Dear Brentwoodians,
Keep the Fun in Sports
Like many of our readers, I followed the recent Winter Olympic Games in Italy with interest and shared the disappointment of our women’s and men’s teams both losing to the USA in the gold-medal games. Also, like many, I marvelled at the huge medal haul raked in by Norway – a tiny country, with a population barely larger than Alberta’s, but a winter sports superpower.
My first reaction was that there are far too many cross-country ski and biathlon events, which together accounted for over half of Norway’s medal count (25 of 41 total, 10 of 18 gold). But I was interested to read an article in the UK Guardian which pointed out the high rate of participation in sports at all levels and age groups in Norway, giving a large talent pool for the national Olympic teams to draw from (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/26/norway-winter-olympics-message-for-us-all).
The Norwegians foster this interest in sports as a life-long pursuit focusing on the joy of playing. Children’s leagues are non-competitive and the emphasis is on participation and confidence-building instead. It is a marked contrast to North America, where kids are quickly expected to dedicate multiple evenings a week and part of their weekend days if they want to continue to take part in a given sport.
There may well be a place for serious competitive leagues and tournaments in youth sports, but what seems to be in short supply are opportunities for recreational participation, especially for kids who are aging out of the community soccer programs, which only go up to U9 or U10.
In the warmer months I play recreational slo-pitch through the Calgary Sport and Social Club (CSSC). Games are once a week, no pre-requisite skill or previous experience required, and the emphasis is on fun instead of winning (which is a good thing because my team loses a lot). It is too bad that there aren’t similar spaces for kids and teens who might like to play hockey or baseball without making a major time commitment. It would help keep them active, give them a break from screen time, and—who knows? —some of them might discover a passion for pursuing a sport more seriously and even become future Olympians.
Photo Contest
The Bugle is looking for Brentwood’s best amateur photographers to provide cover images each month. If you have a great snap of our neighbourhood saved on your phone or posted on your social media feed, send it in for a chance to be featured on the cover of an upcoming issue! Photos must be 300 DPI or higher (i.e. from a newer model phone or good digital camera), 2400 x 1600 pixels minimum size, and portrait orientation. If submitting pictures of minors, please make sure that you have direct, express permission to submit the picture from a parent or guardian. Send your photos, or any questions, to [email protected].
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Jucker
Editor, Brentwood Bugle
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