The calendar is about to change over to 2020. It’s the start of a new year and a new decade. It’s the time when a lot of people throw around the phrase “New Year, New Me” when talking about their resolutions. Resolutions range from eating healthier and being more active to getting that promotion at work.

As we mark the new year this week, The Citizen is taking the opportunity to look back at 2019. Yesterday we posted top ten lists of our biggest news and feature articles of the year. Today, we turn our attention to the local sports and recreation stories that most got our attention this year. Very few things in life stir up our hometown pride quite as much as stories about local athletes succeeding. 

‘Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the rink

The Winnipeg Jets’ turnover last offseason on defence has been well documented. Many fans, not to mention experts, thought a regression was coming in the 2019–2020 season after so many key defenders were replaced with smaller and less experienced replacements.

The Île-des-Chênes Elks’ Novice A Boys defeated Beausejour 9–1 on Saturday, December 14 to continue their undefeated season. The lopsided win raises their regular season record of 7–0–0.

Gabrielle-Roy in Île-des-Chênes had an especially productive volleyball season, with three of its Les Roys teams winning their divisions and heading to provincials. From there, each time was a force to be reckoned with, dominating the competition through the round robin and making it all the way to the finals.