Sheil heads to Junior Nationals

Sheil heads to Junior Nationals

From left, Seth Gardner, Islay Sheil and Ariel Picton Kobayashi. Gardner served as Islay’s SWSA coach and Kobayashi travels as her on-the-road mentor.

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The Salisbury Winter Sports Association (SWSA) witnessed another leap forward in its junior jumping program when Islay Sheil was named to the 2024 Junior National (JN) ski jumping team.

The Lakeville 14-year-old qualified by placing third in the Female K65 competition Sunday, Feb. 4 of Jumpfest. Sheil, who has been training with Team SWSA since 2021, received the honor along with 20 other jumpers from around the Eastern division, joining Seth Gardner and Ariel Picton Kobayashi as the only local jumpers to reach JN status in recent memory.

Gardner made the JN teams from 2018 to 2021 seasons and Kobayashi in 2004 and 2005.

Sheil will leave for Anchorage, Alaska, Saturday, Feb. 24, to compete.

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