ST. PAUL – Students dressed in their schools' colours were contrasted against the crisp white ice of the Two Hills curling rink, as teams competed for the 2023 Senior St. Paul Athletic Association (SPAA) curling banners.
The event was hosted by Two Hills School. Five teams in total competed during the curling event, with three girls' teams and two mixed teams participating, according to Lorna Kereliuk, a coach with Two Hills.
Two Hills and St. Paul Regional High School each had one team competing for the mixed banner, while the girls' side had two teams from St. Paul Regional and one team from F.G. Miller School in Elk Point taking part. There was no boys' banner handed out this year due to the lack of teams.
St. Paul Regional won the girls' banner, while Two Hills won the mixed banner.
Despite the small competition, many people came out to watch the action. “We have lots of families, grandparents, and parents coming out to cheer on the teams,” said Kereliuk. “We are a strong community here in Two Hills.”
She said the games were "very close and we’ve got really skilled players out there,” considering how many players were unable to practice over the past few years due to the pandemic.
Kereliuk said Two Hills was excited to host the competition and be part of the fun.
Andrea Austin, co-coaching with Gerry Jean with St. Paul Regional High School's three teams, agreed with Kereliuk's sentiments, stating, “it was a great day."
She thanked Two Hills for the hosting, and now looks forward to the upcoming Northeast Alberta Schools' Athletic Association (NEASAA) curling zones championship set for Cold Lake, Feb. 24 and 25.
Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association (ASAA) Provincials coming to town
St. Paul Regional High School is also gearing up to host the upcoming Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association (ASAA) Provincials from March 1 to 4. Angela Noel, assistant principal with St. Paul Regional, said 30 teams will be coming to town from across the province to compete in the ladies', men’s, and mixed divisions.
“That’s about 160 athletes and 30 coaches,” she said. Hosting the event is a “fairly big job to take on," because not only is it a large bonspiel, but it also involves activities such as the opening ceremonies, a banquet, and organizing prizes.
So far, she said the community has been very supportive, including parents, offering monetary or prize donations or sponsorships. The school's staff has also been “stepping up” to help organize the event, filling jobs required to ensure the event’s success.
Despite running the logistics, Noel said St. Paul Regional is excited to host the event, noting that 18 players joined the school’s teams this year, “which is a big group for our curling club.”
She encourages the community to come out and watch, “because it’s a really cool event, and there’s people from across the province, and it’s some really good curling.”
For those wanting to donate to the event, they can contact the school at 780-645-4491.
