The 2024 Team Sask. Training Camp was held from September 15-17th, 2023 in Regina. In attendance were 48 athletes and 26 coaches and mission staff from across the province. These individuals make up the Provincial Team who will be heading to the 2024 SOC Winter Games in Calgary next February. The athletes will be competing in the following sports at the Games:
- 5-Pin Bowling
- Alpine Skiing
- Cross Country Skiing
- Curling
- Figure Skating
- Floor Hockey
- Snowshoeing
- Speed Skating
The Training Camp kicked off on Friday night with a group supper, followed by each sport getting together as individual teams for a sport-specific session. Friday night also featured a pep rally, where each member of the team was introduced and cheered on by their fellow athletes and coaches/mission staff. After the pep rally, there was a series of "minute-to-win-it" games including a cup tower building challenge; balloon juggling challenge; a relay race; and finishing with a memorable pumpkin pie eating contest!
Saturday morning started off with a great team-building exercise led by Scot and Marlene Earl from Melfort, who taught everyone some basics in communicating with sign language. The Earl's covered how to sign various different sports that athletes would be competing in, as well as teaching the letters of the alphabet so everyone could sign their own name. Throughout the day, team members got to see what the team uniform would consist of and selected their sizes for each item in the set, along with a quick photoshoot. The teams had the opportunity to get together for their individual sessions as well. The evening finished with a group social and a private screening of the Super Mario Bros Movie (an obvious big hit)!
Sunday consisted of the groups getting together once again. The teams did team-building sessions, talked about plans for the games, set goals, and got to know each other better. Throughout the entire weekend, Mission Staff Angela Wright held sessions on Stretching and Self-Massage as well as Nutrition information sessions. The weekend concluded with a special visit from Saskatchewan Roughrider Evan Johnson! Evan talked about his journey as an athlete, and how the athletes on 2024 Team Sask were an inspiration to him. The team was able to ask Evan questions and get a few pictures and autographs as well.
The Training Camp Weekend was a great success, and an amazing opportunity for athletes, coaches, and mission staff from across the province to get together. Members of the team are from Weyburn, Regina, Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Humboldt, Saskatoon, Melfort, Prince Albert, and Nipawin.
Next stop for Team Sask - Calgary in 2024!
To see the full event through pictures, make sure to visit our Flickr Page!