Kelowna sports fans had plenty of viewers to choose from over Labor Day weekend.
Across the city, Kelowna teams hosted, played, and won a variety of high-level sports on the junior, collegiate, and national stages.
Labor Day weekend means summer is almost over, schools are almost back to business and sports teams are returning to their respective work areas after the long summer break.
READ MORE: Lake Country Judo Club remains in place
READ MORE: Kelowna to host National Field Lacrosse Championships for first time
On the Sunday of the long weekend, sports fans can get outside and try out Canada’s summer sport with the National Field Lacrosse Championships. The finals take place at City Park Field, just outside one of Kelowna’s proudest cities.
“It’s a great marquee event,” said Tournament Chairman Travis Whiting.
“Having Canada’s national summer sport taking place on the beaches of Lake Okanagan will please the players and teams.”
It’s the first time Kelowna has hosted the Nationals, which will feature teams from BC, Alberta, Quebec, Ontario and Saskatchewan. Whiting said they hope the high-profile competition will generate more interest in Kelowna’s lacrosse club, the Kodiaks.
For the first time ever, #Kelowna hosted the National Field Lacrosse Championships. Teams from all over the country fought for the trophy on Saturday. Team BC takes on Team Quebec, who were forced to wear Kelowna Kodiaks’ jersey to avoid jersey confusion. Finals are Sunday. pic.twitter.com/jvsdAS0swi
— Mack Britton (@MackBrittonBC) August 31, 2019
Saturday’s tournament pitted top-ranked Team BC against Team Quebec, who, as the two teams shared the same uniform color, wore the host city’s Kelowna Kodiaks jerseys throughout the game.
The finale will take place in City Park on Sunday, you can find out when here.
READ MORE: UBC Okanagan Heat hosts two undefeated rivals in weekend bouts
Also for the first time this Labor Day weekend, the UBC Okanagan women’s softball team played its first games in the Western Collegiate Softball Association.
The Heat hosted teams from the University of Calgary, University of Lethbridge, University of Victoria and Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.
The UBCO Heat women’s softball got its first taste of league action this weekend. It’s the first-ever season for the Heat team and a decent turnout turned out 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 Greenness in their very first games together.
“I like that they are fresh and not tired from a long summer. We have depth, talent, numbers and a great coaching staff,” said Frei.
“We want to play in this league and we will do it in our own way.”
The Heat lost their first game to reigning conference champions Calgary on Saturday but came back and clinched their first win against Lethbridge in their second game with a 6-5 win.
READ MORE: Tremors are no problem for UBC Okanagan softball roster ahead of first-ever season
The Kelowna Rockets were back on the ice over the weekend. Although it’s only preseason, fans have been able to see some new faces in Rockets jerseys as both returning players and recently acquired players made their debuts.
Kelowna beat the Victoria Royals 4-0 on Friday and played the Kamloops Blazers on Saturday night. Kelowna returns to Prospera Place on September 8 where they host the Prince George Cougars in the third game of the preseason.
With the Memorial Cup tournament almost eight months away, Rockets fans will be ready to greet the much-improved team when the season begins on September 21st.
Also in the Okanagan hockey world, the West Kelowna Warriors finished their pre-season on Saturday night. The BCHL season returns September 6 across the Okanagan. The Warriors host the Vernon Vipers at Royal LePage Place for the first game of the year.
Rutland’s pride, the Kelowna Chiefs, started their pre-season on 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 and the entire league will wear Sheridan’s initials on their helmets as a commemorative throughout the season.
Kelowna faced Summerland Steam in the first two preseason games and started the regular season on September 13.
READ MORE: Rockets start with 4-0 win in first preseason action
On the soccer field, the UBC Okanagan men’s soccer team continued their season over the weekend.
The Heat hosts two unbeaten teams with visits from the University of Victoria squads and a match-up with sister school UBC Vancouver on Sunday afternoon.
The season is just beginning for many of Kelowna’s fast-paced, community-focused, big-name teams.
If weekend games have been missed for camping, BBQ, boating, napping, or anything else Okanagan families do with an extra day off, there’s plenty of time to catch up with the many teams who will be back in action on Labor Day was .
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