The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
During the afternoon and evening of February 17th and up until noon the following day, Snow Lake's Joseph H. Kerr School hosted regional competition in snowshoeing, skiing, indoor soccer, and badminton for the 30th Annual Frontier Winter Games. One hundred and thirty athletes, from seven area schools, competed in the events that were held in venues at J.H. Kerr School, the Lawrie Marsh Community Hall, and the Snow Lake Golf Course. All athletes were billeted in classrooms within the school and meals were served up at the local Elks Hall. When meals weren't being eaten at the Elks Hall, the location doubled as a meeting place for coaches and athletes. The main push behind the local competition, gym and science teacher Steve Deighton, advised that the event ran quite smoothly and that this was due mostly to the amazing volunteer support the games received from the school staff, students, and community members. The idea of the Frontier Games reverts back to 1974 when Dan Reagan (a fellow well known to Flin Flon) came up with an idea that would bring together students from all over the vast area covered by the Frontier Division for games and fellowship during the spring of each year. Over the past 30 years that concept, as well as the division, has expanded significantly. In 1975, 160 grades 7 to 9 divisional students participated in the inaugural Frontier Games in Cranberry Portage. This year, during the first week of March, over 300 students, from 34 of Frontier's 43 communities, will compete in badminton, floor hockey, basketball, cross-country skiing, snowshoe racing, table tennis and trap setting at the 2005 games being held in Norway House. In the afore mentioned area action, Snow Lake's teams met regional competitors head on and the school's athletes realized a sizeable amount of success. Rianna Randall and Kendra Durussell finished third in doubles badminton, while Boe Oleksuk and Brady Wiwcharuk also finished third on the boys side of doubles badminton.Ê In badminton singles, Jesse Drews finished second in girls play, while in the boys singles Boe Oleksuk and Nick Norlock finished fourth and fifth, respectively. In mixed doubles badminton, Brady Wiwcharuk and Shaylin McAuley finished second. The girls indoor soccer team placed first in that event, winning a very close semi-final to qualify. They then went on to beat a very tough team from Moose Lake in the finals. The JH Kerr Ski Team ruled supreme. Kim Beilman won the girls event with a time of 23:04. Her closest competitor was 10 minutes behind her. Boe Oleksuk and Danny Roberts finished first and second, respectively, in the boys event. Their times were 19:56 and 22:24. As a result, the school will be sending 12 athletes to the divisional competition in Norway House.
