Kelowna sports fans had plenty of opportunities to see something over Labor Day weekend.
Across the city, Kelowna teams hosted, played, and won a variety of top sports on the junior, college, and national stages.
Labor Day weekend means that summer is almost over, the school is almost back to business, and the sports teams are returning to their respective work areas after the long summer off-season.
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READ MORE: Kelowna will host national field lacrosse championships for the first time
On Sunday of the long weekend, sports fans can try Canada’s summer sports outdoors at the National Field Lacrosse Championships. The finals will take place at City Park Field right in front of one of the proudest staples in Kelowna.
“It’s a great marquee event,” said the tournament chairman and Travis Whiting.
“Canada’s national summer sport on the shores of Lake Okanagan will be fun for the players and teams.”
It’s the first time Kelowna has hosted the Nationals, which feature teams from BC, Alberta, Quebec, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. Whiting said they hope the high level of competition will generate more interest in Kelowna’s lacrosse club, the Kodiaks.
For the first time, #Kelowna hosted the National Field Lacrosse Championships. Teams from across the country fought for the cup on Saturday. Team BC competes against Team Quebec, who had to wear the Kelowna Kodiaks jersey to avoid confusion in the jersey. The finals are Sunday. pic.twitter.com/jvsdAS0swi
– Mack Britton (@MackBrittonBC) August 31, 2019
At Saturday’s tournament, senior Team BC faced Team Quebec, which wore the host city’s Kelowna Kodiaks jerseys during the game due to the two teams wearing the same color of uniforms.
The final will be held on Sunday in City Park. Find out when you are here.
READ MORE: UBC Okanagan Heat receives two undefeated rivals in weekend battles
Also for the first time this Labor Day weekend, the UBC Okanagan women’s softball team played their first games in the Western Collegiate Softball Association.
The Heat has hosted teams from the University of Calgary, the University of Lethbridge, the University of Victoria, and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.
UBCO Heat women’s softball got its first taste of league action this weekend. It’s the first season for the Heat squad and a decent turnout came to cheer on the local team at # Kelowna’s High Noon Park. pic.twitter.com/BGuHjku0al
– Mack Britton (@MackBrittonBC) August 31, 2019
Heat head coach Joni Frei Grün in their first joint games.
“I like that they are fresh and not tired from a long summer. We have depth, talent, numbers and a great coaching team, ”said Frei.
“We want to compete in this league and we will do it in our own noble way.”
The Heat lost their first game to reigning conference champions Calgary on Saturday, but came back and took their first win against Lethbridge in their second game with a 6-5 win.
READ MORE: Jitters are not a problem for the UBC Okanagan softball roster ahead of season one
The Kelowna Rockets were back on the ice this weekend. Although it’s just preseason, fans could see some new faces in Rockets kits as both returning players and recently acquired players made their debut.
Kelowna won 4-0 against Victoria Royals on Friday and played against Kamloops Blazers on Saturday night. Kelowna returns to Prospera Place on September 8, where they will host the Prince George Cougars in the third preseason game.
With the Memorial Cup tournament nearly eight months away, Rockets fans will be ready to greet the vastly improved team when the season kicks off on September 21st.
In the hockey world of Okanagan, the West Kelowna Warriors also ended their preseason on Saturday night. The BCHL season returns to the entire Okanagan on September 6th. The Warriors will host the Vernon Vipers for the first game of the year at Royal LePage Place.
Rutland’s pride, the Kelowna Chiefs began their preseason over Labor Day weekend. It’s been a melancholy start to the season for the Chiefs, who lost owner and beloved community member Grant Sheridan earlier this year.
The Chiefs, as well as the entire league, will wear Sheridan’s initials as memorials on their helmets throughout the season.
Kelowna competed in the first two preparation games against Summerland Steam and started the regular season on September 13th.
READ MORE: Rockets launch 4-0 in the first pre-season action
On the soccer field, the UBC Okanagan men’s soccer team continued their season on the weekend.
The Heat welcomes two undefeated teams with visits from the University of Victoria squads and a match with sister school UBC Vancouver on Sunday afternoon.
The season is just beginning for many of Kelowna’s fast-paced, community-minded, well-known teams.
If the weekend games were missed because of camping, barbecuing, boating, napping, or whatever else the Okanagan families get by with an extra day off, there is plenty of time to catch up with the many teams that are back in on Labor Day Action has taken place.
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