Both of Yorkton鈥檚 high school curling programs competed in their first high school bonspiel of the season Saturday at the Yorkton Curling Club, with each school entering three separate teams into what was called a 鈥榝unspiel鈥�.
Joining the six Yorkton teams in the three game apiece funspiel were a pair of teams from Churchbridge and Kamsack, as well as single teams from Norquay and Canora.
Curling coaches Cindy Smith of the YRHS and Sacred Heart鈥檚 Cathy Inglis told Yorkton This Week that their respective programs were using the competition more as a learning experience, hoping to prepare their teams for what may lie ahead in the 2015/16 season. 鈥淲e use this bonspiel as an opportunity to practice getting the players to call timeouts and learn some of the ins and outs of the game,鈥� said YRHS coach Smith, who, along with fellow Raider coach Lana Sebastian organized the event. 鈥淲e also take an automatic one minute timeout at the end of the third end to get them used to the competition and getting them to think about the rules and the etiquette of play and it鈥檚 a place for them to practice all of those things.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great event that the Regional organizes and it鈥檚 a good warmup to get these kids playing the game,鈥� offered Sacred Heart鈥檚 coach Inglis. 鈥淲e can practice and practice, but now we have things to go back and work on that they鈥檝e seen themselves during their games.
鈥淚t鈥檚 also an opportunity for us as coaches to sit with a substitute player during the game and talk strategy with them so they can learn what to do in certain situations without the pressure of having to make the shot then and there.鈥�
Aspirations
While they coach for different schools, both Coach Smith and Coach Inglis have very similar goals in mind.
Both want to see all three of their teams advance from Districts to Regionals and then from Regionals to Provincials. 鈥淥bviously you want the teams to do well and go to Provincials,鈥� mentioned Smith, continuing, 鈥渂ut that鈥檚 not guaranteed. We have some young players this year, and we have an all-boys team for the first time in about three years, so they鈥檒l need to learn how to play together to go far.鈥�
For Sacred, to advance deep into the curling postseason Coach Inglis says they鈥檒l need to mature quickly. 鈥淲e have a lot of hopes, but we鈥檙e young,鈥� said Inglis. 鈥淎t Sacred Heart we鈥檝e got a lot of young players, lots of good grade nines and 10鈥檚 coming up so we know the program will be strong in two years.
鈥淔or them to go to Provincials this year they鈥檒l need to continue developing really well.鈥�
Rosters
The curling rosters were officially released this past weekend. Competing for the Regional will be Jon Nagy, Derek Campbell, Matthew Linsley, Brayden Kitchen and Dylan Novak in the male division with Darren Wilkins as a spare, Kellie Onda-Inglis, Sean Thompson, Mikaila Ortynsky, Jillian Just and Emma Just on Regional Girls One and Tessa Datema, Meagan Dietrich, Mackenzie Bjornerud and Kayley Harvey on Regional Girls Two.
For Sacred Heart, the boys team will consist of Reese Kinaschuk, Kordell Struble, Austin Roberts and Eliah Stephaniuk while the Senior girls鈥� team will be made up of Madison Butchko, Ariana Struble, Alex Cottenie, Sarah Sutter and Sydney Lieke.
Sacred鈥檚 Junior girls鈥� squad will see Ashley Schrader, Tamara Butchko, Tess Jendrasheske, and Mia Cottenie compete for the Saints.
