@ Wednesday, August 10, 1988 a oe Sed @ Sarr Oe ee Pech e ee RT engine - aircraft By HUBERT BEYER VICTORIA -- By most standards, Canadians are a pretty con- servative lot. Our eyes don’t get misty looking at the Maple Leaf ag. No lump in our throats when the band strikes up Oh Canada. Most of the time, we don’t stand on guard for thee, but against any overt exhibition of national pride. But every so often, we get caught off guard. That’s what hap- pened to about 15,000 people attending the opening ceremonics of the B.C. Summer Games in Victoria. Tossing aside all conser- vative notions, they reveiled in feelings of unabashed pride, and for good reasons. From the opening ceremonies, through all the competitions, to the closing ceremonies, the Games were spectacular. The spirit of both athletes and spectators was great, the organization superb and skies blue and warm throughout. The opening ceremonies had more than just a passing resem- - blance to Olympic competitions. Imagine 4,800 athletes march- ing into Centennial Stadium, set into the lush grounds of the Uni- versity of Victoria campus. They came from every corner of the province to test their skills in numerous sports from track and field to under-water hockcy, from swimming to soccer, from softball to lawn-bowling. They weren ’t all of that magical age at which physical prowess is at its peak. The oldest. competitor was well over 70, the youngest was a mere seven years old. One sports writer called it a festival with a sports theme, a good description. The organizational efforts that went into the Games was her- culean. About 800 volunteers had been working for close to a year to make the Games a success. They were joined by an army of 4,000 more volunteers during the last four wecks, leading up to the three-day event. The lineup of entertainment was equally impressive. The Sky Hawks, a crack Canadian Armed Forces. sky jumper team, had the crowd roaring during the opening ceremonies. The Victoria Police. Choir. gave a memorable performance. So did the hundreds of youngsters, dancing on the stadium field. Throughout the Games, the athletes excelled, giving it. their ~ best shot. And while no Olympic or world records may have From a Cessna 172 single- » to. a. CF-18 - ‘Sidney’ s Kittyhawk squadron. . been broken, the spirit of the participants was every ‘bit as high « as. He signed up for air cadets in - THE REVIEW 9781-2nd St., Sidney B.C. Summer Games festival of sports and pride that which marks world-class sporting competitions. A lot of people received praise for the Games during those three days, except the ones whose legacy they are. For those whose memories don’t go back that far, I would like to mention here the names.of two people who, more than anyone else, deserve the credit for the Games. Mect Bill Bennett and Grace McCarthy. Remember them? They took the germ of an idea and ran with it. Way back, in 1976, then Premier Bennett started the ball rolling. Like every good idea, this one, too, was met with its share of skepticism and cynicism, but it took hold. The B.C. Summer and Winter Games have become the model sporting events, looked at with envy by others. At the outset, this column was to have no negative comment. Unfortunately, something is afoot that prompts me to introduce a sour note. The format of the Games, we are told, is to be changed from broad-based to clitist. ~ What that means is the B.C. Games are no longer to be festivals with a sports theme. They are no longer to be events in which athletes of lesser ability can compete for the sheer joy of it. No longer are the Games to be merely a gathering of British Colum- bians, celebrating their own enjoyment of physical compctition. Instead, the B.C. Games are to become highly compctitive. They are to become the testing ground for Olympic and World competition. What a shame. And what an alicnation of a beauti- ful idea. Turning the B.C. Summer and Winter Games into a breeding ground for Olympic athletes may help bring a few more precious medals to our province every four years, but at what price? I consider myself a damned good downhill skier and I was determined to make it into the next winter games in Nelson, but I’m afraid that at 53, my reflexes don’t quite measure up to those of 20-year-old Olympic material. I’d never make it past the trials if the B.C. Games are to be- come truly elitist. The same goes for the 74- year-old who com- peted in last week’s summer games. That puts the B.C. Games at cross roads. They can remain the "broad-based" and friendly sports festivals or they can become dead-serious competitions. Which should it be? For my. moncy, T’ll take the B.C. Games just the way they are, thank you. What do you think? - let sets CF- 18 i in sights | cwhile,’ Brassington said. ‘‘We’re up at 5:30.a.m. and get —_ ington, traffic ‘controller Barry Brass-. } plans..on ‘hitting the. j ‘Stelly’ S “honors student .was in his fourth - - Bay. fighter jet. — that’s the plan- Travis Brassington hopes will fly. . By GLENN WERKMAN © Review Staff Writer. the 17- -year-old ‘Secondary School Last week - week of.a ‘seven-week Air Cadet .’ -League of Canada flying school” ; scholarship. at ane Camp, Pat. Brassingtor c came ‘up through : “the ranks of the 676 Kittyhawk - ‘squadron and air cadet officers - have high praise for. the qoilities’ “-he demonstrates. The commanding off ficer + says” ~~ he. ‘exemplifies what.we are: ‘-hoping: to achieve inthe Air. - . Cadet movement.’ “Anything he touches he ex= cels: at,’’ said. Capt. Bernice Doherty. Brassington, 17, :is.a. warrant . officer (second. class) and the senior ranking officer at’ PILOT IN... TRAINING poses in front of Cadet Camp Pat Bay last week in his. flying sult. Travis, Brassington, |. the senior Mlicer'at a6 Kit- tyhawk Squadron, hopes ‘to become — a: fighter | ‘pilot.. He = ts currently. “undergoing the first step. towards his goal throug an Air Cadet League fly- J ing. scholarship. fro: a private pilot license. a ceeinaelialenee smumiennenmemnenmnmaniod Some serious. The. Arthritis ‘us that of the more: than 100 dif- ferent types of arthritis, some are ‘serious and some are nol, The deprees of disability. vary widely, as do methods of treat- ment, prem g 3, 500 children OF the“ estimated, . people in WC. with “an tlitilis, 3,500 are: children under the aye of 1G, - oo ‘ write. or call Danda Humphreys, Communications Coondinator, The Arthritis, Society, B.C. and Yukon Division, 895 West 10th “Ave., Vancouver, B Ci V5Z. 11.7. Phone 870.7571 sab VO or 34, _ Society reminds | 320, Ono. For free: information, please: January 1984, and completed his basic training at Penhold, Alta... . Last: summer ‘received his. Ministry. of Transport ° glider pilot. wings after. completing: the: six-week . Pacific ‘Region. Gliding School : Program in Princeton.: Brassington © scored: 94.: per cent on a league test and ap- . peared before a three-member © >.r - board before being awarded the. = about scholarship, worth: $6,000... across. Canada are on. flying _scholarships at Cadet Camp Pat » -Bay. During the. seven . weeks’ they complete 48 hours of flying. ; time and. 40 hours of ground “school before. a Private: pilot’ s license i is issued, : “Tt doesn’t leave much free. time for goofing off. ‘‘We live-in proper military, style with inspections once ina Brassington : to eat the wonderful food.” Sunday is the only day off. Other mornings a bus arrives at the barracks - on. - Kittyhawk ‘Road at. 7.a.m: Some students go to ground school at the Vic-. toria Flying Club in the :morn- ing and fly all afternoon, others . ~ flyin ‘the, morning ‘and go to-: ground school in the afternoon. The ‘bus returns: ‘them to, bar- racks at4p. m: “Part of the fun of cetrine | in- “to® cadet camp’ is. the: pillow .: “fights = A total’ of 27 ‘students from -and herbie © .beaters,”’ Brassington. ‘joked. ‘He knows many of the others in the camp. “ school: in’ .Princeton and testifies to. the : from. the glider’ camaraderie they feel. ‘For the. future,” Barssinetoi 7 plans to. join the: Canadian military, cross-his fingers and: hope for a fighter pilot’s seat. “It’s -a lot of work ‘to get there,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s kind of if- fy all the way through and you . have to be the best.”’ Brassington, the: son. of air Check & Compares for B.F. GOODRICH - GENERAL TIRE BRIDGESTONE ~ MICHELIN ‘OUR EVERYDAY LOW tow , YW eee LY LOW Low prices _Q, DO WE HAVE E DISCOUNTS FOR SENIORS?27? A. OF COURSE WE DO! CHECK a OUT: THINK BIG THINK, . OK, books hard to stay on top in his bid for a fighter pilot’ s seat. But one little detail in his physical examination could ruin all the - hopes. The.-distance. from his hip ‘bone to his knee has to be a cer- tain length so he can eject from a CF-18.. The first thing done is | : Tf. it’s, 100... ». Jong, Brassington is out.: the measurement. But if the: measurement © “into “rotary”. aircraft, it’s off to. Toronto toe more tests. Then he may get to. fly Musketeers and::advance'‘to » | (Tudors. If all goes’ well the air. force. then decides. ‘to put the” pilot: transport planes or fighter jets.: Brassington says most of. the b others in the program plan to — Page B3 ROWBOTTOM INSURANCE BROKERS Mr. Martin Hall is pleased to an- nounce a new partnership with Mr. Vic Rouse. 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