. “I really like the way she skates.

“She makes it look really easy.”

Scutchings said the biggest influence in helping her in the sport was long time Lions head coach Tim Comfort, who retired at the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign. She said Comfort cared about how she was doing as a person asking if things were going OK and how she was doing.

“A lot of the way the practices went and a lot of the repetitions and stuff like that it came from Tim (Comfort) mostly,” said Scutchings. “I feel like we got pretty close, and it was fun traveling with him to Canada Winter Games.

“He was pretty encouraging and supportive.”

Scutchings said the current season, which is the Lions first campaign without Comfort as a coach, has been going well. She said Veeman, Jason Warick and Olivier Larocque have been doing well as a collective coaching unit.

Due to the fact there is no Canada Winter Games to prepare for this season, Scutchings said the competitive aspect has felt more relaxed and there has been more of a focus on the craft of skating. She believes it benefits the skaters coming into the Lions top competitive skating level in Group 4 to get their feet wet with that higher tier of competition.

Away from skating, Scutchings is completing her Grade 11 year at Walter Murray Collegiate. She has been on the honor roll throughout her time in high school.

Scutchings is looking forward to continue skating with the Lions during her high school years, but isn’t sure what she will do with the sport once she graduates.

Her family is still well connected with the sport as her father Roland Scutchings in a member at large on the board of directors for Speed Skating Saskatchewan, and her mother Carina Ong-Scutchings is the director of finance for the Lions.

Melissa Scutchings, left, enjoys skating with her Lions teammates.
When it comes skating after graduating from high school, Scutchings said she will decide what she wants to with the sport when that time comes.

“I might not do it after high school just because of university,” said Scutchings. “I might not go to Calgary.

“If I do, I think it will be a lot of fun. It might be a little bit of a struggle finding somewhere to live close to the Oval, because everyone wants to live near the university. I might just stay here with the club and go to university here, so I guess we will see.”

For more information about the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club, feel free to check out their website at www.slspeedskating.com.