You can take the girl out of the competition, but you can’t take the competition out of the girl.
Fifteen “Young Canadians”, aged between 46 and 76, will take part from November 4 to 13 in the Pan-Pacific Masters Games in the capital of Brisbane, Australia.
The Cheers team, which includes four New Brunswickers, will compete in the sport of softball.
Two Acadians, France Bourque, originally from Robertville but now from Dieppoise, and Ginette Sears, from Moncton, will be there. Lisa Hetherington, of Riverview but formerly of Miramichi, and Joy Hanson, of Woodstock, are the other two provincial representatives on this team completed by a player from Saskatchewan and 10 others from Prince Edward.
Bourque, Sears and Hanson were also present in Auckland, New Zealand, when the team settled for a disappointing fifth place at the World Masters in 2017. A disappointing ranking because Canada had won its first seven duels before losing in the quarter-finals.
“We still have a bitter taste,” says France Bourque. It was cruel as elimination. This time, we absolutely want a podium.”
“We are pretty much the same group as in 2017, mentions Ginette Sears who, like France Bourque, has more than 40 years of experience in her sport. There is already a great chemistry between the girls. We are definitely aiming for a podium and we proved in New Zealand that we can compete.”
Even if they are no longer as flexible as they were 40 years ago, our two Acadians claim that they are still able to perform well.
“Once on the field, we quickly find our old reflexes, says Ginette Sears laughing.
Ginette Sears of the Cheers of Canada. – Courtesy
“The quality of the game we offer is very good, says France Bouque. It’s as if, despite our age, we still have something to prove. Take Tammy Gallant, an Acadian from Prince Edward Island, even against younger girls nothing comes through at third base. She’s very good defensively.”
“As for me, since there are no teams like there are on Prince Edward Island, I prepared myself by playing with the Moncton Rebels in a league of the region. I am still able to do my part. For example, if a home plate game is going to be tight, I won’t hesitate to slip. We are very competitive”, she underlines.
“The funny thing is that all the other girls in the club were under 23 and they called me Grandma,” adds France Bourque, giggling.
In short… No less than 42 sports disciplines bringing together thousands of athletes aged 30 and over from around the world will be competing in Brisbane next week… In 2018, more than 40 countries and more than 16,000 participants took part in the Pan-Pacific Masters Games which also took place in Australia, but more precisely in the municipality of Gold Coast in the State of Queensland… Carol White, a 76-year-old Prince Edward Islander, is the oldest player in the Cheers. However, she has already let her teammates know that she mainly wants to play the role of coach on the trails. White will still be available to lend a hand on the mound, or at third base as a reserve player… In addition to softball, the Pan-Pacific Masters Games includes, among others, the following sports: archery archery, athletics, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, boxing, cricket, cycling, diving, horseback riding, fitness, soccer, futsal, golf, gymnastics, field hockey, netball, calisthenics, rowing, lawn bowling, kayaking, canoeing, pickleball, rugby, shooting, squash, swimming, taekwondo, motocross, tennis, bowling, touch football, volleyball and water polo…
