St. Albert forwards Jill Basterash and Tasha Bryenton made the Team Alberta ringette roster for the 2011 Canada Winter Games.
Last weekend the 20-player provincial line-up competed in the Alberta Challenge Cup in Calgary and finished second overall to Ontario. In the final Ontario edged Team Alberta 5-4.
In the round robin both teams tied for second place at 3-1-1 with an identical goal differential (plus-eight) behind the undefeated Team USA. The Americans used the tournament as a warm-up for the 2010 worlds in Finland and were not eligible for the medal round.
Rounding out the standings were Manitoba (1-3-1), Saskatchewan (1-3-1) and Nova Scotia (0-5).
The Challenge Cup was the first in a series of provincial tournaments for Team Alberta leading up to the Feb. 11 to 27 winter games in Halifax, N.S.
Joining the St. Albert products on Team Alberta from the Zone 5 AA Ringette Club were forwards Danielle Pronovost of Onoway and Kelsey Hupka of Fort Saskatchewan. Calgary is represented by 10 players.
The St. Albert Skating Centre (SASC) is one of 45 clubs across the county chosen by Skate Canada to offer the new CanSkate pilot program this fall.
It will focus on progressing through stages at the youth’s own pace by building on each skill as it is learned. Each skill will be tied into the next skill and hopefully it will become easier for the youth to learn to skate.
Also, instead of focusing more on preparing youths for figure skating, the program will focus equally on hockey and ringette. It will offer an introduction to speed, spins and spirals, which can benefit any skater, regardless of the sport he or she intends to pursue.
There are six levels in the program and each one has nine fundamental objectives the youth is required to meet before moving on to the next level. The skaters progress at their own pace and there is no pressure to be at a certain point before the end of the season.
SASC is only the second club in Alberta to participate in the program. The other club is in Calgary.
All 45 clubs vary in size in order to get the best representation of how the program is working.
For more information, visit www.stalbertsc.com, or contact the club at 780-458-8868 or [email protected]
The board of directors of the Sturgeon Valley Golf & Country Club have named Mark Beckwith to succeed the outgoing director of golf, Neal Connell.
Over the next several months, Beckwith will make the transition from head professional at the club to the new title of general manager, as well as working with the board of directors to recruit a new head pro for the 2011 season.
Over the summer, after 29 years of dedicated service to the club’s membership, Connell announced his retirement as the director of golf.
The club is expected honour Connell and details of the celebration will be announced at a later date.
