The Games

The Masters Games is a multi-sport event designed to allow sportspeople opportunities to participate in the sports of their choice and to compete with their age peers.
The opportunity to participate, compete and to be physically active is the main motivation of the participantss and while winning is important, it should not dominate the event. Social interaction is also a very important feature of Masters Games for the participants.

The History

The Masters Games concept was first suggested by the Australian Sports Commission in the early 1980's. It was a concept that saw the beginnings of the World Masters appearing in Toronto in 1985 as well as the Alice Springs Masters in 1986. Since then a myriad of Masters events have supplied the world's mature age athletes with a host of opportunities in sharing a common philosophy of engaging in some form of activity and mixing it with a social occasion that will long be remembered.
The South Australian Masters Games have been held annually since 1996 with a wide variety of regions hosting the Games.

Previous Regions that have hosted the South Australian Masters Games are as follows:

1996              Riverland
1997              Adelaide
1998              Mt.Gambier
1999              Riverland
2000              Port Pirie
2001              Port Lincoln
2002              Port Pirie
2003              Whyalla
2004              Port Pirie
2005              Riverland
2006              Port Pirie
2007              Murray Bridge
2008              Port Pirie
2009              Ceduna            

Future Games:

2010              Port Pirie           
2011              Naracoorte         

The Objectives of Masters Games are to:

• provide an incentive for athletes to renew, maintain or commence their active participation in sport
• supply a focus for sporting organisations to identify and recognise mature age participants, establish communication and encourage involvement in mainstream sport
• encourage sporting organisations to address the development of mature aged component of their sport
• stimulate and promote community interest and participation in sport
• encourage the partnership of Tourism and Sport in regional areas
• promote more people to participate in mature age sports activities from your region and the rest of South Australia
• provide an annual State Masters opportunity
• encourage retail and commerce to support the local development of sport in their region.