The Weekly Observer - June 23
Qualifying for the Canada 55+ Games
We are already into the third week of Seniors Month and on behalf of the 2010 Canada 55+ Games I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the many valuable contributions made by seniors in Brockville and the Thousand Islands.
Over the next four columns, I will outline how local participants, as well as competitors from across Canada, qualify for the upcoming Games. I will also tell you what those events will be and where they will be located in Brockville and throughout the area in Gananoque, Leeds and the Thousand Islands, Prescott, and Smiths Falls.
So, how will Canada qualify to "come to town" from August 23–28 for the 2010 Canada 55+ Games?
Membership in the Canada 55+ Games Association
Let us begin the participants' journey from across Canada to Brockville. The Canada 55+ Games Association is the overseeing body of the Canada 55+ Games. It is made up of seniors’ associations from all the provinces and territories with the exception of British Columbia, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Many of these provincially organized associations have been in operation for a number of years. For example, the Saskatchewan Senior Fitness Association was formed in 1984 as a voluntary, non-profit charitable association focused on promoting and encouraging an active, healthy lifestyle for seniors. The Association has held fitness workshops for seniors in different centres of the province and organized a Senior Games event on a biennial basis.
Through these types of provincial associations, the Canada 55+ Games Association has between 150,000 – 175,000 members. Those provinces that do not have organizations with membership in the Canada 55+ Games Association do have a number of separate seniors' groups, often organized around a particular activity, such as curling. These groups can and do participate in the Canada 55+ Games. Efforts are ongoing to organize these disparate groups into provincial associations and have them represented nationally by the Canada 55+ Games Association. The organizers of the 2010 Canada 55+ Games have received notice that competitors from Quebec and British Columbia will be taking part in the Games at the end of August.
Provincial Games
Provincial Games are held each year to determine provincial champions and identify those qualified for the Canada 55+ Games. For example, the Ontario Senior Games Association holds two separate Games: Winterfest, held in the "odd" years and Actifest, held in the "even" years. You might remember that Brockville and area hosted Winterfest in both 2007 and 2009. The first two finishers in the different age categories in badminton, contract bridge, curling, 5–pin bowling, hockey and table tennis from Winterfest 2009 are eligible to compete in the 2010 Canada 55+ Games.
As with Winterfest, the top two finishers from Actifest 2008 in cribbage, darts, lawn bowling, golf, horseshoes, slo-pitch, tennis and floor shuffleboard qualify for Ontario's entry to the Canada 55+ Games this summer. Oshawa will be hosting Actifest 2010 from August 10–12; however, competitors from these Games will not eligible to compete in the 2010 Canada 55+ Games because our registration deadline for team submissions by provincial coordinators is June 30.
We are closing registrations on June 30 to give us enough time to compile sport and transportation schedules for the anticipated record number of 2000+ competitors and to ensure that we can meet our publication deadlines for the preparation of the three Games’ programs: the official Games program, and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies programs, and for the information of all provincial coordinators and their team members.
Similar qualifying events have taken place in the other member provinces with the exception of Manitoba and Saskatchewan which are holding their provincial championships in mid–July, just giving us enough time to meet our deadlines.
23 Competitions
There will be 19 "core" events at the 2010 Canada 55+ Games: badminton; contract bridge; duplicate bridge; eight ball; five-pin bowling; floor shuffleboard; golf; hockey; horseshoes; lawn bowling: scrabble; slo-pitch; swimming; table tennis; tennis; and athletics (track & field). As well, we have four "Open" Canadian championships: 5K and 10K road races; as well as 200m flat water sprint canoe and kayak races. The registration deadline for the “Open” Canadian Championships is July 30 and participants can register online. In the next three "Canada Comes to Town" columns, I will outline where each of these 23 competitions will be held in Brockville and area.
In closing, I would like to add that for the first time in the history of the Canada 55+ Games, participants will be eligible to qualify for the National Senior Games Association (NSGA) Summer Games that will be held in Houston, Texas in 2011. Through the work of Laurence Bishop, our Executive Director, the 2010 Canada 55+ Games Organizing Committee is the first ever Canadian affiliate member of the NSGA. Phil Godfrey, CEO of the National Seniors Games Association and some of his staff will be visiting the first few days of the 2010 Games to share their expertise and knowledge with our Games Organizing Committee. The 2009 NSGA Games held in Palo Alto, California attracted over 12,000 competitors!
As always, information on the 2010 Canada 55+ Games "coming to town" can be found on our web site: www.brockville2010.ca. Until next week, stay active!
