KEEPING YOUNG - Ancaster Senior Achievement Centre

Ancaster Keeps Its Head Above Water!
June was a spectacular month at the Ancaster Senior Achievement Centre!
Aubrey Smith, a very active member of our Centre, has been in the ‘swim of
things’ for many years, but 2011 was a special year. Twenty-eleven actually began
back in August 2010 with a great swimming performance at the Canada 55+ Games
held in Brockville, Ontario. The Canada 55+ Games are held every two years.
These Games provide the silver and gold medal winners from the various Provincial
games held across the country to compete against each other at a National level.
And, it is a big event! In fact, over 3000 competitors from our nine provinces and
two territories participated in 21 events scheduled in a five day period in Brockville.
The Brockville Games were opened by the Games Torch Bearer Walter Gretsky, another area senior!
And perhaps it was a good omen for Aubrey to have a ‘winner’ like Walter on hand. Aubrey won four medals
in the 55+ age category against the top senior swimmers in the country. He finished with Gold Medal in
the 100 meter Breaststroke; Silver Medals in the 50 meter Freestyle and the 50 meter Breaststroke; and, a
Bronze in the 100 meter Freestyle. Smith also was a member of a ‘two man - two women’ medley race that
outpaced the Yukon and Alberta teams. Not only did the medley performances lead to medals, but also enabled
Ontario to win the swimming portion of the Canada Games. Clearly, Aubrey and his colleagues made
waves in Brockville!
Following his outstanding swimming performances in the Canada 55+ Games, Aubrey was invited to
represent Canada at the prestigious International 55+ Summer Games held in Houston Texas last June. The
55+ Games, although clearly focused on performance, are dedicated to encouraging older adults to not only
compete at their highest possible level, but also pursue healthy lifestyles through participation in sports and
personal fitness. The 55+ Summer Games, organized by the National Senior Games Association, have
grown to become one of the largest multi-sport events in the world, and now draws athletes in a broad range
of sports and activities from across the US, Europe and Canada,
The Houston event was ‘no small potatoes!’ More than 10,000 women and men athletes competed in 18
sports held in 14 different venues in the Houston area over the course of 15 days. One hundred and four of
these athletes were from Canada participating in activities ranging from archery, badminton, basketball,
bowling, cycling, golf, horseshoes, walking and racquetball to shuffleboard, softball, table tennis, tennis,
track and field, triathlon and volleyball. Oh yes, and did we mention swimming!
Well Aubrey did very well! He competed in four events, and despite a shoulder separation just prior to the
Games, he trussed himself up, gritted his teeth, and managed a 14 th place finish. Well done Aubrey! We are
delighted you were part of the 55+ Games in Houston, as well as the Canada Games in Brockville. And, we
congratulate the 104 Canadians for their participation in the Houston Games and applaud them for returning
home with more than twenty plus Medals. These seniors help us to focus our attention on the importance of
fitness and the potential that lays dormant within many of us! Whether it is chair exercises, painting, golf or
swimming, our challenge is to exploit our opportunities. Aubrey and his colleagues have demonstrated the
possible each of us have to explore and develop. While Aubrey is getting ready now for Canada Games in
Halifax in 2012, let’s all of us start tomorrow setting goals to improve our fitness and get on with it!
Wow! It sure was a great June in Ancaster!
12