Parks & Recreation Services is excited to announce a new initiative that will enable the residents of Brandon to get outside and enjoy the spring fresh air, while reaching some of their fitness goals!  During the months of May and June, Fresh Air Fitness sessions will be provided at various City of Brandon parks.  To start, sessions will be offered Wednesday & Thursday evenings from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Additional sessions will be added in June.   Participants are encouraged to wear athletic clothing, proper footwear, and bring their own water bottle. All equipment will be provided and sanitized between uses as per the provincial health protocols.  Outdoor activities include:  ·       Cricket  ·       Exercise Ball Fitness  ·       Fitness For Older Adults  ·       Karate   ·       Pickleball  ·       Pilates  ·       Yoga  ·       Zumba  Each session has limited spots available. No registration required. First come, first served.   Sessions may be cancelled due to Provincial Public Health Orders. All current Provincial Public Health orders must be followed. Current health orders can be found at Province of Manitoba | State of Emergency and Public Health Orders.  All ages are invited. Participants 11 years of age and under require adult supervision. The schedule of activities can be found at brandon.ca/fresh-air-fitness.  (City of Brandon PSA)

For the first time ever in the association’s history, Hockey Brandon is excited to announce that it is introducing a U15 AAA Female Hockey Program to its lineup for the 2021-2022season. Jarrod Franklin, Female Program Director with Hockey Brandon says, “This is the goal we have been working towards for years. At this particular age, player numbers tend to be an issue. This year, not only are player numbers the highest they have ever been, but they also appear sustainable for years to come.That, combined with the depth of our players will take female hockey in Brandon to the next level.” The team will compete in the Manitoba U15 AAA Female League and is being lead on ice by an all female coaching team with strong roots in the Westman region. This is another historical first for rep hockey in Brandon. Karissa Kirkup has been selected as Head Coach of the team. Kirkup, originally from the Virden area, is a product of the Westman Wildcat U18 AAA Female Hockey Program. As a minor, she also played for Team Manitoba in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, she was invited to attend Team Canada’s U22 training camps. Kirkup has five years of playing experience at the university level. Her first year was with the University of Maine, with the remaining four at the University of Manitoba where she helped the teambecome USport National Champions in 2018. “I couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity,” says Kirkup. “I just want to help give female players the types of experiences and opportunities that I had. Hockey has brought a lot to my life and I am very committed to developing our athletes and making this program a long-term success. ”Kirkup will be joined by former Westman Wildcat teammate Amanda Coey in the Assistant Coach role. Coey is from Brandon. Following her minor hockey experience, Coey joined the University of WisconsinSuperior NCAA Division Three women’s hockey program. Coey captained the team in her senior year before returning to Canada and attending the University of Manitoba where she recently completed her Master of Physical Therapy in 2020. Rounding off the coaching unit is Amy Doerksen. Doerksen has been coaching various levels for the past two decades. She is the current U7 Program Director for Hockey Brandon and a product of the University of Manitoba Women’s Hockey Program (1997 – 1999). Doerksen was integral in securing Kirkup as Head Coach and says, “I joined the Hockey Board with a specific goal to get more women in leadership roles on the ice. Female players need female role models. This team marks the beginning of a new era in female hockey here in Brandon and it is something we should be very excited and proud of. ”To get a head start on the 2021-2022 season, Kirkup has organized the first Annual U15 AAA Female Spring Identification Camp proudly sponsored by West-Fit Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic. The camp takes place May 14th – 16th at the Flynn Arena in the Keystone Centre. “As a woman business-owner operating in the Brandon area, it is an honour to be connected to this exciting new program supporting and developing female athletes in my community,” says Sharon Shepherd BMR.PT, owner of West-Fit Physiotherapy. “It is wonderful that these young women will receive a much more expansive and competitive opportunity that many of my hockey-playing friends and myself did not have in our era decades ago. I am also proud of Amanda Coey as a colleague of WestFit Physiotherapy for volunteering in such a terrific project.”(MEDIA RELEASE from Hockey Brandon)

Faron Asham started Westman's first ever indoor hitting facility (TC 365 “The Cages”) back in the spring of 2018. Located at 315 College Ave, the facility features automatic baseball and softball pitching machines, soft toss machines, tees, and more. Photo: TC 365 Hitting Facility & Fieldhouse Recently the company expanded their operations with the addition of a second location (32 Myers Rd). The new 4,000 sq foot multi sport indoor field-house (with artificial turf) is ideal for training year-round in a number of sports including baseball, softball, soccer, cricket, and football. Features of the facility include a full sized pitching tunnel, protective netting, and a Designated Hitter training aid. Pitching lessons for both baseball and softball are also offered. In addition to a number of camps and clinics, the facility is also available for team rentals and birthday parties. You can access their Facebook age here. Photo: TC 365 Hitting Facility & Fieldhouse Photo: TC 365 Hitting Facility & Fieldhouse Photo: TC 365 Hitting Facility & Fieldhouse

In February, Canadian Tire Corporation announced an additional $12 million commitment to Jumpstart’s Sport Relief Fund to help sport and recreation organizations build back sport and play in Canada.   Jumpstart conducted a State of Sport study via Ipsos which revealed the pandemic has not only impacted current access to sport and play but has real long-term effects as well. Killarney Figure Skating Club and the communities it serves have experienced the impact of the pandemic first-hand.   We recently received confirmation that we are amongst nearly 300 sport and recreation organizations nationally to be provided with grant support through Jumpstart’s Sport Relief Fund. We are beyond grateful to receive this news and know the positive impact it will have on sport and recreation organizations, and ultimately, on kids across the country. With Jumpstart’s support, we’ll be able to improve upon and continue to offer skating programs in Killarney.  Our vision is to be able to improve and grow our current programming in order to be accessible to more kids in this community even amidst the challenges of the pandemic and into the future. (submitted)

Brandon, MB – Brandon Wheat Kings General Manager, Darren Ritchie has accepted an amateur scouting position with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. The Wheat Kings have named Doug Gasper the 17th General Manager in franchise history to replace Ritchie at the helm of their hockey operations. Gasper’s been the Assistant GM of the Wheat Kings since 2019. Ritchie joins the Leafs after spending the past 14 seasons with the Wheat Kings as an assistant coach, director of scouting and general manager. He also played four seasons with the club from 1991-1995. “I’m really excited for this next step and I’m also really excited for Doug to take over as General Manager of the Wheat Kings,” says Ritchie. “It’s going to feel a little different for me because I’ve been involved with the Wheat Kings for such a long time and I hold the club so close to my heart. But we’re currently enjoying a strong season and fans can expect a solid team moving forward.” Ritchie spent nine seasons from 2007 to 2016 as an assistant coach before taking the reins of the Wheat Kings’ scouting operations in 2016. He became the 16th GM in franchise history in July of 2019. Gasper, a native of Rosetown, Saskatchewan, joined the Wheat Kings scouting staff in 2019 after spending the previous two seasons as a Western Canadian amateur scout for the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. A former area scout with both the Western Hockey League’s Prince Albert Raiders and Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Nipawin Hawks, Gasper served as the Moose Jaw Warriors’ director of scouting from 2015 to 2017. In all, he spent six seasons with the Warriors and was instrumental in leading the club to an Eastern Division pennant in 2018. “I’m very excited for this new role with the Wheat Kings,” says Gasper. “I’d like to thank the ownership group for trusting me to be the general manager of such a storied franchise and I look forward to continuing the success this club has had for so many years. I’m really excited about the team’s future.” Gasper currently resides in Saskatoon and will move to Brandon to begin his new role in May. A number of the Wheat Kings’ current prospects have been scouted by Gasper and he looks forward to tracking their continued development. “We are happy for Darren to be able to further his career with the Leafs,” says Wheat Kings Owner and Governor Jared Jacobson. “Our focus is on developing players to advance to the next level, and as an organization we have to understand our staff want to reach their career goals through the Wheat Kings as well. This is a tremendous opportunity for Doug to take over the reins of our Hockey Operations and we are excited for him. Everyone you talk to in our organization and the industry loves working with Doug and has the utmost respect for him as a person and as a professional.” The Wheat Kings have six more games remaining in their 2020-21 season which is being played exclusively out of Regina’s Brandt Centre. They are tied with the Saskatoon Blades for first in the East Division with 28 points. Their next game is Saturday at 5 pm against the Moose Jaw Warriors. (Wheat Kings Release)