CANUSA Games facts for kids
The CANUSA Games are a special yearly sports competition for young athletes, mostly 18 and under. They bring together two "sister cities": Hamilton, Ontario, in Canada, and Flint, Michigan, in the United States. These Games are the longest-running amateur sports event in North America! The cities take turns hosting the Games. Hamilton hosts in years like 2025, 2027, and so on (odd-numbered years).
The Story of the CANUSA Games
The idea for the CANUSA Games started in July 1957. Officials in Flint, Michigan, had just finished their own "Flint Olympian Games." They wanted to find another city, similar in size, to compete with every year. They chose Hamilton, Ontario.
This choice led to the creation of the "CANUSA" Games. The name is a mix of "Canada" (CAN) and "United States" (USA). The very first CANUSA Games happened in August 1958. Back then, about 200 athletes from each city competed in seven different sports.
Over the years, the Games have grown a lot! Now, more than 1,600 athletes from each city take part. They compete in 17 different sports. Some of these sports include basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, darts, golf, track and field, swimming, and ice hockey. It's estimated that over 25,000 people have participated in these Games over their long history.
Opening the Games: A Special Ceremony
The Opening Ceremonies are a big highlight of the CANUSA Games weekend. One of the most exciting parts is a long running relay. Runners carry a special torch all the way from Flint to Hamilton, or vice versa. This journey covers about 245 miles! The relay starts the night before the ceremonies in the visiting city. Carrying the torch across the border is one of the longest international runs in North America. When the torch arrives at the ceremony venue, it officially marks the start of the Games.
To show the strong connection between the two sister cities, everyone at the Opening Ceremonies sings both the Canadian and American national anthems. The Mayor of the host city also gives the "Friendship Trophy" to the Mayor of the visiting city. This trophy is a symbol of friendship and peace between the two nations.
A truly special part of the Games is how the athletes connect. During the entire weekend, visiting athletes "billet" with their counterparts. This means they stay in the homes of athletes from the host city. This tradition of living together, beyond just competing, is seen as the most important part of the Games' spirit. It truly shows what friendship means.
CANUSA Games Editions
| Edition | Host City | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Flint, Michigan, USA | The Flint Olympian Games, which inspired the CANUSA Games. |
| 1958 | Flint, Michigan, USA | The very first CANUSA Games were held. |
| 1959 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | The first CANUSA Games held in Hamilton. |
| 1960 | Flint, Michigan, USA | The first Harold Webster Trophy was awarded for Track & Field. |
| 1961 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1962 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1963 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1964 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1965 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1966 | Flint, Michigan, USA | The first Jimmy Thompson Memorial Award Trophy was awarded for swimming. |
| 1967 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1968 | Flint, Michigan, USA | The first Bernie Arbour Memorial Trophy was awarded for baseball. |
| 1969 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | The first Ivan Miller Award was given to a volunteer. |
| 1970 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1971 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1972 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1973 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1974 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1975 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1976 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1977 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1978 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1979 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1980 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1981 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1982 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1983 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1984 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1985 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1986 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1987 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1988 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1989 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1990 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1991 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1992 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1993 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1994 | Flint, Michigan, USA | The Games hired their first paid Business Administrator. |
| 1995 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1996 | Flint, Michigan, USA | The first W. Clarence Willson Memorial Trophy was awarded for girls basketball. |
| 1997 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1998 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 1999 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | The first Marg Brokenshire Memorial Award was given to a Hamilton person who "goes the extra mile." |
| 2000 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 2001 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 2002 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 2003 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 2004 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 2005 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 2006 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 2007 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | The first Bill Sturrup Memorial Trophies were awarded for golf. |
| 2008 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 2009 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 2010 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 2011 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | Flint won its first Games hosted by Hamilton since 1959. |
| 2012 | Flint, Michigan, USA | Flint won the Games for the third year in a row. |
| 2013 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 2014 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 2015 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 2016 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | Hamilton took over hosting duties due to local challenges in Flint. |
| 2017 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 2018 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 2019 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 2020 | cancelled | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| 2021 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 2022 | Flint, Michigan, USA | |
| 2023 | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | |
| 2024 | Flint, Michigan, USA |
