Athlete Expectations at Major Games
Provincial Games
General
- Athletes will be away from home for 4 days
- Athletes must be comfortable with minimal parental contact while at games
- Athletes have to be prepared to provide complete self care in terms of personal hygiene, and cleanliness
- Athletes must be comfortable in a structured environment. The Games follow a prearranged schedule, with limited free time
- Athletes must be able to handle a long day, as events can begin quite early in the morning and run well into the evening
- Athletes must adhere to the Athlete Code of Conduct at all times
- Athletes must sign and follow the Games Agreement
Travel
- Athletes can expect to travel via bus or train to the host site (Plane for some remote locations). This could involve an early morning departure and several hours of travel time
- Travel days are usually Thursdays and Sundays
- Athletes must be able to travel without their parents, and as part of their team
- Athletes may be asked to travel with a different coach from who will coach them at Games
- Some venues may be located a fair distance from the accommodations, so athletes will need to be prepared to commute each day
- Athletes need to be prepared for travel schedules and methods to change due to unforeseen circumstances
Meals
- Athletes will need to eat during assigned times, food will not be available upon request
- Athletes will need to be flexible in their food selections. Dietary needs will be accommodated, but picky eaters will not
- All food allergies need to be reported in order for them to be accommodated
- Athletes should bring their own snacks if they require more regular sustenance, or for night time snacking
Accommodations
- Athletes will each have their own bed, but may be required to share a room or bathroom facilities with another athlete, possibly a stranger
- Accommodations can vary from hotels to university residences to army barracks
- Parents will not have access to the accommodation areas
- Security will be at each residence in order to ensure only properly accredited persons are allowed into accommodations
Competition
- Athletes will need to be adaptable with the competition schedule, as with all events this large, changes and delays are the norm
- Athletes need to be comfortable working with unfamiliar coaches, athletes and officials
- Athletes need to know and understand the rules of the sport in which they are competing
- Athletes need to be prepared to compete Thursday – Saturday, with some events running prelims and finals
Activities
- On Thursday night, there will be an opening ceremonies. Athletes can expect lots of noise and excitement at these events. This can last up to 5 hours from athlete arrival to departure. Athletes need to be prepared for a lot of waiting and several speeches
- On Saturday night, the athletes will have the opportunity to partake in the closing ceremonies and victory dance. This will be a fun, but often crowded, time to celebrate their achievements with other athletes. The victory dance often runs late into the night
Other
- Athletes cannot go off on their own, their coaches must know where they are
- To be able to go offsite with family an offsite form must be completed and handed in by the deadline date (normally at least a month prior to games)
National Games
- Athletes should expect a similar experience as Provincials
- Nationals usually run for 7 days instead of the 4 for Provincials
- Athletes must be able to fly to host location