Four players from the Grand Forks Secondary School (GFSS) ultimate team will be competing in nationals this summer.
Tao Kuromi, Danny Macmaster, Lincoln Faulkner and Zaylen Romaine were invited to play for Helios, a club team based in Kamloops.
These four talented athletes were invited to try out for the club team after the GFSS Wolves team won provincials in May.
Helios is heading to nationals in Brampton, Ont. in August after placing fourth in club team provincials, which took place in Surrey on July 9 and 10.
Helios is the first club team from the interior of B.C. to go to nationals. In the past, all the B.C. players who have attended nationals have been from the Lower Mainland.
Kristy Kuromi, who holds an administrative role for the GFSS team, said that the club team provincials were “fast-paced.”
“It was very competitive. It was a really competitive weekend. Very fast-paced ultimate, it was at a really high level.”
GFSS team coach Dan Macmaster agreed. He said that the club team athletes play at a very high level, and the four GFSS athletes on Helios are no exception.
Macmaster highlighted the extraordinary teamwork that these players share.
“They want to be part of a winning team more than anything. So there’s much less of an individual display of skills and much more of ‘how do I work with this team?’”
Nationals are from Aug. 21 to 24.
Kuromi said that the Grand Forks players are looking forward to the tournament.
“All of our players are really excited to be a part of that.”
Macmaster said that the sport of ultimate not only allows kids to improve their athletic abilities, but also learn important life lessons.
“It really brought home a good approach to what true respect for each other is.”
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