Local Sports

The Innisfail Cyclones kicked off their preseason before a packed house August 24, hosting teams from Sylvan Lake and Rocky Mountain House in the first annual True Grit Exhibition Event.

Innisfailian Brianna Weinrauch came home a champion after her Calgary fastball team took home a gold medal and a first-place title in the Western Jr. B Fastball Championships.

The Innisfail Dolphins Swim Club season concluded with the team coming home from the provincial championship meet with top points.

More than 30 Olds High School students came out last week for the first practices of the 2013 Spartan football season, a turnout coach George Grant said was a positive sign.

Local equestrian vaulter Jeanine van der Sluijs was the overall champion in the senior class at the VaultCanada National Championship earlier this month in Ponoka. The event took place from August 6 to 8.

Fifty-five participants from 4-H clubs around Alberta and Saskatchewan were at Olds College on August 24 and 25, honing their horsemanship skills and getting lessons on the finer points of rodeo.

Tyson Schmidt and Ryan Klinck of Olds are among several local hockey players being given the chance to make the Olds Grizzlys lineup after attending the team’s training camp that ended on Aug. 23.

The Olds Spitfires bantam baseball team finished in third place at the Western Double A Bantam Championship held in Swift Current, Sask., from August 16 to 18. After winning the first game of the tournament 9-4 against Victoria, B.C.

Olds' Ryan Dodd captured a gold medal in the jump division at the Canadian Water Ski Championship with a score of 63.9 metres. The championship was held at Calgary's Predator Bay Water Ski Club from August 10 to 14.

At the end of the first two days of the Olds Grizzlys main camp, the number of players vying for a spot on the team was cut in half.