Trouble times two

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When either of the McNab twins are trying to make a point, they aren't above getting physical.

Tamara is dangerous because of her speed. An effective leg attack can put the hurt on most any of her opponents. Tyler is intense and tenacious. If you're thinking of crossing him, you better know that he's never given up, even against those bigger and more experienced.

The 14-year-olds are focused, confident, tough-they're wrestlers.

Saskatchewan Sage met up with the McNabs at the Canadian National Cadet and Junior wrestling championships. They wrestle through their school, Thom Collegiate, where they have just completed Grade 9, and the Regina North West Wrestling Club.

Tamara has been wrestling, in the formal sense, for four years and looks up to her brothers, twin Tyler and older brother Chris. But if you know anything about sisters, you know she has been going toe-to-toe with her brothers for as long as anyone can remember.

It was traveling around with her brothers, going to wrestling matches and hanging out at the club while they practiced that brought her to the sport.

"They were going to practice all the time, and she had to come along because there was nobody at home to babysit," said dad Lionel. "So she came along to practice and we said, 'Well, you may as well wrestle while you are here.'" In fact, Tamara was one of the first girls to wrestle at the club, which now boast a membership of about 37, nearly half of which are girls.

It's a rough sport. After her matches at the championships, Tamara's body is bruised and scratched.

"You have to wanna do it," said Tamara.

"You have to like what you are doing and have fun," Tyler added.

Tyler placed second in his weight class at the championships, but his start in the sport came during the Indigenous games in British Columbia. While too young to wrestle for medals, a number of exhibition matches were set up for him where he showed real promise.

The McNabs can be found practicing Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday each week, preparing for as many competitions as they can take in. And they have both had success this year.

"Tamara has no fear," said coach Kelly Dumont. Tamara is used as the measuring stick against which all other talent in her weight and age class is judged, he said. And Tyler has depth, real potential to take next year's nationals in Fredricton. He's hoping to go on to university where he'll continue his wrestling career.

"It's fun. You should come out," advises Tamara to anyone thinking about taking part in the sport. "There is a lot of competition, especially if you're competitive independently. It's easier, because you are out there by yourself."

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First Nations Summer Games will heat up northern La Ronge

Marjorie Roden, Sage Writer, La Ronge

Thousands of First Nations youth from across Saskatchewan will be descending on La Ronge in August to take part in the Saskatchewan First Nations Summer Games.

The games will run from Aug. 12 to 16, with events to be held in different locations throughout the community.

"Some of the ball diamonds are at the fairgrounds, one is at the Senator Miles Venne school, track will be at the Senator Miles Venne school, and the soccer will be at Churchill at their elementary school there," said John Fitzgerald, games manager. The athletes will all be camping out at the fair grounds in La Ronge.

The events athletes will be competing in are track and field, softball, soccer, beach volleyball, and golf. Demonstrations sports at this year's summer games will be canoeing and archery.

This year's summer games will see a number of changes from last year's event. Because of the success the winter games had by splitting the week into two parts, the first part for the younger athletes and the last part for the older ones, organizers decided to use the same format in these games as well.

"The mites and squirts will come on the first days of competition, and the last two days of competition will consist of ee wees, bantams, and midgets, explained games site manager Kevin Roberts.

"Usually in summer games, the midgets are not included, but for our games, we wanted to include the midgets just to increase the participation, so we will have midgets taking part in our beach volleyball, and they'll also be able to participate in the canoeing and archery. We're looking at having some of the older athletes come in to have their last kick at the can. We wanted to get them involved, so that's why we increased the limit in age groups.

"Other than golf, every one of those [events] will be from mites to bantams," said Roberts.

"Golf is strictly for pee wees and bantams, and beach volleyball is for bantam and midget. What we haven't confirmed is whether there will be midgets in golf," said Roberts.

Not considered in the past to be a core sport like track and field, soccer and softball are, golf will soon be added to the list and will be back again next year, according to Roberts.

"Golf was held previously in Cowessess, and because we're holding it a second time, it will go through the FSIN sports, culture, and recreation board to become a regular event at the games," Roberts said.

Along with the sporting events a wellness program is being planned during the games. Included in the wellness program will be informative booths, workshops, and motivational speakers, which will include people like Waneek Horn-Miller. The event, designed for the more than 3,000 youth taking part in the games between the age categories of mites to midgets, will run concurrently for the athletes along with the sporting events that will be taking place.

To find out more information about the Summer Games, go online to

http://summergames.tripod.com/2001.htm, or call either the PAGC at 953-7234 or the Lac La Ronge Indian band at 425-7934.