The Barometer
Northword Winter Games
If you can’t make it to the Northern BC Winter Games in Prince Rupert in early February, the Olympics/Paralympics in Vancouver/Whistler later in February, or the BC Winter Games in Terrace this March, don’t worry. You Northword readers can participate in modified games, designed especially for you, in your own home.
Prince Rupert, February 4 -7
Futsal is a variant of “association football” (known in North America as soccer) that is mainly played indoors. Its name is derived from the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón, which can be translated as “hall football.
Obviously this is perfect to try at home. While the BC Winter Games website advises two teams of five players are used in the official version, you at home can play with two humans, or even one human and one dog. (Note: cats will play, too, but only with a very small ball or mouse-like object.)
Vancouver/Whistler, February 12 – 28
Nordic Combined – Throughout Norway in the 1800s, skiers gathered each winter for a series of ski carnivals consisting of small athletic competitions combined with some entertainment.
Considered the best of all the carnival athletes, this group specialized both in cross-country skiing—demanding endurance and strength—and ski jumping, requiring physical strength and technical control.
Now this one I like—small athletic competitions combined with some entertainment! In your home version, you can participate in extremely minuscule athletic competitions, combined with mostly or completely entertainment.
Your indoor version of cross-country skiing could involve donning long underwear and thick socks and taking a running start to slide down your hallway (clear out any Futsal equipment, players, or animals first).
Next, an entertainment break: you can play X-box, watch a movie or two, dance to Dire Straits, or sing along to old Leonard Cohen recordings. Invite friends (“competitors”) over for athletics and/or entertainment, and provide refreshments.
Onto indoor ski-jumping (same outfit as cross-country, if you like, or change into puffy, slippery ski pants if your jumps include slides and falls). Starting at the second-from-bottom step, jump down to the floor. You may want to progress to the fourth or even fifth step (for the daring) or, if slides are allowed, go right to the top of the stairs and bump down to the bottom on your bottom.
The entertainment break after jumping may include RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), or, if there are no injuries, Spanish rice and create-your-own tacos. Provide a meat/non-meat option, refried beans, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce and cheese, sour cream, guacamole. The truly adventurous can make taco shells from scratch.
Terrace, March 4 – 7
Mixed rhythmic arts—Rhythmic gymnastics: manipulate rope, hoop, ball, or ribbon for the most points for leaps, pivots, flexibility, apparatus handling, and artistic effect.
Judo: throw opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue with a grappling maneuver, or force an opponent to submit by joint locking the elbow or executing a choke.
Ringette is related to ice hockey, with the ring easier to control than a puck , and blue-line rules forcing more passing. This makes ringette a game of teamwork.
This is a special combo for Northword readers, to round out our Games season in the North. Sliding on your thick socks, pass the ribbon to a teammate to choke an opponent with artistic effect.
On second thought, don’t try this at home. Go straight to the Awards Ceremony and Closing Night festivities. Those sitting on the couch award points to all gathered for X-box thumb flexibility, most tacos consumed, and/or Dire Straits dancing artistry. Then relax—you’ve earned it!
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