Over the weekend in Calgary, Brandon's Kurtis Cullen secured a double gold medal (Men's Open Singles and Men's Open Doubles) performance at the Western Canadian Racquetball Championships. For Cullen Sunday's Men's Open Singles victory was a redemption of sorts, as he upended a competitor he lost to earlier in the month at a national event for a spot of the national traveling team. Driving home from Calgary, he told bdnmb.ca that he typically plays in 3-4 larger tournaments a year and that he captured his first provincial title when he was only 16 years old. Cullen started playing the sport when he was just 4, 25-short years ago. He tries to hit the court 4-5 times a week to work on his individual skills including footwork, serves, and shooting set-ups. All the hard work and dedication paid off over the weekend, as in addition to the Men's Open title he and partner Mitch Brayley toppled 4 other highly skilled teams to take home the Men's Open Doubles title. Cullen also runs the junior program at the Sportslex, a program he is looking to grow. He recently became a Community Programming Co-Ordinator with Racquetball Canada and spends 3-4 days a week coaching and instructing local youth. Those interested in learning more about the sport can visit the Brandon Racquetball Association's Facebook Page here. 

Brent McLean, and his trainers, wanted to offer to Law Enforcement and First Responders a form of training that would be both physically and mentally effective when Covid hit in 2019.  Introducing Justice Boxing. The success of the workouts proved to be extremely popular so they slowly started to add family members to the core of people attending their groups. Now Justice Boxing has expanded to welcome anyone from the public regardless of their level of fitness. "This is a fitness and boxing oriented program for just about anyone" said McLean. Justice Boxing runs classes 7 days a week and also features female only groups and private sessions. McLean states "we want to teach the fundamentals of boxing such as how to use the heavy bag and skip rope...this will be a different form of exercise that will be fun and engaging". Costs are very reasonable: 2 classes per week will cost you $44.99 per month Unlimited package is $64.99 and you can take as many classes as you like per month Youth memberships which consist of 5 classes per month are $34.99 per month McLean wanted to stress that you go at your own level and pace and can work up from any starting point. More info/contact: Brent McLean 204 841 4516 https://justiceboxing.ca/

Goaltender Dawson Green, of the Winnipeg Blues, had a night he won't soon forget. In addition to recording a shutout, Green scored from behind his own goal line into an empty net during a Manitoba Junior Hockey League game Saturday night. His goal at the 19:44 mark of the third helped the Blues secure a 3-0 victory over the Selkirk Steelers. Having previously spent two seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings U18 AAA team, Green is now is his third season in the MJHL. WE’VE GOT A GOALIE GOAL. Dawson Green scores on the empty net to notch his first MJHL goal @BluesWpg AND he gets the 23 save shutout ???? pic.twitter.com/6VqNBP88Vr — #theMJ (@mjhlhockey) October 17, 2021

The THHL is expected to start their 2021/2022 in late October. This year the league has expanded to 15-teams, as the Carberry Plainsmen return to the fold after taking the last several years off. Carberry last played in the THHL in the 2016/17 season. The team will be coached by Nathan Malfait and will feature more younger, local players then in past seasons. The league will be broken down into two divisions (East, West) with the winners of each respective division meeting in the league final.  The league website can be found here.

Brandon, MB – The Brandon Wheat Kings have made a pair of trades ahead of the 2021 WHL Overage Deadline. Defenseman Neithan Salame has been traded to the Victoria Royals, in exchange for a 2022 5th round Bantam Draft pick and a 2023 6th round Bantam Draft pick. Salame, a former 7th round pick of the Wheat Kings in the WHL Bantam Draft has played 150 games in the black and gold, scoring seven times and adding 25 assists for 32 points. “Today is a tough day, the limit of three 20 year-olds is one of the cruelest rules in the book in my opinion,” said General Manager Doug Gasper. “We had to part with a young man who’s been a part of this program for years. Neithan has been a positive example in the community, our dressing room and he exemplified everything a Wheat King should be. We want to thank “Sal” for everything he has done for us and wish him all the best in Victoria.” The Wheat Kings have also acquired overage forward Eric Pearce from the Prince Albert Raiders in exchange for their 6th round Bantam Draft pick in 2023. A WHL Champion with the 2019 Raiders, Pearce comes to the Wheat Kings with 197 games of WHL experience. The Regina, SK native is coming off a career-high 16 points during the Subway Cup Hub season in spring. “Eric adds a veteran WHL forward to our lineup,” added Gasper. “He plays a hard 200 foot responsible game. We like the compete he brings to the club and feel this move helps solidify our forward group right now.” Today’s moves leaves the Wheat Kings in a unique sitation with four overage players on the roster. WHL rules allow teams to carry four, if one of those players is injured. “Marcus Kallionkieli is dealing with a nagging injury,” added Gasper. “We don’t want to rush him back and create a long term problem for him.” Once Kallionkieli returns to the lineup, the Wheat Kings will then have seven days to reduce their overage number to three. The Wheat Kings return to play on Saturday night when the Swift Current Broncos come to town for the first time this season. Join us for Willie’s 30th Birthday!! $10 children tickets, bouncy castles, mascot parade and more! Tickets are on-sale now at the Keystone Centre Box Office or online at https://keystonecentre.com/ (Wheat King Release)