2019 Canada Winter Games Opening Ceremony

As the dust of arrival day settles, a sense of excitement fills the air as the attention of athletes, coaches, staff and fans alike shifts to the Opening Ceremony. The event is set to take place at the ENMAX Centrium here in Red Deer – itself the site of many a sporting memory in its time.

There is a tangible energy in the corridors of Red Deer College, as athletes from across the country begin to gather and wait for the buses that take us all to the site of the biggest spectacle of the Games thus far. There is a buzz from countless simultaneous conversations, mixed with sporadic chanting and cheering – all engaged, in an effort to move the needle ever higher on the energy meter.

With buses packed, it’s more of the same, as the sounds of the aforementioned cheers and chants are only amplified by the confined space and cold hard surfaces of the buses — now literally rocking on their way to our destination. The hospitality of Red Deer’s volunteers is on full display at every stop, as bus drivers and stewards embrace the youthful exuberance and encourage the camaraderie and provincial pride.

Buses are unloaded, yet again with the unwaveringly happy assistance of numerous volunteers whose voices are added to those waiting just inside the doors upon arrival. The Teams are again corralled, and the uproar continues to grow in both frequency and volume as the parade of provinces draw closer.

With stirring in the provincial corrals, pin trading, and conversation between provinces builds new friendships, a voice comes over the loudspeaker and begins giving instructions for the teams to finally start making their way inside the arena for the grand entrance – showing themselves to the country for the first time as a collective force.

The atmosphere in the tunnel is palpable with excitement and anticipation. The very foundations of the Centrium rumble with the chants and shouts of athletes, staff and coaches from coast-to-coast-to-coast. Then, with the simple “okay” over a radio, the floodgates of excitement and emotion are let wide open as the teams walk out onto the floor.

From here, all in attendance are treated to events which will undoubtedly result in an anthology of memories lasting a lifetime. The motivating speeches, tingle-inducing performances and intimate interactions between attendees are, in a word, “magical.”

It’s safe to say — the ceremony serves its purpose in setting the stage for an incredible 2019 Canada Winter Games to come.

Don’t forget to tune in to  Hot Cakes & Hot Takes daily on the Team Sask Facebook page to kick the day off with our Mission Staff in Red Deer at the 2019 Canada Winter Games, and stay up to date via Instagram and Twitter accounts all Games long.

More Team Sask stories from all sports at the 2019 Canada Winter Games dropping daily.