Okotoks twins double down on Summer Games opportunity

Frontyard competition has driven Okotoks twins to the elite youth sports showcase in their backyard. 

Rylee and Bracen Lybbert qualified for the 2023 Alberta Summer Games in their hometown due in no short part to hours of one-on-one basketball. 

“We’ve been playing on the driveway ever since we could,” said Rylee. “We’re very competitive when it comes to sports and all sorts of events and activities.” 

The twins' competitive drive is present is basketball, hockey and any other sport they try, Bracen added. 

“We’re always competitive,” he said. “We don’t like losing too much to each other, we always want to beat each other.  

“Having the challenge helps a lot.” 

The Lybbert twins, 13, will bring that competitive drive to the hardcourt when the basketball portion of the Games tips off from July 20-23 in Okotoks. 

“We’re very grateful to have been selected to participate in such an amazing experience,” said Rylee. “It’s even more special to have my twin brother participating in the same event, in the same sport. 

“It’s special to be a twin and even more special to be able to create memories like this and I’m super excited to take part in these Games.” 

“This is a very cool opportunity to represent my hometown and community,” added Bracen. “It only happens every two years and it’s a great opportunity especially when I’m the younger of the age group this year and playing basketball is my favourite, I love doing it.” 

The Lybberts were raised in a basketball family with the twins benefitting from following in the footsteps of older sister Adison, a multi-sport Grade 12 athlete in basketball and rugby at Foothills Composite. 

“We’ve been playing since we were eight,” Bracen said. “We started to dribble the ball because our parents coached some teams, coached our older sister and we’ve loved the game ever since. 

“(Adison) has taught us a lot of different moves, what she thinks and all sorts of other stuff. She’s a great role model and fabulous player.” 

Rylee will be joined on the Zone 2 girls team by fellow-Okotokians Danica Nyrose and Ella Simard and Natalie Murray from DeWinton. 

The Zone 2 boys, coached by Andrew Gustafson and the Lybberts' father Tyson, will have strong Okotoks contingent with Seth Gustafson, Hunter Lewis, Dustynn Harbaruk, Jakob Habart and Pasen Perrett.  

“It helps a lot because we’re all close to each other and if we want to go out and work on some stuff we can just invite each other and go play,” Bracen said. “Being close together, we have good connections, we have fun and we just love hanging out together.”  

The Alberta Summer Games basketball competition will be held at gymnasiums at Okotoks’ Foothills Composite High School and Holy Trinity Academy from July 20-23. 

Basketball is one of 14 events featured in the Games, with 13 taking place in Okotoks and the mountain biking held in Diamond valley. 

“I’m most looking forward to hanging out with my team, having fun,” Bracen said. “Watching some of our Okotoks friends play different sports and hopefully we can succeed and win the gold.” 

For more information on the Games, visit 2023asg.com.