Conner Sorley honoured to carry Saskatchewan flag
REGINA — Upon being named Team Saskatchewan’s flag bearer for the Canada Winter Games, Conner Sorley’s reaction was one of incredulity.
“Shock and awe,” said Sorley, a 19-year-old archer from Saskatoon, before Friday night’s opening ceremonies in Prince George, B.C.
“There was a lot of surprise and a lot of confusion: ‘Why did they choose me?’ ”
Sorley’s list of accomplishments answers the question.
He is a second-time participant in the Canada Winter Games, having won two medals for Saskatchewan at the 2011 event in Halifax. Four years ago, he won a gold medal in the male individual event and added a silver medal in the team event.
Since then, he has excelled at the national level in indoor and outdoor competitions. His accomplishments and character factored into the choice of flag bearer.
“It means a lot,” Sorley said. “To be the first person who leads everyone out, the first person who is seen (as part of the Saskatchewan delegation), is definitely quite an honour.”
He is somewhat accustomed to the process. He carried the banner for the Saskatoon region at the 2012 Saskatchewan Summer Games in Meadow Lake.
“I don’t see it as being very complicated, but the nerves are going to be there,” said Sorley, who attends the University of Toronto. “I don’t expect it to be a nice, calm, collected walk.”
On Friday, Team Saskatchewan also announced that Jaycee Gebhard of Plenty would be the lantern carrier for the opening ceremonies.
Gebhard, who plays for the Junior Women’s Hockey League’s Notre Dame Hounds, recently competed for Canada at the IIHF under-18 women’s world championship.
Canada lost to the United States in the final.
Gebhard was the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League’s rookie of the year for the 2010-11 season and was named the JWHL’s most valuable player for 2012-13 after leading the league in scoring.
Competition at the Canada Winter Games is to begin today and continue until March 1. The Games will showcase 19 sports over two weeks.