Fun and games

While senior bowler Brian McLean hopes his third attempt to go to the Senior Summer Games provincial championships is a strike, his main goal is just to have fun.

The 65-year-old has participated in the annual Northwest Senior Summer Games for the past two years but never made it to the provincial games. McLean has bowled for more than 40 years and bowls in a men’s major league on Saturdays.

McLean said he hopes to go to the provincials, which is held in Brampton in August, but for the most part he just enjoys bowling.

“I don’t really practice anymore because I guess my brain just has it,” he said. “I just go out and just do it. If I can go away to the provincials I`ll go to it. I just enjoy everyone enjoying bowling.”

He said it’s difficult to judge the level of competition because the games always attract new bowlers. He said he just tries to go out and get those players interested in playing. He guessed this year will have about 10 teams competing.

Ken Simard, chairman of the Northwest Senior Summer Games, said the main purpose of the games is to get seniors 55 and old to get out and be active while testing their abilities both physically and mentally.

But the main point of the games is to have fun, he said.

“When I was 55, I enjoyed the games and I ended up in Sudbury,” Simard said. “I won the games here and I felt like a 25 year old kid that was in the Olympics. So that’s how important I think it is.”

The organization committee held a big media conference in order to bring more attention to the games. Simard said they wanted more people to attend and compete and wanted the public to know that everyone is welcome to join.

People may have in their minds that the games are only for professions but Simard wanted to reassure everyone who was interested to play that it’s about coming out and enjoying the experience.

Some of the games at the event will include euchre, carpet bowling, golf, swimming, cribbage, bowling, floor shuffleboard and snooker. Registration for the games will be held from May 21 to 25 at the 55 Plus Centre on River Street and at the Herb Carroll 55 Plus Centre.

Register is $7 and additional fees may be required depending on the event.  For more information visit the Ontario Senior Games website.