Grassroots Reaction to the 2015 Pan Am Games

Now that the initial shock of Toronto winning the 2015 Pan Am Games has subsided, I asked a number of teachers and coaches, politicians and sports officials working with high school and university athletes to offer up their opinions. Here are some of them.

Carl Georgevski is the head track and field coach at the University of Toronto and is a three-time Olympic jumps coach, representing Canada at the Seoul, Atlanta and Sydney games:

“Winning the Pan Am Games may be one of the most exciting and best good news stories for our City. Toronto and the entire Golden Horseshoe region will see benefits far beyond the "sports" side. Benefits will include subsidized housing, infrastructure, and the construction/renovation of community sports and recreation facilities…. The Games will help stimulate and generate more interest in healthy participation in sport for our youth, which in turn will have an impact on our health system.”

John Campbell, Chairman of the Toronto District School Board:

``I am excited for our students because the Games have the potential to be an outstanding opportunity for many of our elite high school athletes.

Sam Miceli, Principal Eastern Commerce Collegiate in Toronto:

``Long overdue and most welcome; a much-needed boost to support amateur athletes, renew and create facilities and inject life into the economy. Can't wait!``

Jeff Zownir, former McMaster University basketball player and now teacher and coach at Toronto’s St. Michael’s College:

“I think it is a wonderful opportunity to shine the spotlight on amateur athletes in Canada. Far too often, we are caught up in our focus on the professional sports. It is also a chance to add some much needed sports and recreational facilities to our community, which should help with our need to keep fit in the long term, while fulfilling the youth development of sport.”

Jennifer Myers, Director of Athletics at York University:

``I believe that the power of sport is transformational on many levels. Hosting the 2015 Pan Am Games is an unbelievable opportunity for one of the most ethnically rich cities in the world to re-define how sport can transform not just its city, but its citizens, and the lives of all who are touched by the Games.``

Arnold Witt, Principal, Sir Sanford Fleming Academy in Toronto and a former member of the York University wrestling team:

“Wow. The city has a chance to show the world. 2015 is a great backwards style approach; start with our middle school student athletes and transition them into high school with superb physical training within their sport of passion.”

Cyril Sahadath, teacher at Pickering High School and coach of one of the most successful track and field teams in Ontario:

“What I would like to see is money being spent on grassroots programs, which are really not there.....Let us not forget that the athletes that are going to benefit from these Pan Am Games are in high school and university. These Games are really a dry run for higher level competition.”

Josh Matlow, Toronto District School Board trustee:

``I believe the Pan Am Games can be an opportunity to celebrate Toronto and set a clear timeline for the creation of jobs and much-needed infrastructure into the city. However, the public should expect Ottawa, Queen’s Park and City Council to ensure a meaningful return on taxpayers’ investment.”

Ivan Joseph, Director of Athletics at Ryerson University and grew up in Toronto where he was a nationally ranked high-school track and field athlete. He was recruited to Graceland University as a student-athlete in 1993:

“Toronto winning the Pan Am Games has the potential to change the landscape of Sport in Ontario and Canada the way Title 9 did for women in sports in the USA. Title 9 was the politicians making rules for equal opportunities for women in sport. It led to more leagues, more scholarships more facilities and ultimately more women participating in sports. The women's soccer world cup championships, the growth of the WNBA, more females in leadership positions are all a part of the title 9 legislation legacy 30 years late. The Pan Am Games is not just about sport and facilities. The Games are about creating opportunities, inspiring young men and women to dream about what could be possible... The legacy of the Pan Am games will extend decades beyond its two week visit to Toronto.”

Rob Pacas is a teacher and coach and heads up the Birchmount Exceptional Athlete Program (BEAP) at Birchmount Park Collegiate in Toronto:

“Love it! We could always enhance facilities as normally amateur athletics always reap the rewards once the event has come and gone. (It’s) a great chance for athletes to participate against the best.”

Chris Braney, school trustee, Durham District School Board:

“The Games are a long awaited opportunity for showcasing our athletes and region. These Games will provide new facilities for further enhancement and training of our local athletes.”

Rob Ford, City Councillor, Ward 2, Toronto and a senior football coach at Don Bosco High in Toronto:

"Taxpayers will be left holding the bag with this one. We can't even organize our city. How are we going to do it for the Pan Am Games? I'm not in favour of this whatsoever. We should control our debts first."

Don Carmichael, high school teacher at Sir William Mulock Secondary, past president of the York Region Athletic Association and a Canadian Football league back judge:

"This is wonderful for the athletes who will represent Canada at these games. Competing in one's own country becomes a source of pride and motivation for everyone. Hopefully, southern Ontario will gain long-term benefit from the construction of new athletic facilities. Sporting venues have been part of the declining and crumbling infra-structure of this province.....Torontonians don't always warm to things which are not "major league or world class." Since this is not the Olympics, I hope it doesn't get lost or buried."

Comments

[Morris]

I find it intriguing that everyone appears to be on the same bandwagon and no one has challenged the potential logistics of having so many locations and these Games spread out.

[Lucas]

The York University athletic director sums it up best. Sports is sports but what does this kind of international competition mean to the average person on the street. We'll find out.

[Anonymous]

This is it. This is all Toronto gets. Anyone who thinks the Olympics will be in this city has to be sniffing from some illegal substance. I disagree that the Pan Am Games is the start of something bigger, other than large debits on taxpayers.

[Hoops]

I really think having a major international sports event in Toronto is a great thing but I certainly hope it doesn't become one of the things where everyone but the athletes get the primary attentionand I wonder if all this talk about the various level of government taking care of costs will actually be true. Something tells me the taxpayer will not escape this without having to shove in extra money for escalating costs.

[Al]

I find very little excitement now about the Olympics being held two months from now. Not too sure what kind of thrill the Pan Am Games will do but they might very well be better than the Argos and Blue Jays in the summer.

[Observer Joe]

Anything to build awareness for amateur sport is fine for me, but no excuses. This has to be a success.

[Mr. Blake]

Everyone is so happy and let's hope this is big. When I read what Councillor Ford says, he may end up being right.

[Paul]

Everyones loves a party but fail to realise that this will be a logistics nightmare, huge traffic congestion and while we might attract lots of money, it will also costs lost too. You folks forget we have unions, work stoppages, costs increase for everything and the politicians have already started their campaigns to figure out who is going to be in front of the camera more than the athletes. Maybe I am a pessimist but history speaks a thousand words

[BillyBart]

Pan Am games are a waste of time and money. They just spent thousands on an artificial turf at Birchmount Stadium and now will rip it up. We must really be stupid people to fall for this stuff.

[NP]

We finally can say a big sports event is coming to this city. Hope everything works out and we don't end up with egg on our face.

[Billy]

Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver get the Olympics and Toronto gets the "B" Division Pan Am Games. Yawn. What a joke.