Saskatchewan's 2008 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, coaches and support staff were in Regina recently to inspire the province's young athletes. The 15 national team members took part in the Catch the Spirit event on November 13 at the Regina Sportsplex Fieldhouse. At the event, the athletes and coaches spoke to over 70 participants ages five to 18 about their sport and their accomplishments, and signed autographs.

During the Catch the Spirit event, many of the participants took the SportFit Challenge to discover which sports best suit their skills. Eight SportFit Challenge stations, designed for youth ages five to 18, were set up in the fieldhouse. Participants completed the challenges, entered the information into the SportFit website, and received a certificate that suggested three winter and three summer sports best suited for their skills. Suggested sports included the summer sports of modern pentathlon, lacrosse, tennis and wrestling and the winter sports of nordic combined, ski jumping, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, curling, and ice hockey. After trying SportFit, many of the young athletes spoke to the Olympic and Paralympic athletes who were involved in the sports that matched their results.

In addition to the Catch the Spirit event, Saskatchewan's Olympians and Paralympians spoke to students at eight Regina elementary schools about the 2008 Beijing experience and the importance of making good choices, setting goals, and overcoming obstacles. Athletes also signed autographs for the students. At Sacred Heart Community School, students were treated to a judo demonstration by Frazer Will.

These individuals were also honoured at a special ceremony at the Legislature. The 13 athletes and two coaches were introduced to the Legislative Assembly by their respective MLAs. Two athletes - Jake Wetzel, Olympic gold medalist in rowing, and Ilana Duff, Paralympic bronze medalist in 100m wheelchair athletics - were presented with gifts during the ceremony on behalf of the Olympians and Paralympians. An autograph signing session and a speaker's luncheon followed.

For more information about Saskatchewan's 2008 Olympians and Paralympians, visit www.csc-sask.ca.

December 9, 2008