Big final weekend for amateur boxers, sledge hockey players in Calgary

Sledge hockey, boxing championships Lots of sports events this weekend in Calgary. Tyson Fedor reports

The Calgary Scorpions sledge hockey team were victorious in their gold medal match against Team B.C. at the Western Canadian Sledge Hockey Tournament with a 4-0 win at Winsport Sunday.

After a scoreless first period, the Scorpions lit the lamp in the second period, before finishing off B.C. in the final frame.

Hailey King, 14, a Grade 8 student in Airdrie, participated for the first time in its 17-year existence.

She says the gold medal win was the right note to end the season on.

“To be able to go play at all these games, to get to the gold medal match. [I] loved it,” she said.

King also recently made history for herself as she was named to the Canadian Women’s National Para Hockey Team, they youngest on the squad.

She says the sport has given her so much as a young athlete after being diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder as a child.

“I have arthrogryposis, it’s a neurological condition that is in both my legs and this sport has really made me grow as a person and a player on the ice and I've loved every single second of it,” said King.

Arthrogryposis, also known as arthrogryposis multiplex congenital, is a variety of conditions that limits the motions of several joints.

Jason Beaman won most valuable player for the tournament. He helped organize the weekend and says the gold medal is a huge payoff.

“We had a lot of nail biters throughout the weekend and today was amazing,” said Beaman.

“Our goalie played amazing, every teammate played well and fought right to the end.”

Beaman says the Calgary Sledge Hockey Association has about 70 members and as young as five years old.

BOXING PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Across the city in the southeast at Southpaw Boxing Gym, the Alberta Provincial Boxing Tournament was held.

One-hundred and thirty boxers from across 13 divisions competed from across the province as far as Peace River and Grande Prairie.

Sunday marked the final matches for the gold medal.

“Sometimes gold and silver opt to be able to go to the national championship,” said general manager Warren Grenier.

“So that's kind of what this is for this year is weeding out the proper boxers.”

Grenier adds that 500 people were able to watch the event this weekend.

“All the boxers across the province of Alberta come to meet once a year at a provincial tournament, kind of the best of the best.”

The YYC Cup starting May 4 is a national competition that the gym will plan to host.

For boxer Logan Mackinnon, he has boxed for nine years since he was six years old.

He says the weekend has been a spectacle.

“I've learned so much from it, like the determination everything it takes to keep pushing forward,” said Mackinnon.

“It creates a very strong person.”