YORKTON – The Yorkton Regional High School Girl's Soccer Team was honoured by the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association on Feb. 7.
The honour comes from their exemplary sportsmanship at the 5A Girl's Provincial Soccer Championship hosted in Regina Oct. 28-29 of last year.
Students and faculty packed the school's Anne Portnuff Theatre for the presentation from SHSAA Executive Director, Dave Sandomirsky.
"It is well known that when there's competition there is a winner and there is a loser," said Sandomirsky in his address to the audience, adding, "in our society we tend to reward and celebrate the winner – but how do you react when you lose? How do you react when you win? How do you carry yourselves as a team when you're in competition?"
"We realized some years back that this is an important aspect of school sport that requires attention and when it's positive it requires recognition," said Sandomirsky.
"The blue banner is a highly respected honour," said Sandomirsky, adding, "the gymnasiums that display these banners are in schools which strive to make sportsmanship, respect and responsibility a daily habit – part of the school culture."
"At each SHSAA Provincial Team Championship committees observe the conduct of the players, the coaches and the fans," continued Sandomirsky, "they watch for interactions with the hosts, the other teams and with the officials."
"Over the course of the provincial weekend in Regina the Raiders played games against varied competition," said Sandomirsky, "the demeanour of the team reflected the demeanour of the coaches – they continued to play every game in a respectful manner regardless of the score and this made for an enjoyable atheletic experience for their opposition, for the fans and for the officials."
"The Raiders won and they lost during the course of the weekend. They were humble in their victory, they were respectful in their defeat and they didn't get caught up in a moment to allow themselves to find places to lay blame – coaches and players alike maintained their composure and the integrity of the game," said Sandomirsky.
"The coaching staff was second to none – demonstrating that competition is healthy but education through high school sport in invaluable in the development of their students – this recognition for sportsmanship is obviously a true sign of the positive school culture the Yorkton Regional High School has."
"You have made yourselves, your school, your community and the SHSAA very proud of your athletic and sportsmanship accomplishments at the 5A Girl's Provincial Soccer Championship."
The school was presented with a banner signifying their achievement and each team member was presented with a certificate acknowledging their sportsmanship.
This is the sixth blue banner the YRHS has received from the SHSAA on account of their sportsmanship. In 2002-2003 the girl's soccer team was honoured as well as the 2015-2016 team. Boy's soccer in 2017-2018, boy's volleyball in 2008-2009 and boy's basketball in 2012-2013.
