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Canada gears up for national sports day

North Islanders are encouraged to show their support for sport this Saturday on Sports Day in Canada.

North Islanders are encouraged to show their support for sport this Saturday on Sports Day in Canada. Now in its third year, the program is a national celebration of sport, from grassroots to high-performance levels, in communities across the country. Sports Day in Canada is presented by CBC Sports, Radio-Canada Sports, ParticipACTION and True Sport, working with national sporting organizations and their networks of coaches, athletes and enthusiasts across the country.

It’s an opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate the power of sport to build community, fortify our national spirit and facilitate healthy, active living.  Sports Day in Canada is generously supported by Sport Canada and is expanding its reach in British Columbia thanks to a first-ever provincial partnership with BC’s Ministry of Health.

In 2011, 1,300 organizations and nearly a million Canadians “got in the game” and took part.

Tomorrow is national Jersey Day, a national day to show your love and support for sport by wearing a jersey, team or club uniform to school, work or play. From municipal council chambers to office buildings and classrooms across the nation, we envision a sea of Canadians wearing their hearts on their sleeves on national Jersey Day.

In the week leading up to, and including, September 29, more than a thousand local organizations, communities and schools across Canada will throw open their doors to celebrate sport at the local level, and help build momentum for Sports Day. Organizers will hold a blitz of Sports Day in Canada events, with community-wide festivals, try-it days, open houses, games, competitions, meet-and-greets, tournaments, fun runs, spectator events and pep rallies that celebrate sport at all levels. Organizers can create something new, or throw open their doors to something they’re already doing—and invite Canadians to lace up and join them.

Organizations, communities and schools are encouraged to register their events on the Sports Day in Canada website, so Canadians can search for local events near them. Organizers are also encouraged to download free Sports Day in Canada promotional tools from the site, so they can help spread the word at the local level. Wherever possible, elite athletes, Paralympians and Olympians will be making special appearances at Sports Day in Canada events in communities across the country.

The national day of sport celebration will be marked by a compelling television event airing on CBC Sports. The Sports Day in Canada on CBC broadcast will profile standout community events from across Canada that embody the Sports Day experience, unified by award-winning national sports anchor, Scott Russell. From these communities, we will share the stories, the passion and the power of sport with Canadians. The broadcast will include local community stories, live hits from local events, interviews with key personalities and engaging discussions.