For the tenth time, a 76-year-old Sangudo resident headed off to the Alberta 55 Plus Winter Games, which took place in Calgary this year. And, for the eighth time, he proudly brought home a medal.
Though Bob Milligan’s shiny gold medal hung gracefully around his neck after placing first in snooker, it will soon join others from the past attached to the athlete’s wooden cue box.
Up until three years ago the active senior has alternated between hockey and snooker at the games, however he has hung up his skates and turned his attention to the snooker table.
Milligan is no stranger to the game of snooker. He picked up the skill when he was just 13 years old for something to do, and after that he was hooked. The game is very far from a team sport, and something Milligan said you have to be very good at.
“It’s so much fun and it’s very skillful,” he said. “It’s an individual type thing. I can’t blame someone else if I miss a shot.”
Heading to the games Milligan was filled with a mixture of emotions. Having grown up in Calgary, he was excited and looking forward to reuniting with some of the men he played hockey with in the past.
“I knew I used to run into a bunch of people I used to play hockey for,” he said. “It was great to see all kinds of people.”
Nervousness also began to set in as he thought about the snooker competition. Though he had won four medals for snooker at the Winter Games in the past, the event was still win or lose.
“It’s wins against losses. The fellow with the most wins gets the gold,” he said. “I had to play seven other guys, and you have to win. I was six wins and one loss, that was enough to get me in.”
Milligan said the atmosphere of the competition was good. However this year the snooker games were in with darts and shuffleboard, so it was noisier than it had been in previous years. The noise was something Milligan had to get by, but that isn’t what he finds to be the biggest distraction in the game.
“Movement is the big thing. When you’re down over the ball, and someone walks by, it can take your eye away,” he said. “But that’s something you have to put up with.”
With only one loss, Milligan remained on par with his results in his previous years. He said he usually wins six out of the seven, but has never managed to win all seven games before.
In the game of skill and etiquette, Milligan finds his greatest challenge to be the one within himself. He always tries his hardest to succeed and be at the top of his game.
“Not necessarily winning, but doing my best every time,” he said. “There’s times that you can’t. I’ve got a bronze and a silver, from when I just wasn’t up to par that day.”
Overall Milligan said he had a great time at the games. He finds his favourite part to be meeting new people and socializing with those who share the same interests as him.
“Meeting people my age and seeing them actively pursuing some sport that they did when they were younger, and just to get together because it’s such a good time,” he said. “You meet new people every time.”
The active 76-year-old is now setting his sights on the Summer Games in Barrhead and Westlock, and has plans to delve into some new activities to mix things up. He’s been thinking about trying swimming, or perhaps biking.
“The motto this year was health is wealth, which is true. I’m going to be the best shape of anyone in the graveyard,” laughed Milligan. “I’m in pretty good shape for an old guy.”
