Poundmaker hosts sports days

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There was a time when Poundmaker First Nation could count on playing host to the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) men's soccer championship at the end of September. But the honour of hosting goes to the previous year's winner, and Poundmaker hasn't been in that position for a couple of years.

This year, chief and council decided something was needed to fill the void. That something was the Poundmaker Sports Day Classic, held Sept. 20 and 21.

The two-day event featured a soccer tournament, slow-pitch and golf tournaments, and a variety of horse races.

More than 3,000 participants and spectators filed through the gates at the sports ground during the event, which coincided with two events being held on neighbouring Little Pine-the third annual Little Pine demolition derby and the FSIN women's soccer finals. Poundmaker's success was also buoyed by the reasonably large guaranteed payouts that included a $2,000 prize for the soccer champions.

"If you guarantee all the money and prizes, with the entry fees hopefully you try to get the events to pay for themselves," Sports Day Classic co-organizer Fred Favel said.

The high turnout has already convinced the classic's organizers to start planning ahead for 2004 at around the same time. Even though the weather is cooler in September, the hope is that this event can carve out a niche as an end-of-the-season gathering.

"They're already talking about doing this next year but maybe a little earlier," Favel said. "It's difficult to have sports in the summer because there are so many events (elsewhere) and all the weekends are booked."