Dolphins introduce high-performance program

The Regina Optimist Dolphins Swim Club announced on Monday the new Betty Lou Dean High Performance Program.

The program, to be launched this month, will provide high-level training and competition opportunities for elite swimmers.

The program’s short-term objectives are geared toward helping swimmers advance to the national level.

Long-term, the program concentrates on the achievement of excellence at the national level, with the 2020 Summer Olympic Games as a goal.

“Now our swimmers can stay home and achieve their national and Olympic dreams,” Dolphins head coach Abderrahmane Tissira said in a media release.

“Regina and the province of Saskatchewan should be a development centre for Canadian swimmers. We are committed to implement a strategy that puts the province on the podium and provide a similar environment to other provinces.”

The program is named in honour of Dean, who played a key role in establishing a foundation for competitive swimming in Saskatchewan. The Dean family has provided funding for the program.

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The Dolphins’ Becky Dean won four events on the weekend at the 40th annual Grand Prix swim meet at the University of Calgary.

Dean, 12, was first in her age group in the 50-metre butterfly, 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 400m individual medley. She also finished second in the 200m individual medley and 200m freestyle.

The Dolphins’ boys team was led by Mitchell Brough, 13, who won the 200m individual medley and the 50m backstroke and placed second in the 200m and 1,500m freestyle events.

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The Shattuck-St. Mary under-16 women’s hockey team defeated the Regina Rebels 2-1 in overtime in the Shaftsbury Winter Classic on Sunday in Winnipeg.

Kelsey Davis scored for the Rebels, who placed sixth out of 16 teams in the tournament.

The Rebels are to return to action in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League on Wednesday, 7:45 p.m. when they oppose the Melville Fox FM Prairie Fire at the Co-Operators Centre.

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Emery Anderson had both goals for the Extreme Hockey Regina Capitals, who lost 4-2 to the host Saskatoon Westleys in Prairie Junior Hockey League action on Sunday.

The Capitals are back in action on Tuesday when they face the Regina Silver Foxes at 7:30 p.m. at the Al Ritchie Memorial Centre.

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Tim McGauley of the Brandon Wheat Kings is the WHL player of the week.

McGauley, 19, of Wilcox had six points and a plus-7 rating in three games over the past week.