The second Alberta Indigenous Games were a success according to the games’ founder and CEO.
“All the athletes really engaged and just really had a lot of fun and just enjoyed the competition,” said Allan Ross, the founder.
The 2013 Alberta Indigenous Games ran Aug. 4 to 8, with the majority of events occurring in St. Albert but some happening in Enoch and Leduc. According to Ross, there are three objectives to holding the games: sport development, empowerment and cultural connection for aboriginal youth.
Ross estimated about 300 athletes participated in the events, though he noted a final number wasn’t available yet.
Rain on Wednesday impacted the gala and talent show, he said, but archery, golf and track and field events continued despite the weather.
Events included a sacred eagle staff run, a powwow, and a variety of sports. Cultural events, entertainment and even a career fair also were part of the games.
Ross said the sacred eagle staff run was one of the highlights for him.
“When you have a group of runners who have never run 10 kilometres in their life, none of them had ever run that distance and the majority of them finished it, that is so impressive,” Ross said. Some of the runners were “couch potatoes” who got motivated to participate and have now expressed an interest in more running, he said.
“Everyone I spoke to and coordinators are saying they want to come back, they want to make these games bigger and better,” he said.
The sport events were open to 12- to 18-year-olds.
“Fourteen, 15-year-olds were our majority,” Ross said.
It hasn’t been decided where the next Alberta Indigenous Games will be held, but Ross said various mayors are hoping to host. Between that and excitement from participants and volunteers, momentum is already being built for 2015, he said.
