Zone 2 pickeballers have earned berths in this summer's Alberta 55+ Games in a qualifier held recently in Cochrane.
Dawn Baker, the Area 7 representative for the Big Country Senior Sports Society (BCSSS), says 32 players took to the courts at the SLS Centre. Several others received byes into the August provincial games.
Zone 2 pickleball gold medallists were:
Level 4 winners:
Women's 65+ Doubles: Rhonda Bews & Gerri Tullikopf-McKay
Men's 65 Doubles: Steve Katulka (Bearspaw) and Gary Hawkes
Level 3.5 winners:
Men's 55+ Doubles: Duane Bolin and Robert Thomas
Women's 60+ Doubles: Sue Cowitz & Rosie Neil
Men's 60+ Doubles: Dan Hird and Jim Pask
60+ Mixed Doubles: Sue Cowitz and Jim Cowitz
65+ Mixed Doubles: Sharon and Jay Slemp
Men's 70+ Doubles: Norm Vienneau and Jamie Phillips
70+ Mixed Doubles: Jamie Phillips and Joan Benko
Level 3.0 winners:
55+ Mixed Doubles: Serena and Tony Goutbeck
65+ Mixed Doubles: Carol and Pat Breen
70+ Women's Doubles: Norah Hamilton and Donna Powell
70+ Mixed Doubles: Colleen Adair and Greg Braganza
75+ Men's Doubles: Robert Hamilton and Wayne Powell
Level 2.5 winners:
55+ Women's Doubles: Heather Wilz and Astrid Heidenreich
60+ Women's Doubles: Valdi Hedec and Kim Pearson
60+ Mixed Doubles: Kim Pearson and Doug Gillman
65+ Mixed Doubles: Vladi Hedec & Colin Gilbert
Bocce qualifier up next
Cochrane is holding the bocce qualifiers for Zone 2 as part of a fun games days on May 30 at the Wills Community Hall, 405 1st St. E. The qualifier begins at 10 a.m.
Teams with any mixture of men and women are welcome in both the 55+ and Over 70 categories, with one team in both categories advancing to provincials.
The registration deadline in May 20. Full details are available by contacting Doug Campbell at Douglas Campbell by emailing dec@cabsi.ca or by phoning/texting 403-932-686.
Instruction is available for those wanting to give it a try at 9 a.m. that morning.
Bocce originated in Italy. It was popularized in many other countries by Italian immigrants, including Canada,
Other remaining Zone 2 qualifiers: cycling in Crossfield, May 31; snooker in Drumheller, June 3; golf in Strathmore, June 5; and track and field at Calgary Glenmore, June 6.
Leduc is hosting this year's summer games from Aug. 21 to 24.
What communities form Zone 2?
Zone 2 is the second most southerly zone in Alberta and basically wraps around Calgary like an irregular doughnut. It goes from Field, B.C. in the west to the Saskatchewan border in the east, Three Hills in the north, and High River in the south. There are eight sports zones in the province
Full details and updates are available on all Big Country 55+ activities can be found on its website here.