As the world turns its attention to the Olympics, many in Saskatchewan are turning their attention to Meadow Lake, as the Saskatchewan Summer Game are set to begin.
Rivers West District for Sport, Culture and Recreation released the roster of athletes, coaches and staff members who will be representing the area covering 35 communities and including 238 individuals. The games begin Sunday and will be finished Aug. 4.
The first half sports include baseball, female soccer, basketball, canoeing, kayaking, golf, tennis and swimming.
Local area players on the baseball team include Unity's Blake Robertson and Frenchman Butte's Layne Young. Other players from Lloydminster, Macklin, Kinderlsey and Meadow Lake make up the roster. Baseball runs from July 30 to Aug. 1.
North Battleford's Bryan Cottini and Shallen McNabb will coach the female basketball team. Mia Cottini, Kiley Elmer, Emily Klassen, Megan Rathwell and Larke Startup are from the Battlefords while Maidstone's Celynn Elder also made the team along with four players from Meadow Lake.
The male basketball team is also going to be led by Battlefords coaches Michael Rathwell and David Dutton. Battlefords players on the roster include Matthew Dutton, Damon Dutton, J.T. Lamb, Owen Lamb, Riley Rathwell, Cole Simon and Jacob Stynsky.
Wendy Phipps is one of the coaches/mangers for the golf team while Mikayla Phipps of Lashburn is on the roster along with five other golfers.
The female soccer team is led by three coaches, one being Kat Huxley of North Battleford. Rebecca Lidster is from the Battlefords and will be on the team while Lauren Elder of Maidstone will also play on the soccer pitch.
Alexandria Anderson of Battleford and Sean Brehon of Maymont are two of the 15 swimmers representing Rivers West at the games.
On the tennis courts it is strictly Meadow Lake athletes, but the team's coach is North Battleford's Jordan Pillar.
Check out the Scores tab on newsoptimist.ca for results daily from the first half of the games and look for the River West District roster for archery, athletics, equestrian, male soccer, softball, triathlon and volleyball next week.
