local sports

Coldstream’s Stacey Roest kisses the Stanley Cup for a second straight year. Roest is the assistant general manager of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, who blanked the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 Wednesday, July 7, in Tampa Bay to win the final series four games to one. (Roest family photo)

Okanagan NHL executive relishes consecutive Stanley Cups

Stacey Roest is the assistant GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL champions in 2020 and 2021

Coldstream’s Stacey Roest kisses the Stanley Cup for a second straight year. Roest is the assistant general manager of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, who blanked the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 Wednesday, July 7, in Tampa Bay to win the final series four games to one. (Roest family photo)
The Kelowna Rockets’ Cal Foote warms up before a game against the Spokane Chiefs on January 10, 2017. (Marissa Baecker/Kelowna Rockets)

Kelowna Rockets alumni celebrate Stanley Cup win

Tampa Bay Lightning defencemen Cal Foote and Luke Schenn played junior hockey in Kelowna

The Kelowna Rockets’ Cal Foote warms up before a game against the Spokane Chiefs on January 10, 2017. (Marissa Baecker/Kelowna Rockets)
Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil has advanced into the second round of men’s singles at the Wimbledon Championships in London Tuesday, June 29, scoring a straight sets win over a Spanish opponent. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Rick Rycroft)

Okanagan tennis star sweeps into Round 2 at Wimbledon

Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil scores straight sets win over Spanish opponent Tuesday, June 29, in London

Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil has advanced into the second round of men’s singles at the Wimbledon Championships in London Tuesday, June 29, scoring a straight sets win over a Spanish opponent. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Rick Rycroft)
Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil begins singles play Tuesday, and doubles action Wednesday, at The Wimbledon Championships in London. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo)

Okanagan tennis star ready for Wimbledon

Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil tunes up by reaching quarterfinals at event in Eastbourne; won doubles at Wimbledon in 2014

Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil begins singles play Tuesday, and doubles action Wednesday, at The Wimbledon Championships in London. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo)
Vernon’s Eric de Nys will leave his role as head coach and program director of the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club to become the new NextGen coach with Nordiq Canada. (Nordiq Canada photo)

Okanagan man chosen coach of Nordiq Canada NextGen squad

Vernon’s Eric de Nys will leave the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club to take over new position in August

Vernon’s Eric de Nys will leave his role as head coach and program director of the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club to become the new NextGen coach with Nordiq Canada. (Nordiq Canada photo)
Accompanied by her crew, and with the adoring public on hand to welcome her, Vernon’s Leah Goldstein makes history Saturday, June 26, in Annapolis, Maryland, becoming the first woman solo rider to win the Race Across America. (Facebook photo)

Okanagan cyclist makes history as first female solo rider to win world’s toughest race

Vernon’s Leah Goldstein was accompanied by her crew Saturday night in Annapolis, Maryland as she finished the Race Across America

Accompanied by her crew, and with the adoring public on hand to welcome her, Vernon’s Leah Goldstein makes history Saturday, June 26, in Annapolis, Maryland, becoming the first woman solo rider to win the Race Across America. (Facebook photo)
Wayne Derkach buys a raffle ticket off Funtastic general manager Akbal Mund in support of local sports groups Friday in front of ARC Liquor. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)

Funtastic still pitching in support for North Okanagan sports groups

Despite no ball tournament or music festival, organizers are fundraising to give back

Wayne Derkach buys a raffle ticket off Funtastic general manager Akbal Mund in support of local sports groups Friday in front of ARC Liquor. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)
Former Vernon Panthers football standout Ben Hladik of the UBC Thunderbirds (top, in a game against the Manitoba Bisons, making one of his 38 Canada West solo tackles in 2019), was chosen by the in Tuesday’s 2021 Canadian Football League draft. (Rich Lam - UBC Thunderbirds photo)

B.C. Lions call on Vernon standout in CFL draft

Canadian Football League club selects former VSS Panthers star Ben Hladik in third round of league draft

Former Vernon Panthers football standout Ben Hladik of the UBC Thunderbirds (top, in a game against the Manitoba Bisons, making one of his 38 Canada West solo tackles in 2019), was chosen by the in Tuesday’s 2021 Canadian Football League draft. (Rich Lam - UBC Thunderbirds photo)
Splatsin First Nation member Darian Williams, 17, a Vernon archer, is one of six Interior region winners of the 2020 Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sports. (I-SPARC photo)

Okanagan Indigenous athletes recognized for excellence

Vernon archer Darian Williams and Kelowna multi-sport star Tuja Dreyer among six regional finalists for Premier’s Awards

Splatsin First Nation member Darian Williams, 17, a Vernon archer, is one of six Interior region winners of the 2020 Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sports. (I-SPARC photo)
The Chilliwack Chiefs and Coquitlam Express will finally play games in early April as the BCHL squeezes in a shortened 20 game season. Just-announced provincial funding may help the junior A league offset financial losses caused by the COVID pandemic. (Darren Francis photo)

Province provides relief funding for amateur sport

The government is directing $15 million to teams/leagues impacted by the COVID pandemic

The Chilliwack Chiefs and Coquitlam Express will finally play games in early April as the BCHL squeezes in a shortened 20 game season. Just-announced provincial funding may help the junior A league offset financial losses caused by the COVID pandemic. (Darren Francis photo)
Lumby Para-Alpine skier Logan Leach (left, with guide Caele Kassa of Vernon) races to silver at the 2019 Canada Winter Games. Leach is a finalist for Sport BC’s Athlete with a Disability Award that will be presented virtually Thursday, March 25, at the 54th annual Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards. (Facebook photo)

North Okanagan skier up for provincial honour

Visually impaired Logan Leach up for Athlete with a Disability at 54th annual Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards to be presented Thursday

Lumby Para-Alpine skier Logan Leach (left, with guide Caele Kassa of Vernon) races to silver at the 2019 Canada Winter Games. Leach is a finalist for Sport BC’s Athlete with a Disability Award that will be presented virtually Thursday, March 25, at the 54th annual Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards. (Facebook photo)
Greater Vernon B.C. Winter Games 2022 committee has released its branding for the event which will run Feb. 24-27. (Photo submitted)

Vernon BC Games committee releases branding

Branding, logo released; director of marketing named

Greater Vernon B.C. Winter Games 2022 committee has released its branding for the event which will run Feb. 24-27. (Photo submitted)
Armstrong’s Jesse Crowe, shown at the home of golf, St. Andrew’s in Scotland, has been named the Royal York Golf Course’s director of golf operations. (Facebook photo)

Okanagan golf pro soars to home course position

Jesse Crowe becomes director of golf operations at Armstrong’s Royal York Golf Course

Armstrong’s Jesse Crowe, shown at the home of golf, St. Andrew’s in Scotland, has been named the Royal York Golf Course’s director of golf operations. (Facebook photo)
Vernon’s Jim Cotter (left) and third Steve Laycock of Saskatoon will be joined by the Kelowna front end of Rick Sawatsky and Andrew Nerpin, and fifth player Tyler Tardi of Cloverdale, at the Tim Horton’s Brier Canadian men’s curling championship starting March 5 in a bubble environment in Calgary. (Black Press file photo)

Okanagan rink ready for Brier marathon

B.C./Saskatchewan team could play 14 games in 10 days to win Canadian men’s curling championship

Vernon’s Jim Cotter (left) and third Steve Laycock of Saskatoon will be joined by the Kelowna front end of Rick Sawatsky and Andrew Nerpin, and fifth player Tyler Tardi of Cloverdale, at the Tim Horton’s Brier Canadian men’s curling championship starting March 5 in a bubble environment in Calgary. (Black Press file photo)
Vernon’s Barb and Denis Murdoch, pictured at Lake Louise in 1987, will be inducted into the builder category of the B.C. Volleyball Hall of Fame, Class of 2021, on Feb. 15. (Murdoch family photo)

North Okanagan volleyball couple earn Hall of Fame call

Denis and Barb Murdoch will be inducted into B.C. Volleyball Hall of Fame in builder category

Vernon’s Barb and Denis Murdoch, pictured at Lake Louise in 1987, will be inducted into the builder category of the B.C. Volleyball Hall of Fame, Class of 2021, on Feb. 15. (Murdoch family photo)
Vernon’s Emma Lunder, the veteran of Canada’s senior women’s biathlon team at age 29, placed sixth with partner Christian Gow of Canmore, Alta. in a World Cup mixed relay event Sunday, Jan. 10, in Oberhof, Germany. (Nordic Focus photo)

Narrow miss at World Cup medal for Okanagan biathlete

Vernon’s Emma Lunder and partner were sixth in mixed relay event at World Cup stop in Germany

Vernon’s Emma Lunder, the veteran of Canada’s senior women’s biathlon team at age 29, placed sixth with partner Christian Gow of Canmore, Alta. in a World Cup mixed relay event Sunday, Jan. 10, in Oberhof, Germany. (Nordic Focus photo)
The 2021 Canadian National Taekwon-do Championships were set to be hosted by Sundance Martial Arts in Vernon in April, but the event has been cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns. (Sundance Martial Arts photo)

COVID-19 strikes down Taekwon-do nationals in Vernon

The 2021 Championships would have been hosted by Sundance Martial Arts at Kal Tire Place in April

The 2021 Canadian National Taekwon-do Championships were set to be hosted by Sundance Martial Arts in Vernon in April, but the event has been cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns. (Sundance Martial Arts photo)
Vernon’s Emma Lunder, 29, the veteran of Canada’s senior women’s biathlon team, competes at a World Cup race in December 2020 in Hochfilzen, Austria. (Nordic Focus photo)

Vernon biathlon veteran relishes role with national team

Emma Lunder, 29, has three top-10 World Cup 2020-21 results for Canadian women’s squad

Vernon’s Emma Lunder, 29, the veteran of Canada’s senior women’s biathlon team, competes at a World Cup race in December 2020 in Hochfilzen, Austria. (Nordic Focus photo)
Over 30 per cent of Canadian youth under the age of 18 cannot afford to play organized sport. (Wikimedia Commons)

Penticton families need help getting kids into the game

Ninth annual KidSport Give the Gift of Sport fundraising campaign could be the most crucial one yet

Over 30 per cent of Canadian youth under the age of 18 cannot afford to play organized sport. (Wikimedia Commons)
(Pixabay)

‘Modified’ games, limited competitive play return as B.C.’s local sports enter Phase 3

Phase 3 will see sports divided into four categories based on the number and intensity of contact

(Pixabay)