Blair MacKay of Kamloops, a fifth-year co-captain with the TRU WolfPack, is the Pacific Western Athletic Association’s women’s soccer player of the week.
MacKay, a defender, was solid as the WolfPack picked up a pair of weekend road victories — 4-0 over the Capilano Blues and 2-0 over the Vancouver Island Mariners.
The WolfPack is at home to the UBC-Okanagan Heat on Saturday, 1 p.m., at Hillside Stadium. The same teams meet again Sunday in Kelowna.
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Jessica Hewitt of Kamloops has been named to Speed Skating Canada’s short track team that will compete in the first four World Cup meets of the season.
The circuit opens Oct. 19 at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, then moves to Montreal the following weekend. The next two meets will open in Nagoya, Japan, on Nov. 30 and Shanghai, China, on Dec. 7.
Hewitt claimed one of the top four women’s spots at a selection competition in Calgary. She was second behind Valérie Maltais of La Baie, Que., and ahead of Caroline Truchon of Chicoutimi, Que. Marie-Ève Drolet of Laterrière, Que., received an injury bye after suffering from concussion-like symptoms following a fall during the selections, and Jessica Gregg of Edmonton was granted the discretionary sixth position.
Hewitt, 25, skates out of the Kamloops Long Blades club. She is into her fourth international season. She has competed in 13 World Cup meets, where she has won one gold, two silver and three bronze medals, all in relay events.
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The River City Racers, a local speed skating club, is offering a ‘free try event’ on Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon, at the McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre.
This event is part of the National Sports Day festivities that will be held throughout the city, and especially at the Tournament Capital Centre, on Saturday.
Speed skates will be available should you be interested in giving the sport a try.
For more information, call Cathy at 250-571-5342.
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Scott Ackles, the chief executive officer of Viasport, formerly the BC Sport Agency, will be the keynote speaker at a Kamloops Sports Council function — Active for Life — on Oct. 12 at the Plaza Hotel.
Ackles, the son of the late Bob Ackles, the legendary general manager of the B.C. Lions, is the president and chairman of the B.C. Football Hall of Fame. He served as general manager for the 2011 Grey Cup Festival and Championship. He also has worked as president of the Calgary Stampeders and general manager of Calgary’s 2009 Grey Cup Festival. He joined the Stampeders from the Lions, with whom he was vice-president of operations. He also has served on the committee for the 2002 Memorial Cup in Vancouver and the 2008 women’s under-18 world hockey championship in Calgary.
Tickets are $25 each. Please RSVP to kamloopssportscouncil@gmail.com by Oct. 8.
This is all part of the KSC’s Sport for Life Summit that is being held Oct. 12 and 13.
On Oct. 13, there will be plenary sessions, breakout sessions and a keynote speaker.
For more details or to register, go to www.kamloopssportscouncil.com.
