The head of the Western Hockey League has come out with his annual report on the 2025-26 season of play.Commissioner Dan Near outlined some of the accomplishments and proposed changes, based on feedback, that will take place for the upcoming season."More than 3.2 million fans attended regular season WHL games this...

The Red Deer Rebels unveiled their full schedule for the upcoming 2026-27 WHL season.This season marks the 35th season in franchise history, which begins on Friday, September 18, when they face the Calgary Hitmen at the Scotiabank Saddledome.The home opener will then take place on Saturday, Sept. 19, when they host the...

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings soccer and futsal teams announced they've hired a new head coach.On Tuesday, they hired Lonny Behm following the departure of Ado Sarcevic."We're excited to welcome Lonny as the new head coach of Kings Soccer and Futsal. With more than 20 years of coaching and technical leadership ex...

The Red Deer Rebels believe they've drafted a difference maker that will solidify their defensive core.On Tuesday, they drafted Swedish defenceman Zeb Lindgren 24th overall in the 2026 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.The product of Umeå, Sweden, played for Skellefteå AIK in the country's top U20 league ...

Red Deer Rebels captain Beckett Hamilton is headed to the Colorado Avalanche.On Saturday morning, Hamilton was taken in the third round, 74th overall, in the 2026 NHL Draft.The 18-year-old from Saskatoon, Sask., had a team-leading 62 points in 67 regular-season games, including 24 goals and 38 assists. In the playoffs,...

Lacombe's Daxon Rudolph's dream officially came true on Friday night. The 18-year-old was selected fourth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft. Rudolph was the first defenceman to be taken off the board in the draft, which was held in Buffalo, NY. In an interview on stage at the draft,...

According to a new study commissioned by the Alberta Medical Association (AMA), there are significant gaps in access to pediatric mental health care in the province.The broader State of Health Care-2026 Report, conducted by ThinkHQ, found that 40 per cent of parents reported at least one child in their home has a menta...

Representatives from diverse backgrounds voiced their opinions during a panel on Wednesday focused on diversity in sport.Hosted by the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, the panel featured Patrick Jarvis, Ross Norton, Cara Currie Hall, Ed Molstad, and Tammy Cunnington, who shared their stories and answered questions from mod...

**Note: CentreFest has moved to Westerner Park (with one exception) due to anticipated weather (same times as listed below)--It's bound to be a busy and fun weekend in downtown Red Deer.The 89th Red Deer Highland Games are back this Saturday, June 27 outside at Central Middle School, and just up the street will be Cent...

The Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) has unveiled its 2026/27 schedule, featuring some international competition.The upcoming season's exhibition play will include four games for AJHL teams against the visiting Korea University. Those four teams are the Olds Grizzlys (Sept. 2, 6 p.m., Olds Sportsplex), Canmore Eagle...

The Red Deer Rebels announced their schedule for the 2026 WHL preseason.They will play four exhibition games beginning on Friday, Sept. 4, against the Calgary Hitmen on the road at the Seven Chiefs Sportsplex at 7 p.m., followed by a rematch on Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Centrium at 6 p.m.The Rebels will then head to Le...

Red Deer Public Schools say spots are filling fast for the second annual Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools Golf Tournament.Registration is now open for the tournament, which is set for Friday, August 14, at Alberta Springs Golf Resort.Check-in will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a barbecue lunch to follow at noon. The t...

The Red Deer Games Foundation has announced the recipients of the Athlete Development Grant for the spring awards.It marks the 50th year the foundation has provided grants to developing athletes.The grants are presented to Red Deer and area athletes who have demonstrated a high level of ability and a strong commitment ...

With eight days to go until the 2026 NHL Draft, to say Lacombe's Daxon Rudolph is excited would be an understatement.The 18-year-old defenceman is expected to be picked early in the first round of the draft, which takes place in Buffalo, New York, on June 26-27."I've taken some time to relax, get back in the gym, ...

The Red Deer Rebels announced they'll host the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 2026-27 home opener.They'll welcome their Central Division rivals to town on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. at the Centrium."This marks the 11th time the Rebels are playing the Oil Kings for the home opener, with Red Deer going 5-4-1 in the pre...

As happens every year, several traffic control changes will be in place during the upcoming Ponoka Stampede, which runs June 25 to July 1.The following road alterations will be in effect June 22 to July 2:1. A reduced traffic speed limit of 30 km/hr from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily along Rodeo Drive (Highway 53) - Beginni...

Innisfail's Ben Robinson delivered a performance of a lifetime at his hometown rodeo.The third-generation tie-down roper recorded an 8.6-second winning run at the Daines Ranch Pro Rodeo last week.The speedy run earned him $2,677.59 and moved him into contention for a trip to the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton next N...

The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame announced that the Red Deer Kinsmen Club has made a generous donation of $5,000 towards the Hall's education programming.The donation will go directly to curriculum-connected programs that explore leadership, perseverance, inclusion, and the history of sport in Alberta.This is done throu...

The Woody's Triathlon, which began all the way back in 2000, is back this Father's Day weekend.June 20, folks will swim, bike, and run their way from inside the Michener Aquatic Centre to Waskasoo, and around the area near Lindsay Thurber and the Red Deer River.Races get going at 8 a.m. Formats include the standard tri...

The Red Deer Vipers have found their new head coach.On Monday the club announced they've hired Bob Rutz to replace former bench boss Matt Michalezki, who departed the team following the season to coach the U15 AAA Red Deer Rebels."Bob came highly recommended within the Red Deer hockey community. He was someone we ...

The British Columbia Hockey League has announced the winners of the Kyle Turris Community Award from the Interior Conference.Among the 10 names listed was Blackfalds Bulldogs forward Matthew Croxall.He and the others picked to receive the award, the league says, were chosen because they went above and beyond in their c...

The 34th annual Harvest Run returns to Red Deer Sunday, Sept. 13.Event organizers anticipate nearly 500 runners, and one thing really neat about the Harvest Run is that every finisher gets a medal following their 3 km or 8 km jaunt.Additionally, several young athletes will receive athletic bursaries.The Harvest Run inc...

--As always, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame put on an event this past weekend that will rank as one of the best of the year in Red Deer.Thirteen inductions took place, including Olympic medallist and curler Shannon Kleibrink, and long-time statistician/broadcaster David Moir, both of whom spoke to rdnewsNOW and The Ev...

Plenty of sunshine appears to be in the forecast for the eighth annual Battle at the Beach in Sylvan Lake this weekend.On June 13-14, 116 teams with over 800 participants will take part in the ball hockey tournament that will feature divisions from the U7 all the way up to the adult level.The action begins at 8:30 a.m....

The Daines Ranch Pro Rodeo officially begins this Thursday, June 11, to kick off three days of action.The pro rodeo, which was established in 1960, begins at 7 p.m. each day through to the final performance on Saturday.It takes place at the Daines ranch between Innisfail and Penhold, just off Township Road 362.The sche...

Red Deer karate athletes helped Team Alberta bring home a hefty and rather shiny haul from the recent ISKF Karate National Championship in Calgary.Red Deer's delegation included 22 athletes representing Shotokan Karate Club, and 14 representing Sakura Karate Do.Together, they helped Team Alberta earn an impressive 35 m...

One of the Red Deer Rebels' 2025 U.S. Priority Draft selections has signed a deal with the WHL club.The announced Tuesday that forward Paxson Madill, who was picked 42nd in last year's draft, has inked a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement."We are very excited to get Paxson signed. His high hockey IQ and com...

Every four years, the FIFA World Cup, one of the planet's biggest sporting events, returns to the airwaves and screens globally. However, this time around is a bit more special for Canadians. Not only will the Canadian men's national team take part in the tournament for just the third time, but the country will also ho...