Official Competitions for the 2024 SASG

On Thursday, March 28, the Town of Coaldale released a finalized list of official competitions for the 2024 Southern Alberta Summer Games (SASG).

In September of last year, Coaldale was chosen by the Southern Alberta Recreation Association to host the 2024 Games, which will be the first to offer full programming since 2019 when the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop to the Games for 4 consecutive years. Since September, Town staff have been busy organizing the Games, including finalizing a list of official competitions that eligible athletes from across southern Alberta can register to compete in.

Official competitions include:

• 3/5/10 km runs
• Equestrian
• Pickleball
• Badminton
• Flag football
• Soccer
• Baseball
• Golf
• Softball
• Basketball (3 on 3)
• Lacrosse
  
• Swimming
• Beach volleyball
• Mini soccer
• Track & field
• Cribbage
• Photography
• Mountain biking
• Weightlifting

“A lot of people may not realize it, but the SASG Games have a long history of including competitions for games like cribbage and skills like photography, as well” said Mark McIntosh, Southern Alberta Summer Games Coordinator for the Town of Coaldale. “These competitions serve as a fantastic way to encourage diverse demographics to participate in the Games and make the Games even more inclusive – which is definitely something we want to foster moving forward. The more participants we can include and the more skills we can highlight, the better.”

“As a local coach and photographer, I am excited for all of the competitions at this year's Games, as we showcase the top talents both physical and creative”, said Blair Takahashi, who is chairing the photography competition. “The photography competition doesn't favor age or physical ability, and will focus on highlighting the skills and dedication of this craft in our community.”

Registrations for the Games will open on May 3 via the official SASG website (https://www.southernalbertasummergames.ca/) and remain open until May 31.

As for the Games themselves, they will take place from July 3-6 and include other fun-filled family friendly activities such as bbqs, concerts, and dj celebrations. “As a community, we’re honored to have been chosen to bring the Games back to life after a 4-year long hiatus and want to make sure they go off with a bang”, said Clayton Varjassy, Community Experience Manager for the Town of Coaldale. “That’s why we’re also organizing a number of other family-friendly activities for people to enjoy while the Games take place. We want the Games to be a party for the entire community!”
The Town of Coaldale and Lethbridge County would like to thank their initial event sponsors including the Coaldale Fun Run, the Coaldale Chamber of Commerce, Dennis Dirtworx, and Porter Tanner Associates Incorporated, for supporting the Games.

If you, your organization, or business, is interested in becoming an official sponsor for the 2024 SASG, please contact Mark McIntosh ([email protected]) for information pertaining to sponsorship packages.