Local Sports

Before a hockey player can succeed, they must master skills and skating techniques. That's what the Innisfail Eaglettes program teaches its youngsters just starting to learn the game.

The Innisfail Eagles are looking to turn around their hockey season in 2016 from basement dwellers to contenders. The coaching staff believes there has been plenty of positives in the first half to be optimistic the rest of the season.

Dozens of spectators and curlers came out for the Innisfail Seniors Open Bonspiel last week at the Innisfail Curling Rink. More than 60 seniors from across the region participated in the annual event from Jan. 4 to 8.

Former Olds resident Lorrie Horne celebrated her gold medal victory with Canada's U-21 ringette team by scuba diving in Iceland earlier this month. "The water's between two and four Celsius.

The Innisfail Legion Flyers peewee team was back on the ice in early January preparing for the second half of the hockey season. They kicked off the new year with an exhibition game against fellow league contender, the Red Deer Chiefs, on Jan.

The Olds Minor Hockey Association is booming, with 21 teams and more than 350 players registered. If growth is going to continue, the kids are going to need more space to play.

Programs like minor hockey help youth to become better adults, said the Sundre Minor Hockey Association's president.

From the start, Kennedy and Kassandra Menzies have always been a package deal. The identical twins are in the middle of their third year on Olds College's women's volleyball team, with Kennedy playing left side and Kassandra at libero.

Bowden's Callie Cocke has been selected to play for Zone 4's female hockey team at the 2016 Alberta Winter Games. The 12-year-old Bowden Grandview School student is headed to her first Games, held in Medicine Hat from Feb. 13-16.

It was a rocky start to the new year for Olds College sports teams. In women's hockey, the Broncos split a two-game series with NAIT, winning the first game 5-2, but losing the second game 5-1.