Local Sports

As winter hangs in the air, it's not too early to plan what new and exciting sport you might like to take part in on the Sunshine Coast this coming spring and summer season.

The only women's match this week saw first place Marshall Mayhem beat IGA Blazers 4-2. Striker TJ Stewart inevitably scored, notching two goals, while Brooke Whalen scored from her corner kick and Trina Geisbrecht bagged a single.

Spurred on by the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics, skaters with the Pacific Blades speed skating club are charged up and competing with great success. The past two weekends have proven to be successful ones for the local club with top results at B.C.

The Suncoast Racquet Club enjoyed its first open tournament in the new indoor facility in Sechelt last weekend with some exciting matches in men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles.

Gibsons' Ryan Dempster is staying in the Windy City, and he has 52 million reasons why. The right-hander agreed to a $52 million, four-year contract with an option in 2012 with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.

The senior women's bonspiel held last weekend at the Gibsons Curling Club was a great success, thanks to all the volunteers who turned up to help make it run smoothly.

A youth injection is spurring on the Sunshine Coast Squash Association.

Another group of Coast volunteers has made a dream come true. About 100 people gathered at the Suncoast Racquet Club in Sechelt last Saturday to cut the ribbon, celebrate and enjoy the sport of tennis indoors. "We did it.

After a 19-month absence, men's rugby returned to the Coast last Saturday as the Gibsons Pigs entertained the East Vancouver Scribes at Elphinstone Secondary School.

Winning North Shore league titles is becoming the norm for the Elphinstone Cougars cross country team. Elphi captured its fifth straight AA North Shore banner with another outstanding season. The zone finals were held Oct.