From early-morning breakfasts to late-afternoon goodbyes, the West Schlegel Olympics at the Village at University Gates unfolded as a full day of competition, camaraderie, and unmistakable joy. What follows is a diary-style snapshot of the day — moments that, taken together, show how sport, connection, and community come alive when residents, families, and team members gather with a shared purpose.
7:15 a.m.
At the Staybridge Suites in St. Jacobs, just a few minutes north of the Village at University Gates in Waterloo, athletes, coaches, and the support team from the Villages of Aspen Lake and St. Clair in Windsor have taken over the breakfast room. They travelled the day before so they could arrive comfortably at the Village, eager for a full day of competition.
When one considers the effort that goes into the Schlegel Olympics, it is the determination we see in residents and team members like these that truly brings the event together.
10:20 a.m.
Mary Lou Roe, Councillor for Ward 6 in Waterloo, watches the opening ceremonies. She says she was immediately struck by the energy in the Village as teams from across the west arrived.
“Everything was just electric,” she says. “What I saw was, I think, pure joy. There is happiness on the residents’ faces — participating, connecting with new people and new things to do. Everybody’s aging,” she adds, “but you realize that it doesn’t mean you stop. It means you might do something differently, but there are still things to do. You still have capabilities and interests and passions, and this is an opportunity for those things to shine through.”
11:20 a.m.
After a tie-breaker, Carolyn from the host Village, University Gates, wins gold in the snowboarding event, which requires participants to balance heel-to-toe on a small transfer board atop two inflatable pads.
During the competition, the packed Town Hall is dead silent — then erupts in raucous applause and cheers. Carolyn embraces her husband, Jack, and smiles broadly. Later, she says simply, “It feels great to have won the gold!”
11:30 a.m.
Bernie, also from University Gates, has just won gold in the hockey shoot-out. Hockey, he says, is in his blood — he was an avid player in his younger days. Though he’s lived at the Village for nearly three years, this was his first time participating in something like the Schlegel Olympics.
“All the people here are great and the organization is fantastic,” he says, adding that it’s wonderful to see so much energy and so many people who have come from other Villages.
11:45 a.m.
Brad Schlegel, Vice-President of Design and Construction with Schlegel Villages, owns and operates the organization with his brothers and father. A former member of Team Canada, Brad represented the country in hockey at the 1992 and 1994 Olympics, winning silver medals at each event.
After congratulating medal winners in the curling competition, he pauses to reflect.
“The Olympic spirit is something that doesn’t stop with age,” Brad says. “The idea of healthy competition, of coming together to get to know people — that’s a universal theme that transcends any age.”
“I always find our residents — not just at the Olympics, but more generally in our Villages — to be very inspiring and uplifting in the way they approach life,” he adds. “You see it here today. The excitement is palpable, the competition is healthy and fierce, and there’s a real sense of social connectedness — of coming together as a big family.”
“In Italy, it’s the whole world coming together,” Brad says. “At University Gates today, it’s Schlegel Villages coming together in sport and in connection.”
12:30 p.m.
Elizabeth Hurlbut from the Village of Riverside Glen has just finished lunch and is preparing for the ski-jump — an event that involves propelling oneself in a wheelchair as fast as possible, then coasting to achieve the greatest distance.
Elizabeth has lived at Riverside Glen for close to 20 years and has competed in every Schlegel Olympics since they began in 2010. For her, the day is about more than medals.
“The best thing I like about the Schlegel Olympics is that everybody cheers for everyone,” she says. “Everyone sees the effort, everyone’s pushing, and everyone offers support to everyone.”
1:45 p.m.
James from the Village at St. Clair in Windsor has just finished his relay leg in the triathlon. Competing on the NuStep machine — pushing his body to its limit for two solid minutes — his role is arguably the most strenuous of all the events.
He stands afterward with his daughter Tara, his granddaughter Taylor, and his great-granddaughter Charlotte. A sporting family, the women travelled from Hamilton to cheer him on.
For Tara, watching her father compete is especially meaningful. Eighteen months earlier, the family feared he might never walk again. After suffering a severe broken leg and shoulder, James spent nearly seven months in a hospital bed, followed by two months of rehabilitation.
“We got him into a Schlegel Village, but I never thought he’d get out of bed again, truthfully,” Tara admits. “It’s been a long haul.”
With the support of the Program for Active Living team and the wider Village, James has made remarkable progress — culminating in a joyful day of competition.
“The opportunity to compete,” James says, “keeps you young.”
3:00 p.m.
As the events wrap up, the Town Square fills with a sense of camaraderie and gratitude. Joanne Potts, Vice President of Operations with Schlegel Villages, thanks everyone who helped make the day so special — from resident athletes and coaches to bus drivers, cooks, servers, and volunteers.
Everyone, she notes, came together to show what a true sense of community feels like.
“I hope each and every one of you can make your way home with your heart full of the joy of competition, inspired by our athletes,” Joanne says in closing. “I’m so very grateful to be part of an organization that celebrates our athletes, gives them this experience, and gives all of us the opportunity to be part of such an incredible day.”
