Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

CANADA 55+ GAMES

Kamloops welcomes the nation as Canada 55+ Games begin

Aug 23, 2022 | 4:34 PM

KAMLOOPS — After an extra two years of waiting, the Canada 55+ Games are underway in the Tournament Capital. Organizers are welcoming over 2,500 participants from across the country to compete in 26 events over the next four days.

While the event was supposed to take place in 2020, these athletes from right across Canada are here now, and they’re ready to play.

“We’re here with four teams out of Saskatoon. We all play out of the same arena — Schroh Arena,” hockey player Ken Crump explains. “Everybody is 60 to 88 in our league.”

“We are all very excited! We’re very nervous, but we’re all excited to get back on the pitch and play with women our own age that we can all keep up with,” soccer player Cathy Bartsch from Salmon Arm says. “Hopefully, we won’t have to run after those young bucks.”

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Some folks haven’t strayed too far from home to come to the Games.

“(We’re from) Kimberly and Cranbrook,” Nikki Van Engelen tells CFJC Today. “The old ladies got together and said we’re going to BC Games. That was back in 2018, the first time women’s hockey was added. First year, we won silver. The next year in Kelowna, 2019, we won gold. And that’s why we’re here at the Canada games.”

While others have travelled across almost the entire country to be here.

“I’ve never played for my province, and I’m very passionate about Newfoundland,” Greg Penny, from Cornerbrook, NL says. “We’re going to give it our all. You know, I’m still hoping there might be a chance for the NHL — I haven’t given up hope just yet. Nah, it’s going to be a lot of fun, and we’re going to go hard.”

For some of the competitors, stepping into a Kamloops summer is a bit of a shock to the system.

“There are a couple of players from Dawson City, Yukon here and it was three degrees there in the morning, the last few mornings,” Blaine Demchuk, second base Team Yukon slo-pitch says. “We’re close to snow already. And when we get back, it’s hunting season.”

There have been some issues related to travel. The Kimberly–Cranbrook women decided to postpone their game scheduled for Tuesday morning into an evening slot after their opponents had some difficulty getting to Kamloops.

“We came to play. We’re not going to forfeit,” Van Engelen says. “It is competitive, but we’re here for fun. The only thing is we’re going to miss the opening ceremony, where you meet a lot of people. But we try to mix and mingle where we are. We play hockey, but we come for the party.”

That’s what the Canada 55+ games are all about: camaraderie and competition.

“We’re just a bunch of old people with young souls, here to have a fun time,” Demchuk says.

“Anybody who plays this is here to win,” Bartsch says. “Anyone who tells you different is lying.”

“Well, we’re hoping to medal in all four [divisions],” Crump says. “But we’ll do our best. That’s all we can do.”