'Point of pride': Okotoks and Diamond Valley are ready to host the 2023 Alberta Summer Games

The 2023 Alberta Summer Games in Okotoks and Diamond Valley kick off July 20, and organizers say it's been a long journey preparing for the four-day event.

Dave Wooldridge, the Games board's director of sports, says there is a lot of anticipation in the community.

"We've got almost 3,000 athletes and about 700 coaches and chaperones coming to join us," he said.

"We have 14 sports, 13 here in Okotoks (and) we have mountain biking out in Black Diamond."

The last Games were hosted in 2018 in Grande Prairie.

The 2023 organizing committee started planning in 2019 with a major push over the past year and a half.

"We have about 1,300 volunteers by the time everybody's set up," Wooldridge said.

"When the community comes together, everybody pitches in and does their little bit."

Marica Borovich-Law, Games manager, says the towns of Okotoks and Diamond Valley have been accommodating and the school boards of Christ the Redeemer and Foothills School Division are allowing the use of their facilities for all the different events.

"This is a point of pride. It's an incredible undertaking, when you consider the size of our communities," she said.

"We are trying to make this a total experience for these kids -- something memorable."

Wooldridge says Okotoks administration approved funding to build three outdoor beach volleyball courts and town staff have been preparing all the venues to make sure they're in great shape.

"We built the mountain bike track out in Diamond Valley as well," he said.

"The venues are as good as they come anywhere in the province -- we're very fortunate to have what we have here."

Calgary artist Scott Clark painted a colourful mural honouring the Games and its athletes in the Okotoks Recreation Centre.

"The title is 'Go the Distance', (because while) winning is a fantastic feeling, I believe the qualities and traits gained in the process are even better," he said.

"By building character for athletes and artists, showing up, trusting the process, working through frustration, accepting defeat but rising again to play another day, to never give up."

Dale Coutts, one of the hundreds of volunteers helping to make sure the Games go off without a hitch, enjoys giving back to the community where he raised his family.

"I still want to have that reason to get up in the morning and for me, it's now paying it forward," he said.

"Doing what I can do, still loving what I'm doing and volunteering for anything I can."

Borovich-Law wants people from the surrounding communities to come out to experience the Games and see some potential Olympic athletes in action.

"It's an opportunity to recognize their hard work, if you can come out and support them by cheering them on, by showing them that it means something not only to them, but to their communities, that is paramount," she said.

"Why else come out? Support our small community. We have a lot of unique things that we can offer. Come out and experience us -- we're here for you."

You can learn more about the games at www.2023asg.com.