Let the games begin.

While Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members are usually focused on the next mission and the next enemy, once every year their attentions turn inward as soldiers from 1 Canadian Mechanized Group (1 CMG) gather at CFB Edmonton to compete against one another on the sports field. Exercise STRONG CONTENDER runs this week.

"Strong Contender is all about inner-unit competition and rivalry," said 1 CMG commander, Col. Trevor Cadieu. "There are a lot of similarities between what our soldiers experience on the sports field and what they experience on the battlefield. They have to be physically and mentally tough. They have to show character, resolve, determination and resilience. And they have to come together as a team and have that esprit de corps and camaraderie, so we use events like this to foster that spirit amongst our soldiers."

Over 1,100 1 CMBG soldiers are taking part in the five-day sporting competition, held annually at CFB Edmonton since 1984. Soldiers are going head-to-head in ball hockey, basketball, curling, ice hockey, indoor soccer, tactical athletics, volleyball, and new to the event this year, powerlifting.

Trooper Rayment, from Lord Strathcona's Horse, Canada's only tank regiment says this week is all about representing his unit with pride and proving it to everyone else.

"We're bringing the hurt," said Rayment. "That's the best part of Strong Contender, the rivalries. Like, ya the infantry, they're swell and all that, but at the end of the day, we want to destroy them. That's what makes it fun, the competition."

By the end of the week, awards will be doled out to the top major unit and top minor unit. There are also individual awards for those who place in the top four of their respective sports.

While there is no official Stanley Cup to be awarded at the end of the exercise, wining members, and their teams, will be gifted with an extra day off.

Getting that extra day off carries a lot of pride with it, says Cadieu, and he expects his soldiers to give it their all and hold nothing back.

"These are warriors, and they don't need a lot of motivation to get out there and fight on the sports field. I want them to compete and represent their units with pride and I know they're going to do that. There's no off switch for a 1 Brigade soldier," said Cadieu.

"But while they will be going out there and competing against one another, at the end of this week we will get back together as a brigade team."

trevor.robb@sunmedia.ca

@SunTrevorRobb