Growing up in a community where healthy living is important, being involved in sports was imperative. Sports not only taught me important life skills, but it was the foundation to my now healthy lifestyle. Sports also gave me confidence in my abilities to be part of a team, helped create lasting friendships, and gave me the opportunity to challenge myself. The Royal Glenora Club in Edmonton, AB has found it equally important to offer an opportunity for kids to learn a new sport/skill which encourages healthy living in their community. Through their annual YEG’s Best Athlete event, they encourage kids ages 6-12 to challenge themselves. Each kid has to participate in all sports offered at the Royal Glenora Club, opening them up to new opportunities for learning. The winner has a possibility of being sponsored by the Club for further professional training through a Merlin Membership. Having visited the facility and having the wonderful opportunity to work with Evelyn Rivera (Housekeeping Manager) & Dave Gray (Director of Facilities) I get excited about their passion to make a difference in the young community. They believe the children are our future. Let’s continue to make a positive influence on the importance of healthy living.
Shannel
What is YEG’s Best Athlete?
YEG’s Best Athlete is an event that searches for Edmonton’s best Junior Athlete. This competition allows kids ages 6-12 the chance to try their hand at all of the Royal Glenora Club’s sports — swimming, badminton, fitness, hockey, skating, squash, and tennis — with the opportunity for one child from each of three age categories to win a $1,000 RESP, and for one child from the entire group to win an RESP contribution for their exceptional athletic integrity. Each kid has to participate in each sport offered at the Royal Glenora Club, opening them up to new opportunities for learning.
Athletes who show exceptional skill or promise have the opportunity to be sponsored by the Club for further professional training by the Club’s professional coaches or instructors through a Merlin Membership.
In the end, one Athlete from each age category who has the highest score in all sports will be named YEG’s Best Athlete.
Registration is open to both Members of the
Royal Glenora Club and the public, and is free!
Below is a speech from a past YEG’s Best Athlete champion (13 year old girl named Kalee Seto) along with pictures.
Hi, my name is Kalee Seto. I am 13 years old. This is my first key-note speech so if I mess up or stumble please excuse my mistake. I would like to start off by thanking RGC for hosting this fabulous tournament and for giving me this wonderful opportunity. Some of the things I would like to talk about today are my previous experiences in this competition and how I prepared myself to be ready. For the kids, don’t think negative. One negative thought in your head will keep you from doing the best you can. For example, don’t think that you will do badly in a certain sport just because you haven’t
played it before. It might be hard to ignore your thought so just think of something you like or how much you want to win. AND for the parents, your emotions or reactions can really impact our performance. For instance, words of encouragement are great for
us. We like to see your positive reactions and that you’re having fun watching us. But I should warn you that if you’re nervous it also makes us nervous! So please remember that we are trying our hardest and we want to do well so remain calm at all costs.
Some of my experiences in this competition were meeting friends and trying sports I haven’t played on a regular basis. I think that if you have a choice, you should try multiple new sports. That’s why this tournament is great. Another cool aspect is that you get lunch, which means free food! Secondly, you gain new experiences trying new sports
that you would not normally play. In closing, I know this next phrase is cliche, but it really is true. Having fun is the most important part of competitions even if you are
trying to be really competitive. So in saying that, try your best and have fun. Thank you.
-Kalee
John Mickelson's Soap Box 