Thousands of Calgary families flocked to gyms across the city on Saturday for All Sport One Day, a free event organized by Sport Calgary that offered children the chance to try a wide variety of sports. The initiative, now in its second decade, partnered with more than 60 local organizations to provide 55 different activities at 11 athletic centres, including Brookfield Residential YMCA in Seton, the Genesis Centre, Saddletowne YMCA, MNP Community and Sports Centre, VIVO For Healthier Generations, and WinSport.
A Family's Discovery on Social Media
Brendan Bakai came across a post by Sport Calgary while browsing social media and immediately knew what his family would be doing that weekend. He and his wife, Elisabeth Kelly, spent Saturday morning at MNP Community and Sports Centre, where one of their two sons tried fencing for free. “It’s just something they haven’t tried, and we probably wouldn’t have them try otherwise,” Kelly said.
The event has grown steadily since its launch over a decade ago, despite disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Candice Goudie, Sport Calgary’s newly appointed CEO and president, emphasized the broader benefits of sports participation. “We talk about sport being the first place for a young person to fail, to get let down, to have to manage conflict, to learn how to work with other people, which we all know are skills that we need as we grow older, and you know, at any age,” Goudie said. “So, being able to participate in a sport where you’re provided the opportunity to learn about those things and skill development in a safe environment, like sport teams are and should be, is, you know what today is really about.”
Affordable Access to Sports
Kelly highlighted the financial barriers families face when enrolling children in sports. “I mean, it’s really expensive to enrol your kids in sports, you have to know where to look for them. So to have an opportunity to try things out, see what they like without a huge cost, and to not have to travel around the city, I think it’s a great opportunity,” she said.
The free lessons offered at the event included rollerblading, hockey, basketball, soccer, martial arts, dance, rugby, and flag football. “It really is about finding something that a young person really leans into and likes a lot,” Goudie added.
Supporting Newcomers and Building Community
Scott Godfrey, executive director of Lacrossing Barriers, was teaching more than a dozen kids at MNP. He stressed the event’s importance for newcomers adjusting to life in Calgary. “A family comes here, moves to another continent, to another country, that’s a lot to go through, but to know that their children, or they can find a place where they’re valued and listened to, they’re given hope — it’s about providing people opportunities to play a sport, not based on finances, not based on where you live, not based on what your occupation is, but what your desire and hopes are,” Godfrey said.
The event also featured activities like luge and sledge hockey, adding excitement for participants. All Sport One Day continues to serve as a gateway for Calgary children to discover new sports and build lifelong skills in a supportive environment.
