WILKIE — There have been several McLurg graduates who have continued their athletics into their post-secondary stages of their lives.
Kabri Sittler was part of the U of S women’s wrestling team since entering university in 2020 following graduation from McLurg. Sittler was a Canada West Usports silver medalist in March of 2022 with the Huskies women’s wrestling team. She is enrolled in the College of Pharmacy and has discovered her academics schedule did not balance with the wrestling commitments so is now focusing on school.
Jacob Mamer was part of the U of S Huskies football team from 2018-20.
Currently, there are two McLurg graduates who are proud members of Huskies athletics for the upcoming season. 2019 McLurg graduate, Trey Pernitsky continues with the Huskies track team, while 2022 graduate, Isaiah Mamer, is the newest member of the Huskies men’s volleyball team.
Huskies volleyball
Mamer is a rookie in Huskies athletics with the men’s volleyball team. Mamer is enrolled to take a combined kinesiology and education degree.
Mamer says, “Our pre-season starts Sept. 29 in Brandon with our regular season starting Oct. 21 at the University of Alberta.”
The Huskies men’s volleyball team practices five times a week with team lifts three times a week.
“To balance both academics and athletics, you just have to find that extra 30 minutes in our schedule and work on school. Before or after practices are also great opportunities to go through school work,” adds Mamer
The Huskies men’s volleyball season includes 12 home games, which are both Friday/Saturday home stands, and the same schedule applies for away games. Staring in October, the men’s volleyball season runs into the first few weeks of February, with playoffs to follow.
Both athletes commended their high school for the great job developing athletes for potential post-secondary opportunities.
“I may be bias but in reference to my high school, the teams I have played on always encouraged me to grow and develop as a player and pushed me to become as good as I can be,” Mamer says.
2022 was a banner year for Mamer, as he was part of the McLurg Broncs provincial volleyball gold medal team, earned several SHSAA track and field medals, earned Wilkie’s junior citizen of the year and he helped capture a gold medal at Canada Games with Team Saskatchewan before moving onto the next phase with Huskies athletics.
Huskies Track and Field
Pernitsky has been part of University of Saskatchewan track team since he started university in 2019. A March 2022 Can-West silver medal capped off a highly successful third year with Huskies athletics. Pernitsky is enrolled in the Edwards School of Business.
The first competition for Pernitsky will be the Sled Dog home cross-country meet held in Saskatoon Oct. 1.
Pernitsky adds, “My training has been very good so far and I am very happy with how I am feeling heading into the cross-country season. I took extra time this summer to build my endurance base strength and it is paying off right now. Currently my training consists of a shorter workout day on Monday, 60-minute run on Tuesday, larger workout day Wednesday, 90-minute runs on Thursday, Fridays off, hills and longer workouts on Saturday, and 60-75 minutes of running on Sunday. On workout days (Monday, Wednesday) I also do 15-minute runs in the mornings and weight training sessions after the workouts.”
In addition to this rigorous training schedule Pernitsky says he attends regular physio appointments, recovery sessions with student trainers and massage therapy as training usually adds up to between eight and 100 kilometres of running per week.
“My daily habits and routine make it possible to balance academics and athletics as I prioritize rest so I can perform all day and be effective in my training and studies.”
Pernistky notes that for upcoming Huskies track season this winter, they will host multiple home meets including Canada West Conference championships and USports nationals. As a dual sport athlete, Pernitsky competes in cross-country in the fall and track and field in the winter.
When asked how his high school athletics experience translated to success in Huskies athletics, Pernitsky says, “High school sports gave me the mindset, confidence and love of sports that’s made it possible to get to and achieve success at the university level. Much of my love for sport has come from memories made through my times competing as a Bronc at McLurg.”
