Category / Sport BC
It’s the August long weekend and the weather has finally decided to bring a bit more sunshine our way.
Being inside for too long definitely makes everyone a bit antsy, especially when cooped up in an office. But summer is thankfully high time for a good sporting event.
A good game of soccer or baseball combined with sunshine is just about the perfect recipe for a good time with friends. Maybe you fought against that signature tough team this season and are celebrating with some cool beverages in the park. Don’t they just taste better when you’re outside? (Yes!)
Now, we’ve all been in this situation before. Fast forward a couple hours later or maybe even a couple drinks later before it’s finally time to head home.
It may be hard to believe, but on average 126 people a year die in motor vehicle crashes involving impaired driving. Most impaired-related crashes (60 per cent) also occur on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
So let’s keep it simple folks: choose a designated driver this summer. Plan ahead of time. Another tip? ICBC let us know that the police are out in full force this July and August to conduct road checks. It pays to stay safe on and off the playing field, am I right?
Good luck to all athletes out there participating in tournaments, championships and everyday pick-up games!
ICBC ‘s Tips for Staying Safe this Summer:
- Choose a designated driver.
- Refuse to ride with drivers who may be impaired—ask to be let out of the car if necessary.
- Set an example—your smart driving decisions can have a significant influence on others.
- Take a stand and don’t let people drive if they have been drinking alcohol.
- If you see an impaired driver, call 911 and report it to your local police.
- Talk about the issue with your family and friends.
ICBC is a great resource for more information on their summer campaign. Check it out here.
Every $1 donation from June 20 – July 3 will support sport registration fees for children from 39 BC communities
RICHMOND (Monday, June 20)– With summer just around the corner, KidSport and Triple O’s have teamed up to help BC kids get in the game.
Following a successful partnership in 2010 that raised $25,000 for KidSport BC, Triple O’s will launch a two week promotion for the same cause from June 20-July 3. The public will be able to contribute to their local KidSport chapter when ordering off the Triple O’s menu in any of the 30 participating locations. Funds raised during the two-week period will help kids with financial barriers experience the benefits of sport participation by covering the registration fees for a sport season of their choice.
“Triple O’s is a community staple in BC,” said KidSport BC Director, Pete Quevillon. “With their support, KidSport is better equipped to serve kids in communities across the province who are inspired to be active and get involved in organized sport this summer.”
“Triple O’s is thrilled to be in partnership with KidSport,” said White Spot Hospitality President Warren Erhart. “We feel that every child should be able to experience the benefits that playing a sport can give them and we look forward to contributing to such a worthy organization.”
Since its inception, KidSport has enabled 250,000 children to play sport across the country. Established by Sport BC in 1993, KidSport is now present in 39 communities across British Columbia and over 175 communities across Canada. With assistance from partners like Triple O’s, KidSport BC continues to expand its reach to ensure all children across the province have the opportunity to experience the power of sport.
Tweet to give
In addition to donating in-store, guests can help raise money for KidSport by visiting Triple O’s TWITTER. From June 20 to July 3, for every re-tweet of the promotional details, Triple O’s will donate an extra $1 to KidSport.
About KidSport:
KidSport is a community-based sports funding program that provides grants for financially disadvantaged children ages 6 to 18 to participate in amateur sport and learn valuable life lessons and skills. For more information about KidSport and how you can help in your community, please visit www.kidsport.ca.
About Triple O’s:
Vancouver-based Triple O’s restaurants, a division of White Spot Limited., now has over 50 quick service locations throughout B.C., Alberta and Asia. Triple O’s can be found in Chevron gas stations, select BC Ferries, Science World, Rogers Arena, the PNE, SFU and Douglas College among other free standing locations. Triple O’s locations boast a subtly retro décor and feature premium burgers, fresh chipped French fries and classic hand-scooped milkshakes served to meet the speed of today’s busy lifestyle. www.tripleos.com.
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For more information, please contact:
Jessica Doherty
Coordinator, Marketing & Communications
Sport BC
E: jessica.doherty@sportbc.com
T: 604.333.3422
With the 45th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards on everyone’s mind, it’s time to take a look back at what happened in 2010. Before you attend the event on February 24, here’s a taste of what’s in store:
The discussion around the benefits of sport often centres on the myriad of positive developments sport participation offers youth.
And why not? There is an insatiable appetite for stats and stories on how to raise your kid right and participation in sport is certainly one key way to ensure children develop positive character traits and healthy lifestyles.
It’s never too late, however, to experience the power of sport . Take Olga Kotelko for example, a 91-year old who won the Master Athlete of the Year Award at Sport BC’s Athlete of the Year Award ceremony in March 2010. Olga began competing in athletics at age 77 and in the past year has really seen her star rise. At 90+, she has won five BC Senior Games events, four Canadian Masters Track and Field Championships, and set eleven Canadian and eight World Records. At the end of the 2009-10 season, the soft-spoken Kotelko found herself ranked first overall in the Province of BC, Canada and the World in her age group.
“Being active, competing, training, exercising, as well as choosing food sensibly, traveling, and making new friends have added to and made my life wholesome,” she said in her Master Athlete of the Year acceptance speech.
And she is not alone. Two marathoners are making headlines this week, even though neither of them completed the Harrisburg marathon in Pennsylvania. Don McNelly and Norm Frank, at ages 90 and 79 respectively, have completed a combined 1709 marathons in their lifetimes. Frank holds the distinction of completing more marathons than anyone in North America – again, at age 79, while McNelly has completed the most for anyone aged 70 and older. Despite Frank’s failing health, they continue to inspire in their drive to keep racing – just like Olga. ”I’m 90 and I feel like I’m 50, 60 tops,” McNelly says in this MSNBC article “I’m a lucky, lucky, lucky guy.”
Luck – or smarts? The Vancouver Sun’s Valerie Berenyi quotes Dr. Mark Sosnowski in her November 22 article on healthy retirees. “The key to healthy retirement years,” he tells her, “is staying active and staying off the couch.” Certainly years of keeping in top physical form have aided in McNelly’s longevity.
For those still looking for more reasons to involve your children in sport , have no fear – this article pertains to you as well. The True Sport Report [PDF] acknowledges that children who participate in sport as youth are more likely to maintain a healthy lifestyle for their whole lives – if they’re lucky, well into their nineties.
Related posts:
- Top 5 reasons to get involved in amateur sport
- 44th Annual Athlete of the Year Award Winners Announced
In response to Cheryl Chan’s series in the Province newspaper about giving BC’s children “a better start in life”, Sport BC’s Jen Schaeffers reminded readers that sport participation can go a long way:
“There is significant research outlining the value of sport and the positive impact it has on the social, behavioural and physical development of youth. Some examples:
- Sport provides youth with feelings of empowerment, a sense of responsibility to others and a positive identity, all of which reduce delinquent behaviour ( Youth Sport vs. Youth Crime, David Carmichael, 2008).
- After family, Canadians rank sport as the second most positive influence for youth ( True Sport, 2005).
- Young people who are physically active are less likely to use tobacco, alcohol or drugs ( The Health of Canada’s Youth, Health and Welfare Canada, 1992).
Sport B.C. also has several programs currently under way addressing the issues facing aboriginal communities you mentioned.
We plan to visit four communities next year with the Power of Sport Tour, aimed at involving kids at risk in sport. Last year, we visited the Namgis in Alert Bay, Lil’wat in Mount Currie, Tsleil-Waututh in North Vancouver, Heiltsuk in Bella Bella and aboriginal kids in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
The development clinics have reached over 300 children and trained 80 community coaches, and we hope to double that this year.”
Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/opinion/forget+positive+role+sports/3709677/story.html#ixzz138HFIsUU
Welcome to Sport BC’s new blog “Just for the Sport of it” where we’ll be talking about anything and everything to do with amateur sport.
Do you have something to say? We’re currently looking for guest writers for the blog to share inspiring stories, expert opinions, or how-to’s from around the world in amateur sport. Interested? Please contact Jessica.
Sport BC believes everyone is an athlete – whatever their sport, whatever their level. Our passion for sport is a passion for building strong, healthy communities by giving everyone in BC the opportunity to be the athletes they are. Whether you were involved in sport as a child but feel a bit rusty, or have never stepped foot on a field of play, there is always room for sport in your life.
1. Feel good. The health benefits of sport involvement are a no-brainer. Physical activity through sport can reduce the risks for a multitude of illnesses including heart disease and cancer. But it’s not just physical ailments that see benefit from sport. Mental health is positively affected as well – as an athlete, or even as a volunteer.
2. Think of the children. Children are constantly absorbing behaviours from those around them but your involvement in sport as a parent is one behaviour you don’t have to worry about your child picking up. Children with parents or guardians involved in sport are twice as likely to make healthy lifestyle decisions as they get older. Not a parent? Think about your niece, nephew, younger cousin or sibling and ensure our next generation is active and healthy.
3. Expand your social circle. 2.2 million Canadians volunteer in the sport sector each year, helping athletes pursue the sports they love. One reason for the involvement? The social aspect. Over 40% of volunteers rate sport as a very important means of socializing outside the immediate family and developing broader social networks.
4. Get ahead at work. Everyone deserves a break and sport is the perfect way to escape the pressures of the daily grind. Studies have shown physical activity through sport helps reduce stress and anxiety and alleviate depression, leveling out work/life balance and making participants on average more focused and motivated employees.
5. Grow your community. Nothing brings a community together quite like sport. 72% of Canadians believe that sport is a key contributor to the quality of life in a community and it’s easy to see why. Sport acts as a rallying point, bringing different backgrounds and ages together, and providing opportunities to contribute your skills and invest in your community.
