The Guelph Games are no more but The GOOD Games are on their way.
“It’s the exact same concept,” said event president and CEO Helen Stoumbos when asked what impact the re-branding will have on the games themselves.
“It’s something we’ve been contemplating for a bit now,” she said of the new name, noting there was some confusion that it was limited to Guelph residents. “We wanted the name to represent what we think we’re creating.”
A full slate of events was held for the first time, under The Guelph Games moniker, this past summer, though a one-day version was held in 2021. The concept was set to launch in 2020 but was pushed off due to the pandemic.
The new name was announced through a Saturday post on Facebook. GOOD is an acronym which stands for “Get out. Out. Do.”
“It’s all about getting you out of your comfort zone,” Stoumbos said. “We wanted (the name) to be very inclusive. … It’s for anybody that wants to push themselves.”
The GOOD Games is promoted as Canada's largest international masters multi-sport festival for athletes over age 30, be they former professionals, former high school or collegiate athletes or folks interested in competing for the first time.
There’s also food trucks, a beer garden, live music, family games and more.
Next year’s slate of competitors includes athletes from Australia, England and Wales, Stoumbos noted.
The GOOD Games 2023 is set for July 8-9 at the University of Guelph.
