Photo by Marissa Tiel
TRUE AIM 鈥 Betty Hebert, 91, takes a warm-up shot before carpet bowling practice at the Canada Games Centre on Monday.
Photo by Marissa Tiel
TRUE AIM 鈥 Betty Hebert, 91, takes a warm-up shot before carpet bowling practice at the Canada Games Centre on Monday.
Betty Hebert has never owned a car. The 91-year-old much prefers using her feet to get herself from A to B.
Betty Hebert has never owned a car. The 91-year-old much prefers using her feet to get herself from A to B.
She makes her way down the long hallway at the Canada Games Centre with the help of her walker on Monday ahead of a carpet bowling practice.
Hebert is one of the 12 Yukon athletes that will be competing in the Canada 55+ Games in Brampton later this month.
She is the oldest of the 98 seniors making the trip.
This will be Hebert鈥檚 third Games. She first attended Portage la Prarie, Man.鈥檚 2006 Games for cribbage. She competed in carpet bowling at the 2014 Strathcona County, Alta. Games.
Hebert used to be a five-pin bowler, but the balls were heavy and hard on her shoulder. She would get a cortisone shot at the end of August for her arthritic shoulder so she was ready for five-pin season come September.
鈥淔inally it got to where the doctors wouldn鈥檛 give me anymore shots,鈥 said Hebert.
鈥淢y friend said go into carpet bowling. It鈥檚 a lot more fun and it鈥檚 easier, so I did.鈥
In carpet bowling, similar to curling, there are four members to a team. The last of which, is called the skip. Hebert typically plays second. The aim of the game is to place your bowls 鈥 biased balls 鈥 closest to the jack 鈥 a smaller white or yellow ball that is placed along the centre line at the other end. Players are penalized if their bowl knocks the jack off the six-foot by 30-foot turf. Each bowl closer to the jack than the other team鈥檚 closest bowl wins a point.
Hebert enjoys both the competition and camaraderie. 鈥淲e interact really well. They鈥檙e all nice,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 get angry 鈥 maybe I do. I don鈥檛 actually have a tantrum, but I do get upset.鈥
During one of the ends in training, Hebert鈥檚 carefully placed bowl clipped the jack and the smaller ball rolled off the turf.
Hebert exclaimed and buried her head in her hands.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 been an embarrassment to the team,鈥 she said, smiling. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e all nice losers and winners.鈥
Hebert, who stands a few heads shorter than her friends is popular with her teammates.
鈥淥h she鈥檚 fun,鈥 said teammate Loretta Warnsby. 鈥淪he鈥檚 pretty sharp.鈥
Hebert grew up in rural Alberta, in a small community northeast of Calgary. She has always been active, playing goalie in hockey and shortstop in high school baseball.
鈥淚n basketball, believe it or not, I was the shortest one,鈥 she said, 鈥渂ut I could get in between the players and get a basket. I had no problem and I liked it.鈥
She cut her teeth in the hospitality industry at numerous lodges in the Alberta backcountry. She remembers one season at the Lake O鈥橦ara Lodge near Lake Louise.
Then, it was operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway and at the end of the season they awarded employees who had stuck it out with either a cash bonus or a hiking trip. Hebert always chose the hiking trip.
Whatever you bought with the money you鈥檇 soon forget, she explained, but the memories of the trip you鈥檇 have for a lifetime.
She recalls the trip from that summer, hiking from Lake O鈥橦ara past Lake Louise and ending at Moraine Lake.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e either going up a pass or going down and it鈥檚 hard work,鈥 she said.
The group鈥檚 Swiss guide told them they鈥檇 made it in the fastest time he鈥檇 witnessed, doing the normally 10-hour journey in just seven.
Hebert moved to the Yukon for the first time in 1954, way before the bus service she now relies on for transport.
She remains an active member of ElderActive Recreation Association, Yukon鈥檚 nonprofit that supports seniors going to the 55+ Games and encourages its more than 500 members to remain physically active.
In the winter, Hebert also takes part in floor curling.
She gets in to the Canada Games Centre for free now, because she鈥檚 over 90, she says. Although the home-made fudge she brought to the office couldn鈥檛 have hurt the drop in her price of admission.
Hebert will join the rest of team Yukon in Brampton for the 55+ Canada Games from August 16 to 19.
In addition to sport medals, Yukon will also aim to win the Spirit of the Games award, which they鈥檝e taken home a handful of times since the national games began in 1996.
鈥淭he next time, I don鈥檛 know if I鈥檓 still breathing, I may not be in carpet bowling,鈥 she said. 鈥淚鈥檒l go back to cribbage. It鈥檚 not so hard on the shoulders.鈥
The Yukon team is a strong source of girl power, with 56 women competing to 42 men
Yukon has won the 鈥楽pirit of the Games鈥 award many times
The average age of the team is 69
There are 10 participants over the age of 80
The largest team is in track and field, with 16 athletes competing in running and throwing events
The 2004 Games were held in Whitehorse
The Games are held every two years
Saskatchewan hosted the first official national games in 1996
This is the first year Yukoners will compete in pickleball
Fifteen athletes will compete for Yukon from the communities
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