For some reason the post went out without the main pic at the top -- sorry about that everyone; the formatting of this dispatch looked at little cheapo without it. I've put it back on. Flexed arm hang fTW.
This continues to be brilliant, Andrew, thank you. I was one of those skinny kids who flexed on the arm hang. My wife and I could both recall the smell of those badges when we saw the picture. And the not-quite-satisfying game of Oh Canada would never have resurfaced if you hadn’t brought it up.
I thought I was a pretty athletic kid - I played hockey, baseball, spent all day riding my bike - until we had to do those fitness awards. Turns out I couldn’t run, do situps, or hang from my arms. Thanks for the memories.
And I don’t recall the Oh Canada game, but a few years ago at a dep in Montreal’s south-west, I found (and bought) a Government of Canada-produced board game about the metric system from 1970.
I feel seen. I was a fairly athletic kid who felt genuine shame I could barely last seconds on the dreaded flexed arm hang, which was invariably won by one of the scrawniest kids in the class. Which is probably still a source of lingering pride for him to this day.
I always got the badge with the red background. Is that the "participation" consolation prize? :D I'm not sure I ever even saw the bronze/silver/gold badges pictured. I don't know if anyone in my class ever got one of those!
I'm three weeks shy of my 60th birthday, born and raised in Canada and never heard of the Canadian Fitness Awards!? I grew up in Cape Breton. Maybe it never made it that far east... I do remember ParticipAction..
Sorry to be late in the discussion, here’s my 2 cents opinion:
From what I have seen on other online discussions about the CFA, it seems that during the whole existence of the CFA (1970-1992), some schools:
- never had the CFA at all,
- had the CFA on a regular basis,
- had an irregular participation at the CFA (once in a while)
In my case, I Only did them once, when I was in grade 5, in ’88-’89. Never had them before and never had them after.
My result: empty handed.
No badge
Not Even the Small plastic-made participation pin, either it was discountinued at that time (remember It was in 1989) or my school forgot to order them (or didn’t bother at all).
For some reason the post went out without the main pic at the top -- sorry about that everyone; the formatting of this dispatch looked at little cheapo without it. I've put it back on. Flexed arm hang fTW.
This continues to be brilliant, Andrew, thank you. I was one of those skinny kids who flexed on the arm hang. My wife and I could both recall the smell of those badges when we saw the picture. And the not-quite-satisfying game of Oh Canada would never have resurfaced if you hadn’t brought it up.
I loved that oh canada package. I used to play the record all the time.
I thought I was a pretty athletic kid - I played hockey, baseball, spent all day riding my bike - until we had to do those fitness awards. Turns out I couldn’t run, do situps, or hang from my arms. Thanks for the memories.
And I don’t recall the Oh Canada game, but a few years ago at a dep in Montreal’s south-west, I found (and bought) a Government of Canada-produced board game about the metric system from 1970.
Do you still have that metric system thing? I'd love to see it.
The Oh Canada board game was banned in Quebec. But Spicer ended up mailing copies to teachers privately, who would then distribute it like samizdat.
I feel seen. I was a fairly athletic kid who felt genuine shame I could barely last seconds on the dreaded flexed arm hang, which was invariably won by one of the scrawniest kids in the class. Which is probably still a source of lingering pride for him to this day.
This could be a collab with @Canada.gov.ca
That pic of the badges made me shuddddderrrrr... Again, spot on and fabulous take on a truly, umm, unique Canadian Xer Experience. From hell.
I always got the badge with the red background. Is that the "participation" consolation prize? :D I'm not sure I ever even saw the bronze/silver/gold badges pictured. I don't know if anyone in my class ever got one of those!
I'm three weeks shy of my 60th birthday, born and raised in Canada and never heard of the Canadian Fitness Awards!? I grew up in Cape Breton. Maybe it never made it that far east... I do remember ParticipAction..
My wife is from the Valley and she never heard of it, either.
Sounds like you guys got hosed.
Sorry to be late in the discussion, here’s my 2 cents opinion:
From what I have seen on other online discussions about the CFA, it seems that during the whole existence of the CFA (1970-1992), some schools:
- never had the CFA at all,
- had the CFA on a regular basis,
- had an irregular participation at the CFA (once in a while)
In my case, I Only did them once, when I was in grade 5, in ’88-’89. Never had them before and never had them after.
My result: empty handed.
No badge
Not Even the Small plastic-made participation pin, either it was discountinued at that time (remember It was in 1989) or my school forgot to order them (or didn’t bother at all).
Cape Breton. Born in '64