The Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games have come back to Corner Brook to mark a half-century since the first event, and for one Mount Pearl family the occasion has an unmistakably personal echo.
Tom Cole, who represented Mount Pearl at the very first provincial Summer Games in 1976, is on the sidelines this week — not as a competitor but as a proud grandfather watching his grandson, Aiden Randell, don the jersey for Mount Pearl South.
Both men described the moment as special. Cole said competing in the inaugural Games remains one of the highlights of his life, and he was eager to return to Corner Brook to cheer on his grandson. Randell, a first-time Games athlete, said he has benefited from his grandfather’s coaching and support through the years.
“It’s one of the highlights of my life, actually,” Cole told CBC News Sunday. “It’s a great experience, and what’s so special for me is to come out and cheer him on and watch him play. Hopefully we’ll win.”
Full circle in provincial sport
The 2026 staging of the Games brings sport back to the place where the provincial multi-sport event began in 1976. That symmetry has resonated with families such as the Coles and Randells, who see more than competition — they see continuity.
Randell, who said he’s grateful to have Cole at his side, reflected on the connection across decades.
“Fifty years ago, he was in the same position as me. And now I’m in the same position as him,” Randell said.
What this means for local athletes
For many young athletes across the province, the Games are more than a medal round: they are a proving ground, an education in high-level competition and an opportunity to represent their community. The story of Cole and Randell underlines how the Games weave into family histories and local sporting cultures.
Organisers have pointed to the event as a chance to showcase Corner Brook’s facilities and to offer a stage for emerging talent from towns and communities across Newfoundland and Labrador. For families who travelled the province for the first Games in 1976, returning 50 years later carries added meaning.
Quick comparison: 1976 and 2026
| Aspect | 1976 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Host city | Corner Brook | Corner Brook |
| Family representation | Tom Cole — Mount Pearl | Aiden Randell — Mount Pearl South |
| Significance | Inaugural Games | 50th anniversary |
Community and continuity
Beyond the medals and schedules, the Games function as a gathering place — a provincial forum where small-town rivalries, mentorship and volunteerism play out. Stories like the one of Cole and Randell are reminders of how sport can bridge generations and bind communities.
For Cole, watching his grandson is a chance to relive the excitement and to offer guidance; for Randell, it is a moment to carry forward the family tradition. For Corner Brook and the province at large, the Games are an annual rhythm that continues to shape athletic lives and community memories.
As the competitions proceed, volunteers, coaches and families will keep adding to the record of local sport — and, in places like Mount Pearl, those additions will sometimes mirror what happened half a century earlier. For now, a grandfather’s memories and a grandson’s first steps on the provincial stage have created a quiet, meaningful link between 1976 and 2026.
- Who: Tom Cole and grandson Aiden Randell
- Where: Corner Brook (host city), representing Mount Pearl / Mount Pearl South
- Why it matters: 50th anniversary of the Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games and a rare multi-generational connection
