The 55+ Games continue to be popular among local athletes and many have qualified to compete in the 2018 Canada 55 Plus Games being hosted by Saint John, NB, Aug. 21-24.

Cochrane golfer Alicia Brooks, eight-ball player Bill Gibbons, swimmer Roswitha Schmitt-Blouin, lawn bowlers Nancy and Karl Gibbie, and ballplayers Nick Radmanovich and Pat Drinnan are among the 366 athletes representing from Alberta. 

Bearspaw's Debra Hawker and Douglas Campbell will be participating in lawn bowling while Clint Docken, of Bragg Creek, and Millerville's Jack Whittle will be cycling.

Local athletes have had success at the national games, held every two years, and The Gibbies, Schmitt-Blouin, Gibbons, Radmanovich and Gilbert have all previously won medals.

While she has previously medalled in lawn bowling, pickleball and shuffleboard at 55 Plus Games, swimming is the first love of Schmitt-Blouin. Last summer she won two gold and one silver medal at the Alberta 55 Plus Games to add to the collection of other swimming medals she has won over the years and she's looking forward to now competing at the national level in both the 200m and 400m.

Last time at nationals, she medalled in lawn bowling.

"I'm really happy to be swimming and I enjoy the opportunity to meet new people at the games. With the Canada games every province is involved, so it's pretty exciting."

It's Alicia Brooks first time at the nationals and she earned the right to represent Alberta after winning gold in last summer's provincials.

"I was absolutely thrilled about it," she recalls. "It was a surprise actually because I tend not to look at the leaderboard. When they called my name I was really surprised."

She's excited about participating in her first nationals and having a chance to play her sport of choice in Saint John (although curling is a close second).

"I'm really looking forward to going to the games, meeting the people and having a good time."

Radmanovich has medalled in multiple disciplines over the years but he's probably best known for his involvement with slo-pitch. He's also vice-president of Zone 2 for 55 Plus Sports and technical director of the provincial body.

He and Drinnan are playing for the Alberta Braves mixed team who will be attempting to defend their title from the 2016 games.

As a lefty, Radmanovich normally plays field or first base.

"They're taking me because I can hit the ball," says Radmanovich. "They have younger guys for the field but I'll probably get to play some field, I showed them I still can."

Radmanovich recently returned from Missoula, MT with a silver medal in the 70 plus category from the 14th Annual Thompson/Corr Montana Senior Games as a member of the Drifters team. He says the Drifters have been a Zone 2 ball dynasty since 2003 and now have four teams: 55 plus men's. 65 plus men's, 70 plus men's and mixed.

Local floor shuffleboard players recently participated in the Provincial 55 Plus Qualifiers. Doug Campbell and Karl Gibbie ( blue shirts) won bronze in the men's 70 plus category while Dan Stuehrenberg and Cliff Hoffman (burgundy shirts) won gold in the 55 Plus category.

While baseball is a 50-year passion for Radmanovich, through 55 Plus he's a regular volunteer organizer and plays a variety of sports.

"It's a lot of fun to play more than one game and that's what this introduced to me five years ago. We have 28 different games and it's a whole lot of fun. I've played everything except contract and duplicate bridge."

He says the 55 Plus Sports are physical, like ball, but also offer mental games like cards. All are an important way to stay active and they provide an opportunity to meet new people and make new friendships. He says it's ideal for those who are single or widowed.

Provincial 55 Plus Qualifiers

Four Cochrane floor shuffleboard players recently won medals in the Zone 2 qualifiers hosted by Drumheller for the upcoming Alberta 55+ Games in Edmonton, Sept. 7-9.

Dan Stuehrenberg and Cliff Hoffman won gold medals in the 55 Plus category while Karl Gibbie and Doug Campbell won bronze in the 70 Plus category. 

Qualifiers continue to be held. They include: pickleball in Strathmore, July 21; Slo-Pitch in Calgary, July 21; and golf in Strathmore, July 26.

Zone 2 cuts across Alberta just above the south zone. High River is in the south, Olds in the north while it runs east to west from Empress to Banff. Over 28 athletes from the zone are representing Alberta in the Saint John games.

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