55 Plus Games

4 MANITOBA 55+ GAMES presented by PLAYNOW | SUPPLEMENT TO THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS to learn the rules of sports like bocce ball, pickleball and horseshoes — I even played pickleball to get a first-hand feel for the game. I also had to put schedules together." Mintenko says the immersive experience really opened his eyes to how much goes into hosting a multi-sport event. "It helped me gain more passion for sport and volunteerism. I met a lot of people, watched a lot of events and saw how hard the volunteers worked to put on a first- class event. I also gained appreciation for the fact that while everyone was there to compete, they had fun doing it. Everyone had a lot of fun." At the same time, the intensity — and ability level — of contestants was impressive, he adds. "Sports like pickleball and slow pitch were very competitive, and the competitive spirit came out in players from time to time." Fortunately, the flare-ups were short-lived due to the broader perspective that comes with being over the age of 55. "Five minutes later, players from opposing teams would be sitting down after the game, laughing, going over the game and having something to eat," Mintenko says. "It was inspiring to see people 55-plus and 60-plus putting up great results in pretty much every sport." The level of camaraderie was equally as impressive. "Make no mistake about it — people were there to compete, but they were also there to have fun and make friends. While the competition is important, some people just go to the event from year to year to see different parts of the province and connect with the friends they've made." Initially, Mintenko thought he would serve as 2018 Games chair and then move on. That thought was dispelled after going through the rich life experience the 55+ Games provides to both competitors and organizers. "Once you're involved in the Games, you'll want to continue on — that's what happened to me. I never thought I'd get involved long term, but I was invited to join the Games council, and I am representing the Westman region while helping with planning for the next Games in Swan River." He says being a regional Games representative will be a rewarding and, very likely, a long-term experience. "The networking and friends make you want to stay involved, along with gaining an understanding of the true spirit of sport and competition. That's something the 55+ Games embody and is what makes the event so special." To become a regional representative or to volunteer, please call the Manitoba 55+ Games office at 204-261-9257. The curling portion of 2019 Manitoba 55+ Games presented by PlayNow.com will be held March 18-20, while the majority of the events will run from June 11-13 in Swan River. ❙ Over the past 20 years, Bryan Mintenko has served as a volunteer at sporting events ranging from the 1999 Pan Am Games to the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. As fun and rewarding as those experiences were, he wanted more. "I found that I really liked being part of putting on big sporting events," he says. "I decided I wanted to be involved in a large multi-sport event if the opportunity came along." It came along in the form of the Manitoba 55+ Games when Mintenko was serving as recreation director in Glenboro. "The opportunity came up to host the 2018 games," he recalls. "We got it, and I was appointed as chair of the event. It was a great opportunity. At the same time, it was a lot of hard work for a community with a population of 650." It turned out to be a life-altering experience for the 40-year-old Mintenko. During the run-up to the Games, he promoted the town, helped devise tourism initiatives and oversaw facility upgrades in the scenic western Manitoba township. As chair, he also had to learn the nuances of all the different sports showcased at the Games. "Honestly, I didn't know a lot about the different events. I had to put time in 55+ GAMES EMBODY TRUE SPIRIT OF SPORT F R E E A D M I S S I O N ! WEDNESDAY , M A Y 29 , 2 0 19 1 0 : 0 0 A M - 5 : 0 0 P M V I C T O R I A I N N 1 8 0 8 W E L L I N G T O N A V E . LEARN MORE AT AOEXPO.CA A & O : S u p p o r t S e r v i c e s f o r O l d e r A d u l t s ' 5 5 + H o u s i n g & A c t i v e L i f e s t y l e s E x p o p r o v i d e s o l d e r M a n i t o b a n s a n d t h e i r f a m i l i e s w i t h a v a r i e t y o f h o u s i n g o p t i o n s , a c t i v e l i f e s t y l e o p p o r t u n i t i e s a n d s u p p o r t s e r v i c e s n e c e s s a r y f o r s u c c e s s f u l a g i n g . 12 TH AN N UAL BY TODD LEWYS FOR THE FREE PRESS Left: 55+ Games committee members (in green shirts) with a local youth baseball team who volunteered at the 2018 Games. Above: Bryan Mintenko, representative for the Westman region on the council for the 2019 Manitoba 55+ Games presented by PlayNow, with 2018 Games volunteer Blanche Carpenter. SUBMITTED PHOTO

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