Top athletes from across province head to Prince Albert

With the Winter Olympics being held halfway across the world, the best young provincial athletes are set to compete a little closer to home at the Saskatchewan Winter Games in Prince Albert.

About 1,700 athletes from nine districts, upwards of 5,000 fans and around 1,200 volunteers make up the event, which kicks off with opening ceremonies on Sunday and wraps up on Feb. 22.

The event revolves around the athletes and the sports. That’s what chairman Al Dyer said will be the biggest draw.

“It’s quite possible that a young athlete in our Games can one day be competing in the Olympics,” he said.

For many athletes, including current Olympians Lucas Makowsky, Kali Christ, Marsha Hudey and William Dutton, the Winter Games are a stepping stone to competing on a national or international stage.

“The Saskatchewan Winter Games are an important part of the sport development process in Saskatchewan,” said Doug Dahl, the marketing and promotions chair. “Many of the provincial sport governing bodies use the Saskatchewan Winter Games to help identify athletes.”

“When you start looking at becoming more competitive, you want to be able to participate in as many competitive opportunities at a high level,” added Dyer.

With that in mind, Dahl and Dyer are concentrating on ensuring the athletes have the best experience possible. They want to make sure they can focus on their performance, but are also entertained, well-fed and their accommodations are more than satisfactory.

“When you take on a project of this magnitude, it’s a matter of trying to tie in a whole bunch of areas that are all interconnected,” Dyer said.

He said each committee has to work together to ensure everything runs smoothly. For instance, if there is a weather delay, the transportation committee has to work with food services to alter the schedule and media relations has to relay the change to the public.

All of the committees depend on the work and devotion of volunteers. The volunteers aren’t strictly from the Prince Albert area. Dyer said there has been overwhelming support from all over the province.

“The districts are crucial in recruiting the athletes and co-ordinating transportation and that type of thing,” he said.

The Winter Games are also a breeding ground for athletes in different sports as, for the first time, athletes can compete in synchronized swimming and snowboarding. Dyer hopes the new sports, added to the 14 other events, will appeal to the fans.

On top of the new sports, there will be several other events happening in the city to keep the fans entertained, including the Prince Albert Winter Festival and the Canadian Challenge International Sled Dog Race.

Dyer said the economic spinoff from hosting the Winter Games can be great for the city. Prince Albert has the benefit of having hosted the Winter Games in 1982 and doesn’t have to invest in new venues to accommodate the events.

The Games can leave up to $250,000 in legacy, whether it is something as small as equipment or as large as venue upgrades, Dyer said.