YORKTON – East central Sask will host the province’s high school curlers when the 2027 Saskatchewan High School Athletics Association (SHSAA) provincial curling championships come to east-central Saskatchewan on March 5-6, 2027.
The event will bring together about 160 athletes in Grades 8 to 12, along with more than 30 coaches, as the province’s top eight teams in each division — boys, girls, mixed and doubles — compete for provincial titles.
Yorkton will host the boys and girls divisions, Melville will welcome mixed teams and Saltcoats will stage the open doubles competition.
The road to provincials begins with roughly 150 high schools competing in local and regional play downs, narrowing the field to the province’s top contenders.
Organizers say the event is about more than curling. It is also an opportunity to showcase the region and create a memorable experience for athletes.
“For some of them, this is their Olympics,” said volunteer organizer David Baron. “We want to make it special while they’re here.”
Committee member Allan Hill said the event also highlights career opportunities in the region.
“Those Grade 11s and 12s are going to be looking for a place to go to school or work,” he said. “We’ve got Harvest Meats, Grain Millers, the crush plants, Mosaic — there are opportunities here. We want these kids to see that.”
Athletes will receive information packages promoting local industries and career paths as part of that effort.
High school curling in Saskatchewan remains rooted in smaller communities. Over the past three years, just eight of 96 provincial teams came from Saskatoon or Regina, with the rest representing towns such as Dinsmore, Watrous and Ituna.
“If you took it to Saskatoon, it just gets lost,” Baron said. “In small towns, the rink is packed, the hamburger stand is busy — it’s a big deal. We want that small-town feel in Yorkton, just with better facilities.”
The event is expected to bring a boost to the local economy.
Along with athletes and coaches, organizers estimate about 350 family members will attend.
“We’ve already put in for 100 hotel rooms, but we’ll need more,” Baron said. “And that’s just for teams and coaches. Families will book on their own.”
Melville is expected to accommodate many of the mixed teams, although teams will ultimately decide where they stay.
A student committee is playing a key role in planning the event.
Grade 10 students — many of them curlers — are organizing the athletes’ banquet, mixers and hospitality activities.
“We stood back and let them plan,” Baron said. “The whole idea is to help these kids meet each other — you don’t get that in basketball or football.”
Organizers are also seeking community volunteers for timing, hospitality and event support.
Host teams are expected to include Yorkton Regional in the boys and girls divisions and Melville in mixed, with Saltcoats represented in doubles.
The SHSAA curling championships date back more than 70 years and remain a fixture in Saskatchewan sport, particularly in rural communities where curling is often a family tradition.
“Yorkton has been very good to me,” Baron said. “This is our chance to give back.”
