Goals were scored, points were earned and medals were won – the 2020 Alberta Winter Games was a resounding success.
From Feb. 14 to 17, nearly 2,000 athletes and coaches – including dozens from Rocky View County (RVC) – gathered in Airdrie for a four-day celebration of youth sporting excellence.
“The skill, resolve and love of sport displayed by these young athletes at the 2020 Alberta Winter Games was inspiring,” said Chestermere-Strathmore MLA Leela Aheer, Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women, in a statement. “My sincere congratulations to all the competitors; may your future in sport continue to shine.”
After three days of competition, Zone 3 (Calgary) claimed top spot in the medal standings, amassing 40 gold, 35 silver and 30 bronze medals. Zone 2 (Big Country), which included most of the competing athletes from RVC, followed in second place, claiming 26 gold, 27 silver and 21 bronze medals.
Cochrane was the county’s most represented community, with 34 athletes and coaches. In total, Cochranites contributed to 14 medals, including eight gold, three silver and three bronze.
Sports in which the town's athletes particularly excelled were wrestling and biathlon. Cochrane’s 10 wrestlers picked up a trio of gold medals and a pair of silver medals, while three of four biathletes from the town made the podium.
Cochrane Cowboys Wrestling Club coach Devin Kirk, head coach of the Zone 2 wrestling team, said his wrestlers were pleased with their performances.
“Definitely – and not only the success of how they wrestled, but to be honest, they all had a great experience, as well,” he said. “They had a lot of fun and built a great community within the team. By the end of it, we had a great group that we had brought together – a lot of friendships were made and it was just an amazing experience.”
On the other side of the county, Chestermere fielded seven athletes at the Games. The city’s top performers included Zone 3 wrestler Connor Bren, who picked up gold in the all-around team event and silver in the 83-kilogram weight class, and Sarah El-rafih, who earned a silver medal as a member of the Zone 2 girls’ futsal team.
Along with El-rafih, the team saw plenty of RVC representation, including Carmen Chopp and Madison Rayner of Cochrane and Springbank's Felicity Geremia.
Springbank Soccer Club coach Karen Tereposky took up the helm as head coach of the Zone 2 girls’ team, which narrowly lost to Zone 3 (Calgary) Feb. 17 in the gold-medal game.
“Our team was for sure competitive with the Calgary group,” she said. “I felt we did really well to compete with them.”
Given the population differences between the zones, Tereposky added, Zone 2’s competitiveness in futsal was commendable.
“When you think about it, Calgary’s population is about 1.3 million people, and looking at the cities and towns in Zone 2, I estimate the population of the zone is about 200,000 or 250,000,” she said. “I was pretty proud of the team, to compete the way we did.”
From Crossfield, hockey player Claire Carruthers won gold as a member of the Zone 4 girls’ hockey team. Her weekend concluded in perfect fashion, scoring the winning goal – in overtime – of the gold-medal game.
“It was very nerve-wracking – our team was up by one until the third period, and then [the other team] scored,” she said. “Our team was nervous about it, but in overtime, we played a bit better. Our goal was just simple plays and to drive the net.”
Early into the extra stanza, Carruthers took advantage of a loose puck, taking off on a fast break to win the game for Zone 4.
“The other team hit the puck out, accidentally – they tried to get it into our [defensive zone],” she said. “I just drove the net…I deked the puck past one of the defence and the defence hit it out of my stick, but it bounced off a girl’s skate and went straight to me, and I shot it.”
Also representing Crossfield was archer Sage Wilkins. Competing at her first Winter Games, the 12-year-old sharpshooter finished third in the female cub (12-to-14-year-old) compound competition.
Two athletes from Bragg Creek competed at the Games, including speed skater Grace Gizen and biathlete Will Brindle. Gizen finished 21st and fourth in her respective competitions, in the 11-to-12-year-old age group, while Brindle shot and skied his way to two silver medals in the U16 boys’ sprint and individual competition, as well as ninth in the boys’ mass start.
Several groups of siblings from RVC competed as well. Andre and Isabelle Erasmus competed in speed skating; Jordyn, Ilona and Mason Doering played for Zone 2 volleyball; and Nicole and Rachel Bushfield suited up for Zone 2 ringette.
Other RVC athletes included Christopher Luce, Jayda Morson, Diego Navas, Katya Gereluk, Tiana Takacs and Amelia Schepp.
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
