Saturday, December 9, 2023

Indoor Training Centre fun, exciting football final in photo roundup

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

A Timbits Saturdays group comes together for a big cheer.
Off-season time at the Indoor Training Centre can be tonnes of fun.

All it takes is seeing a session of the Saskatchewan North Central Softball Academy’s Timbits Saturdays program to be reminded of that tidbit. Our lead photo of our photo roundup comes from a Timbits Saturdays session held on December 2 at the Indoor Training Centre. It shows the coaches and players coming together for a cheer following the conclusion of one of those hour-long periods.

These days the Indoor Training Centre is enjoying its peak period as various sporting groups are using it for training sessions like baseball, football, lacrosse, softball and track and field.

Activities from Timbits Saturdays offer up arguably the cutest photos. That program offers softball instruction to children aged three to 11 in one-hour long sessions that are held Saturday mornings at the Indoor Training Centre from October to February.

The young players participate in activities and games that are patterned after informal playground games that promise fun and action. The activities are set up in a way to allow players with high and low skill levels to be involved.

A young players makes a throw at a Timbits Saturdays session.
Players also participate in basic drills that teach the proper forms for throwing, catching and pitching. On the hitting side, players take part in drills that work on proper stance and swinging before proceeding to hit balls off a tee into a net.

Some of those drills are used with older age groups to help reinforce the basics. The second photo of the photo roundup shows a young player taking part of an infield throwing drill at a Timbits Saturdays session on December 2.

On top of those drills, the players will do some activities that are basically playground games along with some short simulated mini games at the end of the session. Ultimately, the main focus of the program is to try and ensure the players have fun and develop a love for the game.

Besides Timbits Saturdays photos, the photos in this photo roundup capture some of the memories that are made on our grounds, which include photos from an exciting championship football game and training sessions from various sports. In this photo roundup, the majority 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.

Monster game for Crusader

Receiver Britton Tabler of the Holy Cross High School Crusaders had one of the best games of his career in the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s 6A provincial football championship game held on November 11 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Tabler caught 11 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown. The Crusaders ultimately lost a 12-10 heartbreaker to Regina’s Miller Comprehensive Catholic High School Marauders.

Tough slugging on the ground

Holy Cross High School Crusaders running back Aulain Penner gets corralled by a number of defenders from Regina’s Miller Comprehensive Catholic High School Marauders on November 11 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Crusaders and Marauders were going at it in the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s 6A provincial football championship game. The Marauders would take the contest 12-10.

Marauders celebrate a three-peat

The players from Regina’s Miller Comprehensive Catholic High School Marauders raise the championship trophy in celebration of winning the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s 6A provincial football title game on November 11. The win marked the third straight year the Marauders claimed the 6A football crown.

Eyeing up the details

A hitter concentrates on his mechanics during a drill at a Going Yard Training Centre session on November 21 at the Indoor Training Centre. Players use the sessions with the Going Yard Training Centre to work on improving the fine points in their game.

Perfecting infield defence on the bases

An athlete, right, from a JQFP Softball session works on fielding defence on a base inside a batting cage at the Indoor Training Centre on November 22. The JQFP Softball coaches showed off an innovative way here to help players improve infield defensive skills on the bases. JQFP Softball coach Jon Equina, left, oversees this drill.

Family welcome for Iris

The Gordie Howe Sports Complex Management Corporation was pleased to welcome Iris Lapierre as the new Administration Manager to the Gordie Howe Sports Complex family. Iris comes to the Gordie Howe Sports Complex after having spent 29 years with the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools having retired in October. She is pictured here on November 22 working at the front desk of the Indoor Training Centre.

Running to create space

An athlete with the Sentinels Lacrosse Club motors to an open space in the offensive end of the field during a practice session on November 27 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Sentinels are an elite field lacrosse program that runs junior varsity and varsity teams from September through to December.

Tuesday morning camper found

We had a visitor to the overflow campground on the morning of Tuesday, November 28. We believe the visitor jumped the fence as there are no holes in it. We opened the door and the visitor left for a next destination. Johnny Marciniuk, who is our Operations Manager, checked in with the photo of our visitor.

Securing out at first

An infielder follows the ball into her glove fielding at first base during a 222’s Fastpitch practice session at the Indoor Training Centre. The 222’s were focusing on perfecting various defensive skills in the infield on this day.

Finesse throw

A player uses perfect touch to let a Frisbee fly during Saskatoon Ultimate Disc-Sport Society game action on November 30 at the Indoor Training Centre. Saskatoon Ultimate Disc-Sport Society league play is a staple happening at the Indoor Training Centre during the winter months.

A helping hand

A coach helps a young hitter to set up properly in order to hit the ball during one of the SNCSA’s Timbits Saturdays session on December 2 at the Indoor Training Centre. The players taking part in the Timbits Saturdays have a lot of fun and improve greatly over the winter months the program is run.

Feeling the need for speed


A base runner round second base at seemingly warp speed during one of the SNCSA’s Timbits Saturdays session on December 2 at the Indoor Training Centre. The player was taking part in a mini game that closes out the one-hour period the Timbits Saturdays program run.

Set for the relay

An infielder for the Saskatoon Giants sets to make a catch at second base before making a relay throw to first on December 6 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Giants were taking infield defensive repetitions in order to prepare for the 2024 spring and summer baseball season.

Selects break it down

Members of the Saskatoon Selects program conclude a training session with a cheer on December 6 at the Indoor Training Centre. Many spring and summer club squads do off-season work as a team unit to build skills and unity.

Up and away

Two athletes get some air time going up to battle for a Frisbee during Saskatoon Ultimate Disc-Sport Society league play at the Indoor Training Centre on December 7. Those taking part in Saskatoon Ultimate Disc-Sport Society action make some incredible plays on the turf.