Sports

Four members of the Ponoka Pool Sharks are on their way to Provincials this year, all achieving “B” times. Provincial time trials for “B” swimmers are being held in Medicine Hat on June 13 and 14. In the pool (left to right): Andrew Jones and Blake Shimp. On the starting block: McKenna Christensen and Jaylen Christensen.

A new banner will be hanging in the gym at St.Augustine School for Katherine Bergum for her silver medal in senior girls shot put at the provincial track and field meet that was held in Calgary on May 30 and 31. Bergum is the first girl to medal at provincials from St.A’s and was very happy with her accomplishment.

There are no easy answers when it comes to ending the reality of poverty around the globe but it is always possible to help make a difference. On June 30 Ponoka resident Matthew Zantingh, alongside 100 other dedicated people, will be taking action against world poverty by biking from coast to coast to raise money to help address the cycle of poverty.

The basketball season has come to an end but the preparation for the upcoming season is well underway. Ponoka Composite High School is working to make sure their aspiring stars are staying game ready.

The Ponoka Kinsmen Club hosted their fourth annual Hole in One Charity Golf tournament on May 23 and according to organizers it was a huge success. “The support from the community was absolutely brilliant, we sold out, the sponsor level increased and we were blessed with the weather this year,” said Greg Rowland the co-chair of the golf committee. “We are fortunate because if it was too cold people wouldn’t have had as much fun and we are comparing it to last year when we got snowed out.”

The Warriors U15 girls volleyball team came home from the 200 team Canadian Midget Open held in Calgary May 16 to 19 with well deserved gold medals. It was an extremely satisfying way to end the season, as they traveled to Calgary somewhat beat up and still smarting from a fourth place finish at division two Provincials two weeks earlier.

This year, the Ponoka U15 Warriors won a gold medal for Division two, Tier three at Canadian Open Nationals. They were coached by Darren Josephison, with the assistance of Micha Rose and Tammy Emes. This past May long weekend, the U15 Warriors took four U14 Warriors to Open Nationals.

van Hudson has been a leader on the basketball court for the Ponoka Composite High School Broncs team. She averaged 25 points per game this past season playing centre and has achieved her goal to play basketball at the post-secondary level.

Nancy Wright, left, Warren Walstra, Lynn Rogers, Bobbie Fridfinnson, Pat Hager and Patti Morris did a relay bicycle ride from Calgary to Edmonton. They left Calgary on May 13 biked into Edmonton on May 14 in support of the National Cancer Day of Action. The group was to meet with numerous dignitaries and bring awareness to cancer and how to decrease cancer rates and achieve better outcomes for people with cancer.

The next generation of Ponoka basketball stars have been working hard during April and May at the Broncs basketball camp. The camp is run by local teacher Sheldon Ronnie at Diamond Willow school with 73 students in Grades 3 to 5 from all over the area.