FIONA SMITH-BELL

Fiona Smith-Bell first competed in speed skating for Zone 7 at the 1986 Saskatchewan Winter Games in Yorkton. Although she says she was a little bit out of her comfort zone as an athlete new to the sport, she was honoured to be a part of the prestigious event. She says it set the tone for success later in life and she was thrilled to have the opportunity to compete. “I really believe [the Games] built a foundation for me and motivated me to follow my dreams of becoming an athlete in the Canada Games and eventually the Olympic Games,” she said. Included in her career highlights, in 1998 she helped Team Canada win the silver medal at the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano for Women’s Hockey. Pondering the Saskatchewan Games’ legacy, Fiona says it lies in the way it increases sport participation by inspiring youth and the general population to participate. Today, she still believes “it takes a village” to create success, so she continues to be a volunteer for her children’s sport endeavors.