TEAM ALBERTA MEDIA RELEASES
ALBERTA GAMES AN IMPORTANT STEP TO CANADA GAMES SUCCESS
Alberta Games provide an opportunity to celebrate young athletes
(Winnipeg, MB) Team Alberta is enjoying success at the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg, and one of the important steps that these young athletes take towards their national success is the Alberta Games, organized by the Alberta Sport Connection.
The Alberta Games provide many benefits to the thousands of Albertans who participate at local, zone, and provincial levels. The Alberta Games provide an opportunity to celebrate young athletes and provide them with a venue to compete and reach their athletic potential.
“The Alberta Games program supports athletes dreams with a positive multi-sport experience that helps them to achieve their goals in sport and life,” said Andrew Ference, Chair of the Alberta Sport Connection.
At the 2017 Canada Summer Games, there are 120 Alberta Games Alumni representing the province in 14 sports. Many of these athletes have multiple Alberta Games experiences or they are current Alberta Games Record holders.
Emma Hubbard a Team Alberta member who competed in Athletics (800m/1500m) here at the Canada Games, credits the Alberta Games as part of her process to the national scene: “The Alberta Summer Games were my first experience of being selected to a team from the club level. I was really new to the track world at that point, so it was really beneficial to me to be in that community of athlete and to have the opportunity to represent my zone and compete against the best in the province.”
Hubbard competed at the 2016 Alberta Summer Games representing Zone 3 and medalled in all three events to which she took part. “I set the Alberta Summer Games record and achieved my own personal best in the 3000m race. It was an amazing experience. I started racing against athletes that are now my teammates. I absolutely would credit the Alberta Games for helping me grow as an athlete and allowing me to be here in Winnipeg for the Canada Games. That was a huge meet and motivator for me.”
Taking place every two years, the Alberta Games provide a competitive opportunity for provincial level athletes aged 11-17 to compete in a multi-sport event. Since the games were introduced in 1986, thousands of athletes have enjoyed competing in every part of Alberta.
The Alberta Games have many objectives, such as motivate Albertans to achieve a higher level of physical fitness through more active participation in sport, develop the cultural and social components as an enhancement to Games in Alberta, showcase the talents of Albertans in a wide range of sport and activities, and provide host communities with a legacy of experienced volunteers and upgraded facilities.
The first ever Alberta Summer Games involving zone participation took place in 1974 in Calgary.
The next Alberta Summer Games will take place on July 19-22, 2018 in Grande Prairie.