Top Ten Reasons YOU Should Consider Attending the
BY KEN DE JONG, TORONTO FIRE CAPTAIN, STATION 445-A
B
ack in 2015, I participated in the World Police & Fire Games in Fairfax, Virginia and I had a great time. Shortly after that, I wrote a draft article about why people should consider attending the next games that were scheduled for 2017 in Montreal. The article did not go to print, as the Montreal Police Association was boycotting the games, due to a provincial law that was passed that unfairly capped and clawed back pension benefits. Numerous police and firefighter associations (including Toronto) supported our brothers & sisters in the boycott, and the games were eventually cancelled by the city. That year, a smaller version of the games was held in Los Angeles, and then in 2019, the games were held in Chengdu, China. They occur every two years and Rotterdam, Netherlands won the bid for 2021. Due to Covid-19, these games were postponed and are now set to go in July 2022. With the current status of the pandemic, no one really knows what will happen this summer, but I dusted off the article I wrote back in 2015 and would like to share why you may wish to consider attending these games, or the next World Police & Fire Games, which have been awarded to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Once again, Covid-19 restrictions and travel advisories should factor heavily into your decision to participate.
Top Ten reasons why you should consider attending a WPFG:
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1 It’s open to you – no matter your level of expertise. There are over 60 different sports and about 10,000 athletes at these games, without ANY qualifying necessary. Despite the fact that I wasn’t at an elite level – most people were more interested in where you were from and your fire department than what level of competition you were at.
2
It really feeds your competitive nature. Going into the games, I was worried I might be the “Jamaican Bobsled Team” of the Orienteering event. Then, I found out there were only six competitors in my division – so I started to think I had a chance to possibly medal. Then, I was just hoping not to hurt myself or get lost! Finally, I was proud that I did my best and pushed through to the end. Competing in the games really tests you and gives you the drive to improve for the next games.
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