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.

Prokopchuk shares love for 222’s for opening doors in softball

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Olivia Prokopchuk is one of Saskatoon’s best power hitters.

Olivia Prokopchuk will be part of the 222’s Fastpitch program for life.

The 17-year-old power hitter and first base infielder credits the fall and winter season travel team program for creating unique opportunities for her in the sport of softball. She always loved softball from an early age after her father, Steve Prokopchuk, convinced her to give the sport a try, and the 222’s would come into her life a handful of years later.

“Honesty, I think my dad just kind of was like, “Oh, do you want to try T-ball one day?’” said Prokopchuk reflecting on her start. “I was like, ‘Yeah, for sure.’

“I kind of just started, and I instantly liked it. I got to the point where I quit all my other sports and started to become more competitive in softball. I started out as a pitcher for the 222’s.

“I kind of just discovered that I liked hitting and kind of passed on the pitching aspect. Here I am now, and I’m a hitter and an infielder.”

Prokopchuk used to play hockey, soccer and did some horseback along with softball while growing up. At around age 11 turning 12, Prokopchuk focused on softball as her lone sport, and she joined up with the 222’s program.

“I like getting to meet new people and having new teammates,” said Prokopchuk, who stands 5-foot-7. “I think for me the 222’s brought a lot of friendships that I wouldn’t have had now.

“The coaches and everyone that I got to meet to help me further my career were really nice.”

Olivia Prokopchuk drives a ball into the net.

Back in November of 2024, Prokopchuk signed on with the University of South Carolina-Union Bantams Women’s Softball team located in Union, South Carolina. They play in the National Junior College Athletic Association in the United States.

She is also slated to play for Team Saskatchewan at the 2025 Canada Summer Games that run this coming August 8 to 25 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Prokopchuk said the 222’s, who are based out of the Indoor Training Centre on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds, had a big impact on her in being able to get the chance to play softball at the post-secondary level and play in the Canada Summer games.

“I definitely learned a lot with them,” said Prokopchuk. “They definitely were one of the biggest reasons as to why I am where I am now.”

Prokopchuk credits longtime 222’s coaches in Ryan Ray and Keith Mackintosh on being the biggest influences in helping her out in the sport. She said Ray was important in helping her with the mental side of hitting.

“He (Ray) just helps me understand the game and for me to not get in my head when something doesn’t go my way, which is definitely a bit part of the game,” said Prokopchuk, who is slated to graduate from Bishop James Mahoney High School this coming June. “Softball is a mental game.

“It can definitely take over, but he (Ryan Ray) has definitely helped me understand and realize that it is OK.”

Prokopchuk said Mackintosh was huge in helping her improve in a couple of areas of her game.

Olivia Prokopchuk makes a throw from first base.

“He has helped me with hitting and has spent countless hours working me through my swing,” said Prokopchuk. “He was also the start of helping me with my first base skills.”

With the work she put in with the 222’s, Prokopchuk was able to sign with the Bantams. She said it was fun setting up and getting the pictures done for the social media posts of her signing announcement.

“It was like having everyone there that has been there for you the whole time and knowing that you accomplished what you’ve worked so hard for over the past however many years has finally come true,” said Prokopchuk. “It was pretty nice.”

She elected to join the Bantams for a variety of reasons.

“I knew I wanted to go far (away), and I knew that if I wanted to go far, I might as well go somewhere in the sun,” said Prokopchuk. “The coaches were really good with me.

“They were good with my parents. They were just well-oriented down there I feel. When I went down, everyone was good with the players.

“The players had a close relationship with them, which was definitely a big thing for me.”

Prokopchuk said there was a natural comfort vibe feeling between herself and the South Carolina program.

Olivia Prokopchuk was a pitcher at first before focusing on hitting.

“I had an offer there before I went down there,” said Prokopchuk. “It was just a matter of me going down there and deciding if I liked the school.

“I did fall in love with it when I went down there, so it was a very quick and easy call and decision to make.”

While Prokopchuk has experienced her share of highs, she encountered a new challenge with a major injury. 

During a training session in late 2024, Prokopchuk tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee.

She is focused on her road to recovery, which will allow her to play in the upcoming Canada Summer Games and the 2025-26 campaign with the Bantams. Still, Prokopchuk said she was a bit nervous at first when it came to starting out on the comeback trail.

“I was definitely shaky at the start, because I wasn’t expecting it,” said Prokopchuk. “I had never gotten hurt before, so this was a big thing for me, but I kind of just came to the realization that it has to happen to everyone.

“If it didn’t happen now, it was going to happen at some point. I am just focusing on rehab and getting back and pushing myself to get back in time for what I want to more so accomplish down the road. That is the good thing is that straight out of rehab I get to do something that I wanted to do and that I’ve worked hard for.”

In the future, Prokopchuk still wants to be part of Softball Canada’s national team system at some point in time. When her playing days are complete, Prokopchuk wants to embark on a career that will help her stay around the sport.

Olivia Prokopchuk drives a ball into the outfield.

“I do want to come home, and I want to become a physiotherapist,” said Prokopchuk. “That has been a dream of mine for a long time, so that is the plan as of right now.”

Overall, she has appreciated the support of Saskatoon’s softball community during her journey in the sport. Prokopchuk said that support has also helped her realize her dreams in the sport.

“The softball community here is so nice and welcoming,” said Prokopchuk. “Everyone is here for a purpose and wants to be here, which is really encouraging to us and the little ones below us.

“I enjoy it.”

Valkyries Winter Camp hits high gear in photo roundup

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Kennedy Mann, right, uses proper form to make a tackle.

For one day, the Saskatoon Valkyries of the present and potentially the future came together.

The storied Western Women’s Canadian Football League team hosted its annual winter camp on January 26 at the Indoor Training Centre. The camp was for any female player who were at least 16-years-old and no former football experience was required.

A large number of Valkyries veterans take part in this camp along with a sizable amount of high school players and players who graduated from high school the previous June. Those who graduated the previous June could potentially join the Valkyries for the upcoming 2025 campaign, while those still in high school gained a valuable introduction to the squad with the hopes of becoming part of the team in the future.

Julia Smith throws a pass for the Valkyries.

Ultimately, over 70 athletes from across the province took part in this camp.

Our lead picture in this photo roundup sees linebacker Kennedy Mann, right, showing off her wrap up form during a tackling drill.

Mann has been a member of the Valkyries last three straight WWCFL championship teams.

The second photo shows young quarterback Julia Smith working on her technique as she throws the ball to a teammate. Smith was in her first season with the team in 2024.

Receiver Jada Duchene is shown in the third photo making a catch after running a pattern. Duchene is looking to play in her first season with the team.

Jada Duchene makes a catch for the Valkyries.

Along with the pictures from the Saskatoon Valkyries Winter Camp, this photo roundup includes other scenes from the Indoor Training Centre and images from the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval. Baseball, rugby and softball teams are hitting stride preparing for the upcoming spring and summer seasons. Ultimate disc continues with regular season play and the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club prepare for various meets.

The pictures in this photo roundup capture some of the memories that are made on our grounds. In this photo roundup, almost 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.

Contact

A player from the Saskatoon Royals female baseball program nails a grounder during a practice session on January 12 at the Indoor Training Centre. The hitter was taking part in one of four skill building stations the Royals had set up on this day.

Finesse throw

Emma Frisky, who has played for Softball Canada’s Under-18 Women’s National Team, unloads an off-speed pitch to the plate during an individual session in the pitching lanes on January 12. Frisky enjoys putting in extra work at her craft, which makes her one of the country’s top players in her age group.

Slick toss

A player makes a smart toss up the field past a defender during Saskatoon Ultimate Sport-Disc Society action on January 17 at the Indoor Training Centre. The ultimate disc athletes enjoying taking part in competitive action in a very upbeat atmosphere.

They’re off

A group of young skaters from the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club jet down the back straightaway at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval on January 22. The young skaters of the Lions love it when they get to jet down the track.

Push race fun

The “push race” has become the team and family building activity for the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club. The “push race” involved all members of the club with skaters separated at different intervals along a straightaway. After the first skaters start, they get up to and push the next skater and then the next skater until you are pushing a line of skaters. These races result in all sorts of smiles and laughs even if one line of skaters wipes out. It is a fun part of Lions practices like this one on January 22 at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval.

Coach chatter

Head coach Pat Barry address his Saskatoon Valkyries before the morning practice session of their winter camp on January 26 at the Indoor Training Centre. Barry will put the Valkyries players into an upbeat spirit heading into drills for that session.

Group shuffle

Saskatoon Valkyries go through a slide shuffle drill during warmups at their winter camp on January 26 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Valkyries go through a number of warmup routines before heading on to the main part of a training session.

All about technique

An offensive line group goes through blocking technique repetitions during the Saskatoon Valkyries Winter Camp on January 26 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Valkyries coaches know that hand technique skills play a big part in getting the job done on the offensive line.

Here comes the “boom”

A couple of members of the Saskatoon Badgers Rugby Club take part in a contact drill during a practice on January 30 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Badgers practice focused on executing the contact aspects of the sports safely and correctly.

Little things matter

Saskatoon Giants head coach Trent Marien, centre, talks to his players following a practice on January 30 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Giants just finished off a session with a big focus working on pitcher pick off moves, and Marien was talking about how little things like getting outs off pick offs will add up in a game.

Locked down on first

A first baseman tracks a ball into his glove during a Going Yard Baseball Academy training session on February 4 at the Indoor Training Centre. This out was recorded during a session that focused on infield defence and base running.

Picture perfect skating night

The skaters from the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club went through their repetitions under a scenic sky on February 4 at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval. This was a time nature presented a special gift.

Making it look easy

An infielder plays a ground ball in textbook fashion during a Saskatoon Phantoms Under-11 squad practice on February 4 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Phantoms coaches were also doing evaluations to make plans for the rest of the off-season and the upcoming spring and summer campaign.

Setting for a throw

An infielder sets his feet to make a throw to first base during a simulated game session put on by the Saskatoon Berries Baseball Academy on February 7 at the Indoor Training Centre. The simulated contest made players adjust to the unplanned variables that come up in game situations.

Final preps

Pitcher Garrett Hawkins goes through the mechanics of delivering a pitch on February 7 at the Indoor Training Centre. Hawkins will depart soon for Spring Training with the MLB’s San Diego Padres. He is on the comeback trail after missing all of the 2024 campaign having Tommy John surgery part way through 2023. We wish Hawkins the best of luck on his journey. He was outstanding with helping the young pitchers at the Complex with the Going Yard Baseball Academy.