Four area athletes — two volleyball players and a pair of freestyle skiers — are heading to the 2018 Alberta Winter Games in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Feb. 16-19.
Rees Victoor and Mack Hay will take to the volleyball courts as part of the Zone 5 girls and boys teams, while Zachary Strydhorst and Michael Smith are two of the three members of the Tawatinaw Valley Freeriders Ski Club who will compete at the event.
The Alberta Winter Games, which sees athletes aged 11-17 are selected to represent eight zones across the province in 20 winter and indoor sports, have been held every two years since the first one in Banff in 1976.
Rees was among 70 girls to try out for the team last November, and one of only 12 to make it. She got the good news on the same day she tried out.
“It was a really cool experience,” said the 15 year old who attends R.F. Staples School.
“I tried out not really thinking I would make it. I just wanted to see how I would compare with everyone else and I was surprised to see that I made it.”
Hay, who is also 15 and attends R.F. Staples School, was among 40 vying for 12 roster spots.
“I got into it back in Grade 7 and I just decided to play. I really enjoyed it,” he said about his past in the sport.
Both have been travelling to Edmonton every Sunday for several weeks to practice and to get to know their new teammates.
Hay said he is most looking forward to the experience, as well as getting to see the opening ceremonies.
“I’m so excited, it’s going to be really fun,” said Hay.
Freeriders Strydhorst and Smith, along with Tyler Christian of Edmonton will represent Zone 7 at the Games.
All three competed at the Winter Games qualifier in Jasper Jan. 12-14, along with more than a dozen other members of the club.
The skiers had nine podium finishes and 14 Top 5 results, although only the three qualified for the Games.
Strydhorst placed third in M16 slope style skiing at the qualifiers.
Smith did not medal, but because of the age category he is in was able to qualify for the Zone 7 team. Meanwhile, Christian won the M14 mogul event.
The Freeriders are based out of the Pine Valley Resort at Tawatinaw and composed of athletes ages six to 16.
They draw members from all over Westlock, Athabasca, Edmonton and Spruce Grove and practice every weekend.
Notably, because the Tawatinaw was shut down up until the Jasper qualifiers, they only had one day to practice on the slopes.
However, Freeriders coach Mike Flewwelling said it is not abnormal for the club to get minimal practice before their first competition of the year. Luckily, their off-season training helped.
“Obviously, the more you ski before you enter a competition, the more confident you actually feel,” Flewwelling said.
“But this isn’t the first time we’ve been in that situation. I think our kids …. just think of it as, ‘OK, it’s normal.’ They just rise to the occasion and ski the best they can.”
Freeriders president Janene Kargus said they’re proud of all their athletes, regardless of how they did at Jasper or whether they medal at the Games.
“To be the best athlete you can be is about being the best person you can be and we focus on that,” Kargus said. “We learn how strong they are and also they are capable of reaching their goals.”
