The 2025 Canada Summer Games are coming to St. John’s, and while that may mean big things economically for the province, it also holds a lot of significance for young athletes who have competed before.

Nathan Young represented Newfoundland and Labrador at the 2019 games in Red Deer, Alberta and participated in the city’s bid committee.

He calls the games a “very large stepping stone” for young athletes across the nation, noting that for many it is their first experience at the national level. Also, he says there are many other spin off opportunities that arise from the games. For him, that meant getting to compete at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games.

Jennifer Boland helped with the bid committee as well. She competed at the 2017 games in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

She says she can only imagine what it will be like for this province’s athletes to compete on their home turf. She says all athletes are going to have the best time of their life, and if she could go back in time and do it all again, she would 100 times.