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.
As many Snow Lake folks could tell from the increased numbers of young folks around, J.H. Kerr School was once again a site for the Frontier Games. However, these weren't the same Frontier Games J.H. Kerr normally hosts. Principal Steve Deighton advises there are now three flavours to the annual event: Area Regional Games (as J.H. Kerr has hosted in the past), Divisional Games (where winners at the area level compete), and High School Games (divisional, but only at the high school level). Snow Lake was the location of the Fourth Annual High School Games. From April 10-13, the Games featured four separate sports in three Snow Lake venues: volleyball at the school's Gordon R. Doak Gymnasium, badminton and table tennis at the Lawrie Marsh Community Hall, and archery at the Joseph Bauhs Rifle Range. Deighton said that due to Snow Lake's central location, more schools than ever attended the event. 'Fourteen to be exact,' said the principal. 'We were flooded by 370 guests during the three-day event.' The town played host to teams from Rorketon; Birdtail Sioux First Nation; Camperville; Cranberry Portage; Gillam; Grand Rapids; Norway House; Leaf Rapids; Moose Lake; South Indian Lake; Wanipigow; Wabowden; Lynn Lake; and our own Snow Lake contingent. The only high school unable to attend was Duke of Marlborough out of Churchill. Deighton said putting on an event of this magnitude was no easy feat. 'This was a huge event for our small school and community,' said the affable administrator. 'We really had to work together to make it happen.' Upon arrival, all teams were welcomed by a J.H. Kerr student delegate and received photo ID for the events. 'Space was limited, so the girls stayed in classrooms, while all of the boys slept in the gym,' said Deighton. 'Frontier coaches and athletes are used to creative accommodations while attending events, as it keeps costs down. We slept on a bowling alley in Churchill a few years ago.' See 'Events' on pg. Continued from pg. With a vast and varied team of volunteers on hand, Deighton said all of the events ran smoothly and ahead of schedule. In order to put on such an event, people gotta eat! Although there is plenty of restaurant capacity in Snow Lake, that doesn't cut it when you have to feed nearly 400 mouths. Meals for the event were provided by the Snow Lake Legion Ladies Auxiliary. 'They prepared excellent food for the teams and received much praise from the athletes and coaches,' Deighton said. 'Some athletes even hugged them after the last meal.' Asked what he thought of the event and venues, former Snow Lake resident and J.H. Kerr student Brian McMillan was complimentary. 'The organization of this event was second to none,' said McMillan, who is now Frontier School Division's physical education coordinator. 'The staff and students at JHK did a fantastic job at being hosts to the Frontier School Division during the High School Games.' Not only was the hospitality first rate, Deighton says the level of play at the event was also above par. 'We were treated to some of the most exciting volleyball and badminton finals,' he said. The Snow Lake girls volleyball team, coached by Ashton Lief, won their pool in the round-robin but lost a quarterfinal match to the Lynn Lake team. The Snow Lake boys, coached by Bryan Bogdan, went undefeated in the round-robin. They only gave up one set to Camperville, but won the split and earned a bye to the semi-finals. 'The boys played FCI (Cranberry Portage) in the semis and lost two close sets,' Deighton said. 'Everyone who watched them play was impressed by how far they have come this year. Snow Lake had success in the archery competition as well. Kelsey Morrell shot 205 to win the girls' side Blaise Huff shot 222 to win the boys'.' When play was done, each team was asked to nominate a female and male athlete, a team and a coach for sportsmanship awards. Sydney Park of Rorketon was chosen as the female recipient and Kade Korchinski as the male. The Rorketon team won the team award and George Picotte of Leaf Rapids received the coach's award. 'Overall all of the teams, chaperones, and coaches showed excellent sportsmanship,' said Deighton. 'There were no discipline incidences and all of the participants were very respectful and gracious.' Such an event creates numerous and long-standing memories. To keep them alive, Deighton says several students were on hand to document the games for posterity. Overall, Deighton says the event was a huge success for the school and community, showing what is possible when everyone accepts part of the challenge and works together to make something big happen. My Take on Snow Lake runs Fridays.
