Alberta Games FAQ

Each sport's technical package -including roster size, eligibility and rules of play – specifies how athletes and coaches are eligible to participate in the Alberta Games. 

All athletes must qualify in a Zone playoff/selection, and meet their sport's eligibility requirements. Technical packages are available under each Games by clicking SPORTS INFORMATION.

The Zone playoffs/selections are organized by the Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) for each sport.  Please contact your PSO or your coach to find out more details, and the schedule of the playoff/selection in your Zone.

A list of the Provincial Sport Organizations can be found under SPORTS INFORMATION for each Alberta Games.”

Alberta is divided into 8 Zones for the Alberta Games.

Each Zone is assigned a colour for identification during the Games.

• Zone 1 - Sunny South  (Grey)
• Zone 2 - Big Country  (Brown)
• Zone 3 - Calgary  (Red)
• Zone 4 - Parkland  (Orange)
• Zone 5 - Black Gold/Yellowhead  (Yellow)
• Zone 6 - Edmonton  (Green)
• Zone 7 - North East  (Navy Blue)
• Zone 8 - Peace Country  (Royal Blue)

Alberta Games Zone Map - PDF Zone List by Communities 

When you qualify for the Alberta Games, and pay your registration fee you will receive:

• Transportation to and from the Games by bus if you live outside of 100km from the Host Community.

• Accommodation - all participants (athletes, coaches and chaperones) are housed in school classrooms

• Meals at the Games will be provided at the Food Centre

• Transportation in and around the Host Community during the Games

• Zone ID - apparel that identifies what Zone you are from

• Participation in Ceremonies and other social events

Alberta Games participants (athletes, coaches and chaperones) stay in local schools, called an 'Athlete Village'. Zone teams will be housed in separate male and female Villages.

Each team will be assigned 1 or 2 classrooms within each Village depending on the size of the Zone team. A mattress will be provided for you to sleep on, but you will need to bring your own sleeping bag and pillow.

All participants are required to stay in the Athlete Village for the 3 nights of the Games, and a nightly curfew is set for the Games. Only those participants with the proper accreditation will be allowed in the Villages.

Bus transportation is provided to and from the Alberta Games. All participants (athletes, coaches and chaperones) that live outside of a 100km from the Host community are eligible to take an Alberta Games bus to and from the Games.

If you want to use the bus transportation, ensure that you check-off the required transportation when you register on-line for the Games.

You will receive a confirmation email from the Games registration office of your assigned bus to and from the Games. In this confirmation you will be given your bus number as well as the departure times and location of your pick up and drop off point.

You are welcome to drive to and/or from the Games, however you must arrive at the in-person Registration Centre before it closes at 4:00pm, or you will be in breach of the Alberta Games Code of Conduct.

All athletes (and coaches/chaperones) attending the games must stay in the accommodation sites on all three nights of the games as indicated in the Code of Conduct signed by each athlete and parent.

Any athlete that leaves early will be considered to be in breach of the code of Conduct and your Provincial Sport Organization will be notified.

All Zone team coaches are given a list of their athletes. You should be contacted by your Zone coach prior to the Alberta Games. If this hasn't happened before you leave for the Games, please contact your Provincial Sport Organization found under SPORTS INFORMATION.

All Alberta Games participants must register on-line by selecting On-Line Registration from the drop down menu found by clicking on one of the Games.

The Informed Consent Form is the first thing you’ll have to complete, properly sign and upload when you register for the Alberta Games. You must complete the form before you will be allowed to compete at the Games. The Informed Consent Form must be signed by you (and for athletes, your parent/guardian). 

Additionally all athletes must agree to abide by the Code of Conduct that has been provided

• Your sport equipment and uniform for competition.

• A sleeping bag, pillow, towel and any toiletries that you require.

An internal bus system will be available to all accredited Alberta Games participants (athletes, coaches and chaperones).

There is no charge for the bus service. These internal buses usually make a loop around the community on a regular schedule, and will stop at each of the sport venues and the Food Centre.

A detailed map of the bus routes can be found in the Participant Handbook.

Breakfast and dinner will be served at the Food Centre during the Alberta Games, starting with dinner on your day of arrival and ending with lunch on departure day.

On competition days, bagged or box lunches will be provided for lunch and will be delivered to your sport venue.

Food Centre hours are generally:    Breakfast: 6am-9am  and Dinner: 4:30pm - 8:30pm

• Look for an Alberta Games registration office follow-up e-mail to confirm your personal information when you’re confirmed by your sport’s Provincial Sport Coordinator in the Games database.
• Contact your Provincial Sport Coordinator to answer any specific sport questions pertaining to the Games event, and to access a roster of your Zone team if you don’t have one.
• Check out the technical package, under “Sports Information” on the Games website.

Check out www.albertawintergames.ca or www.albertasummergames.ca

Visit the Host community web site for information for spectators or visitors, including ticket information, hotel accommodation and the program of cultural activities.

Refer to the Participant Handbook or the information you receive from the Sport Conference Call prior to the Games.

The Sport Conference Call is a sport-specific, evening telephone meeting of about 2 hours held about 1 ½  weeks before the Games to assist Coaches to prepare for the Games.

Information regarding the Participant Handbooks for your team, transportation information, Host community details, sport-specific information, and additional Games information will be discussed.

Coaches will be able to ask questions of the Host Sport Chair, the Provincial Sport Coordinator, the Head technical official and the Sport Liaison of the SPAR Multisport Games Unit during this meeting

Sport Conference Calls will be coordinated by the Sport Liaison and your Provincial Sport Coordinator

Contact your Provincial Sport Coordinator to get information (eg. if you haven’t been involved in the final Zone team roster, or seen a copy of your sport schedule).

Call in to the Sport Conference Call as directed, and review your team roster and sport schedule

Participant Handbook reviewed during the Sport Conference Call contains information for you and your chaperones and athletes before and during the Games.

Review the Code of Conduct.

Coaches/chaperones should make plans to travel to the Alberta Games with their Zone team on the motor coaches arranged by the Alberta Games (if you live more than 100km from the Host community). If you’re closer than 100km, you’ll have to arrange your own transportation to the Games.

If your Zone team wishes to travel together to the Games, be sure this is indicated on the Zone team roster completed by you or your Provincial Sport Coordinator.

Confirmation of your assigned bus to and from the Games will come from the Alberta Games registration office. Confirm the list of participants on your bus, as well as the departure times and location of your pick up and drop off point.

• Arrive at the Games before in-person registration centre closes at 4:00pm.

Arrived at the Games, what now?

• First, visit in-person registration to receive your Games accreditation, and verify your Zone team roster. If your sport has equipment on-board the motor coach that needs to be secured or stored (e.g. football bags, bikes, rifles, skis, bows, etc.) determine where to find that service.
• Didn’t travel with your team? Then either wait for your team to arrive at registration, or meet them at your designated Athlete Village. Find the internal bus schedule and use the internal transportation to move your team to the Food Centre to have your first meal of the Games.
• Internal buses usually make a loop around the community on a regular schedule, and will stop at each of Athlete Villages, the sport venues and the Food Centre.

Day One

• This is a travel and arrival day for Games participants
• Participants will arrive at the Host Community, get their accreditation at the Registration Centre, and check-in at their Athletes Village. Participants will be bussed to supper before attending the Opening Ceremonies.

Day Two, Three & Four 

• Get your Zone team to breakfast, and then on to your competition using Host’s internal transportation (depending on your sport’s schedule).
• Breakfast and dinner will be served at a main Food Centre during the Alberta Games.
• Lunch plans on Day Two and Day Three will be discussed during your Sport Conference Call.
• Check your sport’s schedule to determine when you’ll be able to visit the Food Centre for supper on Day Two and Day Three.
• Host community holds an Athlete Social event and Coaches/Officials Reception on Day Three evening from 7:00-10:00pm
• Most sports will hold medal matches/finals on Sunday morning following check-out from the Athlete Villages. When sports are completed on Day four, participants will gather (usually at the Food Centre) for the Alberta Games Closing Awards presentation in the early afternoon
• Participants will board home-bound buses (or get in cars) and depart the Games community following Closing Awards.

• Develop a daily plan for your team or athletes.
• Refer to the Host’s internal transportation plan to determine when your athletes should be departing the Athlete Village for meals, and arriving at their Games competition venue.
• Conduct/behaviour of your athletes is your, and/or your chaperones, responsibility. Athletes’ Village curfew is 11:00pm.
• Are you a Head Coach? Plan to call in to the Sport Conference Call prior to the Games to discuss the details of your event at the Games. Discuss any additional sport responsibilities with the Provincial Sport Coordinator or Head sport officials.

• Games participants (athletes, coaches and chaperones) stay in local schools, called an 'Athletes’ Village'.
• Male and female Athletes Villages are separate.
• Each Zone team assigned 1 or 2 classrooms within each Village depending on the size of your team.
• Mattress will be provided, but bring your own sleeping bag and pillow.

• All participants (athletes, coaches and chaperones) are required to stay in the Athlete Village for the 3 nights of the Games
• Curfew of 11:00pm is set for all Games participants.
• Only accredited participants are allowed in the appropriate Villages. Food and drinks are not allowed in the housing rooms at the Athlete Villages.
• All participants must check-out of their Athlete Village on morning of Day Four, (all luggage must be taken to a secure storage area) prior to competition and departure.

• Some sports have assigned chaperones.
• Chaperones assist in helping the coaches manage their athletes’ activities and behaviour during Games.
• Chaperones must also stay in the Athletes Villages and follow the same rules as other Games participants.

• Male coaches of female teams (or vice versa) are housed in separate Athlete Villages with coaching staff from their Zone.

Along with each Sport Chair, Provincial Sport Coordinator and Head Technical Official, Head Coaches will call in to a Sport Conference Call about 1 ½ weeks prior to the Games to review details of their sport in the Games.

Discuss sport issues (review of rules, sport schedule, etc) at this meeting.

At the Games, if you need to lodge a protest in your sport? - inform the Provincial Sport Chair of your planned actions.

And, while you’re at the Games, if you have a problem with a service offered by the Host community? - Please contact your Provincial Sport Chair.

Alberta Games results at www.albertasport.com/alberta-games, under Results.

Medical staff available at each Games venue to assess and determine the extent of an injury or illness.

There will be on-call medical staff at Athlete Villages.

Injured or ill participants may be further diagnosed or treated at the Games Polyclinic.

Injury or illness more severe? - Athlete will be transported to the local hospital for treatment and assessment.

Participants (coaches, chaperones and athletes) are required to stay in the Athlete Village on Day 1,2 and 3  Participants may depart via personal transportation following check-out from the Athlete Village on the last day of the games.

Participants with no competition on Day 4 should watch other sports and attend the Closing Awards presentation.

• Participants can expect to receive an Alberta Games on-line evaluation following the Games.
• Contact your Provincial Sport Coordinator for any required feedback to your Provincial Sport Association.