When thinking about the importance of sport participation, the focus can often centre around youth participation. Sport, however, has no age limit and anyone who wants to participate should have the opportunity to do so.
For those who are older than the ages considered conducive to peak performance, masters sport offers an opportunity to train and compete in an organized environment. Many individuals maintain their desire to participate in sports beyond the age limits present in most forms of competition. A Masters sport community provides them a dedicated place to do so.
Masters sport is organized at regional, national and international levels. The minimum eligible age to compete is typically between 25 and 35 years old. Participants are usually classified into 5 to 10 year age groups in competition with no maximum age limit.
While youth sports are not always as accessible as they should be, they are often the primary focus of advocacy for increasing sport infrastructure in a community. It’s also important, however, to dedicate resources to older individuals who want to participate in sport and be active as they get older.
Physical activity has been shown through research to have a positive link to physical and psychological health. The most important benefits of regular activity include reduced prevalence of many diseases, as well as decreased mortality. People of all ages can gain physical, psychological, social, and emotional benefits from being active.
The rise in popularity of masters sport can also have a positive effect on others who might not be as active. By seeing your peers taking up physical activity and enjoying the benefits of it, you might be more inclined to be active yourself. For more information about the benefits of masters sport to healthy aging, read this Sport Information Resource Centre article.
On a global scale, the most notable masters sport event is the World Masters Games, organized by the International Masters Games Association. While this year’s edition was cancelled due to Covid-19, it is the largest multi-sport event in the world in terms of participants, hosting up to 30,000 athletes every four years.
In Canada, some National Sport Organizations have masters sport affiliates, like Field Hockey Canada Masters and Canadian Masters Athletics. These governing bodies ensure there is organized competition at the national level for the athletes and help facilitate their international participation in masters sport. Much like with traditional competitive sport, there are also provincial and local level organizations.
Ottawa is home to Canada’s largest masters swim club, the Nepean Masters Swim Club (NMSC). The club has roughly 250 members of varying ages. The club operates out of the Walter Baker sports centre pool in Ottawa from September to early June and provides swimmers with coaching to meet their level and access to local, national and international competitions.
Masters sport clubs like NMSC are important for the sport community. They create a space that allows anyone, regardless of age, to continue to pursue physical activity at their desired pace and intensity.