Local athletes compete in Summer Games

“The best kids in the province that aren’t in Beijing are competing here,” says Ontario Summer Games director general Pat Reid. “They are the next wave.”

The largest multi-sport event in Ottawa’s history, the Summer Games – held every two years – comprises 26 sports with 3,500 participants. The number of youth aged 11 to 22 competing at venues across the National Capital until Saturday is in fact greater than the number of athletes expected to attend the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, says Reid.

In the east end, boys are on the baseball diamonds at Heritage Park, while Potvin Park hosts girls and boys soccer action.

For the U-15 girls Cumberland Cobras that means home field advantage as they play for the provincial championship. Privileged to play in front of a home crowd, Cumberland centre-defender and Louis Riel High School student Kristen McGregor-Bales says having the games during the Beijing Olympics has added to an extraordinary experience.

“It’s sort of like the mini-Olympics for Ontario,” she says. “I’ve been waking up early and watching the women’s soccer team play and it inspires us to want to make it to the Olympics. Everyone is pumped to play. It’s a special experience.”

Sentiment like that is exactly what the games are meant to stir, says Cumberland coach and former Quebec Games and Canada Games participant Stephanie Lecot.

“The games plant the seed of hope for greater achievement… and gives them a sense of the larger events that they are all striving for in the future,” she explains.

Expected to inject approximately $1.5 million into the local economy, it has taken more than 18 months and the work of over 1,000 volunteers and full-time employees to bring this year’s games – the largest in history – to life. The second time in a row that Ottawa has hosted the games, Reid says the 2008 games will be used as a blueprint for future games in other cities.

“We did so well the first time, the province asked us to run it again a second time and keep careful track of how everything was done so we could create a template and a how-to manual for future communities that want to run this event,” explains Reid.

Events continue until Saturday across Ottawa. Tickets can be purchased on site or at Running Room locations. Regular admission tickets for access to all events are $10 with all money going to the Ottawa Big Sisters Big Brothers.

-- By David May