The Manitoba 55+ Games are in full swing in Portage la Prairie. Tomorrow is the last day of action in town, and so far, the Central Plains region has been represented very well. 

Portage Pickleball Club members Wendy Love and Sherry Legault didn't quite make it to the podium but were happy with the result of their first match, winning 15-9. Legault says the sport of pickleball has been a great way for her to stay active.

"After COVID, I wanted something active to do that was fun," Legault explains. "I heard about pickleball and joined the club. I've been playing for about 14 months now, and I'm loving it."

The girls were feeling great after the victory and noted that it was cool to play inside Stride Place, especially on an extremely hot day like Tuesday.

The one event that did take place outdoors in the scorcher yesterday was the slo-pitch tournament.

"Well, it was really hot," says Team Portage catcher Val Buschau. "Very hot, but it was good ball. We had some good games. We didn't quite win them all, but we had some good ones."

While Team Portage may not have won every game on the opening day of the event, Buschau says they were able to battle heatstroke successfully. All of their players were ready to go for the second day of competition today. Buschau adds these events are always a little more fun when you can represent the host city.

"We're proud to host this. We have great diamonds here. Some of the best in Manitoba, frankly," Buschau continues. "It's really nice because you can go home at night. You don't have to go to a hotel room. It's always a little bit easier."

Buschau has played in numerous 55+ Games over the years.

"I love ball, and I love the team. We have a great team with good camaraderie. We've been all the way up to Swan River and The Pas to play.

The local catcher was very happy to see supporters coming out to their games. She encourages anyone who can, to come witness the action for themselves tomorrow between 10:30 and 4:30.

Related Stories