Top sport volunteers honoured
Sport BC’s Presidents’ Awards recognize 44 volunteers from 22 BC communities

Richmond, BC (March 9, 2012) – Forty-four of BC’s key sport volunteers were in the spotlight yesterday at Sport BC’s 18^th Annual Presidents’ Awards. The Presidents’ Awards give BC’s Provincial Sport Organizations an opportunity to showcase those individuals who make a significant, and often unheralded, contribution to their sport.

The awards ceremony preceded Sport BC’s Athlete of the Year Awards, held at the River Rock Show Theatre on March 8. For more details on both the Presidents’ Awards and the Athlete of the Year Awards, visit SportBC.com.

18^th Annual Presidents’ Award recipients

Badminton BC – Jack Rogers (Surrey)

Basketball BC – Dan Miscisco (North Vancouver)

BC Alpine Ski Association – Rick Hume (Whistler)

BC Amateur Baseball Association – Dan Taylor

BC Archery Association – Linda Price (Mission)

BC Athletics – Judy Armstrong (Kamloops)

BC Blind Sports & Recreation Association – Cherie Lu

BC Diving – Jill Komlos (West Vancouver)

BC Fencing Association – Nona Shorey (Surrey)

BC Games Society – Fernando Correia (Duncan)

British Columbia Golf – Richard Lyle (West Vancouver)

BC Amateur Hockey Association – Anne Deitch (Saanichton)

BC Lacrosse Association – Terry Mosdell (Surrey)

BC Ringette Association – Melinda Moorhouse (Quesnel)

BC Ringette Association – Wayne Moorhouse (Quesnel)

BC Sailing Association – David Sutcliffe (North Vancouver)

BC Snowboard Association – Flynn Seddon (Kelowna)

BC Soccer Association – Laurie Robertson

BC Speed Skating Association – Ariadne Holness de Hiller (Prince George)

BC Sports Hall of Fame – Joanie McMaster

BC Summer Swimming Association – Neil Wuolle (Salmon Arm)

BC Table Tennis Association – Chang Poh (Richmond)

BC Water Polo Association – John Stockdale

BC Wrestling Association – MaryAnn DeCorby (Vancouver)

Canadian Sport Centre Pacific – Leslie Cliff (Vancouver)

CanoeKayak BC – Jeff Morgan (Kamloops)

Coaches Association of BC – Eric Broom (Vancouver)

Curl BC – Joyce Kuzyk (Oliver)

Disabled Skiers Association of BC – John Appleby (Vernon)

Field Hockey BC – Tammy McComb (Delta)

Football BC – Brent Fairweather (Mission)

Gymnastics BC – Penny Erickson (Heffley)

Horse Council of BC – Steven Dubas (Prince George)

Judo BC – Ron Kuramoto (Burnaby)

Karate BC – James Johnson (Burnaby)

ProMOTION Plus – Diana Chan (North Vancouver)

Rowing BC – Janine Chan (Kamloops)

Skate Canada BC/YT Section – Gail Weber (Fort St. John)

SportAbility Cerebral Palsy Sports Association – Margaret McLeod (Vancouver)

Squash BC – Paul Marley (North Vancouver)

Tennis BC – Doug Rawson (Enderby)

Triathlon BC – Tracey Shelley (Delta)

Volleyball BC – Joe Moreira (South Slocan)

About Sport BC:
Sport BC is the non-profit sport federation, representing over 60 Provincial Sport Organizations in British Columbia. As a member-based organization, Sport BC offers services and programs to build the capacity of our members and advocate on their behalf to improve the landscape for organized sport in BC.

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For more information, please contact:
Jessica Doherty
Manager, Communications
Sport BC
E: Jessica.doherty@sportbc.com
T: 604.333.3422

Sport BC celebrates BC’s best in amateur sport at the 46^th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards presented by TELUS

Olympic and Paralympic athletes, coaches and officials among the 17 honoured

Richmond, BC (March 8, 2012) – Sport BC honoured the best of BC’s sport community tonight at the River Rock Show Theatre at Sport BC’s 46^th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards, presented by TELUS. Athletes, coaches, and officials from across the province were recognized with awards from 17 distinct categories, celebrating the recipients’ achievements over the past year and their dedication to sport.

Sport BC’s 46^th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards recipients:

Athlete with a Disability, presented by the Province of British Columbia
Michelle Stilwell (Nanoose, BC) – Wheelchair Athletics

Coach of the Year, presented by Canadian Sport Centre Pacific
Anatoliy Bondarchuk (Kamloops BC, BC) – Athletics

College Athlete of the Year, presented by KidSport
Preston Tucker (Vernon, BC) – Volleyball

High School Female Athlete of the Year, presented by Scotiabank
Georgia Ellenwood (Langley, BC) – Athletics

High School Male Athlete of the Year, presented by The Province
Adam Keenan (Victoria, BC) – Athletics

Junior Female Athlete of the Year, presented by FIRSTAR Sports
Shirley Fu (Burnaby, BC) – Table Tennis

Junior Male Athlete of the Year, presented by Triple O’s
Curtis Lazar (Vernon, BC) – Hockey

Master Athlete of the Year, presented by Sport BC Insurance
Stephanie Keiffer (Vancouver, BC) – Triathlon

Official of the Year, presented by MyBackCheck.com
Jim Mitchell (Abbotsford, BC) – Wrestling

Senior Female Athlete of the Year, presented by the BC Sport Agency
Paula Findlay (Victoria, BC) – Triathlon

Senior Male Athlete of the Year, presented by TELUS
Dylan Armstrong (Kamloops, BC) – Athletics – Shot Put

Team of the Year, presented by TEAM Radio
Surrey United Women’s Soccer (Surrey, BC) – Soccer

University Athlete of the Year, presented by the Vancouver Sun
Helen Crofts (West Vancouver, BC) – Athletics

Community Champion, presented by Tourism Richmond
Mike Janyk (Vancouver, BC) – Alpine Ski

Best of BC, presented by the Province of British Columbia
Paul McCallum (Surrey, BC) – Football

Daryl Thompson Award, presented by The Beedie Group
Kathy Newman (Richmond, BC) – Wheelchair Sports

Harry Jerome Comeback Award, presented by Canadian Direct Insurance
Brittany Rogers (Coquitlam, BC) – Gymnastics

“This year’s finalists represent 13 BC communities and 19 different sports,” said Sport BC’s Sponsorship and Event Manager, Carey Summerfelt. “The strength of BC’s sport sector was on display tonight as we recognized the outstanding athletic achievements of our finalists.”

The Award recipients are chosen by a selection committee composed of BC sports media representatives and sport leaders with a combined 375 years of experience. Since 1966, Sport BC’s Athlete of the Year Awards have recognized sport icons such as Rick Hansen, Steve Nash, John Furlong, and Nancy Green-Raine.

About Sport BC’s Athlete of the Year Awards:
Sport BC’s Athlete of the Year Awards is the longest standing sport recognition event in the country. Awards in 17 different categories are given each year to athletes, coaches, and officials on their performance and contribution to sport in the province. The awards play a valuable role in nurturing athletic success and recognizing some of BC’s growing talents. For a list of previous award winners and additional information on the 46th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards presented by TELUS, please visit SportBC.com.

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For more information, please contact:

Jessica Doherty
Communications Manager, Sport BC
E: Jessica.doherty@sportbc.com  |  T: 604.333.3422

 Who do you think is BC’s best athlete?

Sport BC partners with the Province of British Columbia to promote people’s choice award for top BC amateur or professional athlete

Richmond, BC (January 24, 2012) – Sport BC, in partnership with the Province of British Columbia, encourages all British Columbians to have their say in naming the top BC athlete of 2011 by voting online at SportBC.com. The athlete who receives the highest number of votes will be honoured with the Best of BC award for his or her achievements at Sport BC’s 46^th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards presented by TELUS.

Voters will be asked to choose the athlete they feel best represented BC nationally or internationally in either a professional or amateur sport from the following finalists:

• Dylan Armstrong (Kamloops,  BC) – Athletics, 2011 Pan American Games Gold Medalist
• Andrew Harris (Nanaimo, BC) – Football, 99^th Grey Cup – Most Outstanding Canadian
• Paul McCallum (Surrey, BC) – Football, Record most consecutive field goals in the CFL
• Mark Recchi (Kamloops, BC) – Ice Hockey, Stanley Cup winning season
• Christine Sinclair (Burnaby, BC) – Soccer, 2011 Pan American Games Gold Medalist & flag bearer

“British Columbians are exceptionally proud of our athletes and the sport system that supports them as they train, develop and compete,” said Hon. Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. “These five athletes have made tremendous achievements in their sport, and truly represent the best of BC’s collective spirit – excellence, fortitude and strength.”

“2011 was an outstanding year for BC’s athletes, as evident by the calibre of candidates put forward for this award,” said Carey Summerfelt, Event Manager for Sport BC. “These five athletes are powerhouses, not only as competitors in their respective sports, but also in their representation of our province on the world stage.”

The online vote, along with athlete profiles, can be found at SportBC.com/bestofbc. Voting closes on February 27, 2012 and the people’s choice for Best of BC will be revealed the following day. Previous winners of the Best of BC Award include Lauren Woolstencroft (Para Alpine Ski, 2010), Justin Morneau (Baseball, 2008) and Steve Nash (Basketball, 2005 & 2006).

Sport BC’s Athlete of the Year Awards is Canada’s longest running sport recognition event, celebrating BC’s finest athletes. Tickets for this year’s event, taking place March 8 at the River Rock Show Theatre in Richmond BC, are still available and can be purchased now at SportBC.com.

About Sport BC’s Athlete of the Year Awards:

Sport BC’s Athlete of the Year Awards is the longest standing sport recognition event in the country. Awards in 17 different categories are given each year to athletes, coaches, and officials on their performance and contribution to sport in the province. The awards play a valuable role in nurturing athletic success and recognizing some of BC’s growing talents. For a list of previous award winners and additional information on the 46th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards presented by TELUS, please visit SportBC.com.

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For more information, please contact:
Jessica Doherty
Manager, Communications
T: 604.333.3422
E: Jessica.doherty@sportbc.com

BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum to Induct 9 Individuals and 1 Team

Vancouver, B.C. (January 17, 2012) – The British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame to induct nine individuals and one team for induction as part of its 2012 class.

“The 2012 Class of Inductees to be honoured by the BC Sports Hall of Fame is exceptional,” said Marion Lay, chair of the Selection Committee, “Our selection committee did an outstanding job of sifting through over 120 nominations. The Class of 2012 truly reflects the best of the best.”

Induction recognizes excellence in sport, contribution to sport and the impact on sport in British Columbia, in the categories of athlete, team, builder, media, pioneer, and W.A.C. Bennett.  A selection committee, comprised of members of the BC Sports Hall of Fame Board of Trustees, the media and the sport community made the final decision.

Honoured Member and Chair of the BC Sports Hall of Fame, Gareth Rees, announced the 2012 induction class: five athletes have been honoured with selection for  induction, Michael Edgson (para-swimming), Howard Kelsey (basketball), Ashleigh McIvor (ski cross), Bernard Buster Moberg (softball), and Andrea Neil (soccer). In the builder category, David Esworthy (equestrian) and Don Martin (sailing) have been selected for induction. Selected for induction in the pioneer category is Barbara Howard (track and field) and in the W.A.C. Bennett category May Brown has been selected for induction. The 1945-46 Vancouver Canucks Hockey Team have been selected for induction in the team category (ice hockey).

The 2012 Inductees will be formally inducted to the BC Sports Hall of Fame at the 44th Annual Banquet of Champions at the Vancouver Convention Centre on September 20, 2012.

ATHLETE CATEGORY

MICHAEL EDGSON – Para-Swimming
Nearly twenty years since his retirement, Nanaimo’s Michael Edgson remains one of the most decorated Paralympic athletes in Canadian history.  Competing in the B3 category for athletes with visual acuity lower than 20/200, over his twelve-year career (1981-92) Edgson represented Canada at three Paralympic Games (1984, 1988, 1992) and compiled a remarkable twenty-two Paralympic medals in para-swimming, including eighteen gold.  Combined with world championship competitions, Edgson won thirty-two individual medals and set more than twenty world records.  After winning a remarkable nine Paralympic medals and setting four world records, Edgson was selected as Canada’s flag bearer at the Closing Ceremonies of the 1988 Seoul Paralympics.  In 1992, he finished as a finalist with Mark Tewksbury and Mark McKoy for the Norton H. Crowe Award for Canada’s Male Athlete of the Year.

HOWARD KELSEY – Basketball
One of the greatest basketball players ever to represent Canada internationally, Vancouver’s Howard Kelsey was a standout on the men’s national team for eleven years (1977-88) appearing in over 400 games at a time when Canada was consistently ranked in the world’s top-six.  The two-time Canadian Olympian (1980, 1984) stands as one of only two native British Columbian basketball players to represent Canada in two Olympic Games.  Among Canada’s best results while Kelsey was a key starter included a fourth-place finish at the 1984 Olympic Games, gold at 1978 Commonwealth Basketball Championships, gold at 1983 FISU World University Games, and Canada’s first-ever defeat of the US in a major international competition at the 1981 FISU Games.  An outstanding high school player at Point Grey, Kelsey retains the highest career scoring average in BC history at 34.5 points per game.

ASHLEIGH McIVOR – Ski Cross
As an English student at UBC in 2003, Whistler’s Ashleigh McIvor wrote an essay that she later sent to the IOC arguing that ski cross should be added as an Olympic sport.

By the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, McIvor’s wish came true.  Ranked in the top-three in world ski cross for the past three years, McIvor quickly erased any doubt the pressure of competing in the Olympics at home would be an issue.  Breezing through qualifying, McIvor shot out to a quick lead in the snowy final on Cypress Mountain, holding on to make history as ski cross’ first-ever women’s Olympic champion.   Prior to this, McIvor won the 2009 FIS world championship and a silver medal at the 2010 Winter X Games.  To date, McIvor has accumulated ten World Cup podium finishes.   She is currently rehabilitating a knee injury suffered during the 2010-11 World Cup season with the intention to defend her Olympic crown at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

BERNARD BUSTER MOBERG – Softball
The most dominant softball pitcher during the greatest era of BC’s top league, North Vancouver’s Bernard ‘Buster’ Moberg’s 100 mile-per-hour fastball was feared by many batters during his fourteen-year career (1958-71) on South Hill Senior A men’s pitching mounds.  Moberg rewrote the South Hill record book during that time recording the most-ever wins (111), most innings pitched (1099), most strikeouts (1598, for an amazing average of 1.5 per inning), most no-hitters (11), most one-hitters (14), and most shutouts (33).  His dominance at times was frightening.  Over a stretch of four seasons, Moberg won twenty-eight consecutive league games and on several occasions struck out more than twenty batters in a single game.  Moberg pitched for six BC championship teams at the world championships (1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965) and four times led his Vancouver teams to the Canadian championship title.

ANDREA NEIL – Soccer
One of Canada’s greatest ever female soccer players, Vancouver’s Andrea Neil remains one of the most respected players ever to don the red-and-white for Canada on the pitch.  Making her debut on the Canadian national team at age 19 in 1991, Neil remained a fixture of the program until her retirement in 2007, accumulating 132 caps-at one time more than any other Canadian player, male or female.  She also scored twenty-four goals in that time, ranking her fifth all-time.  Neil led Canada to four Women’s World Cup tournaments (1995, 1999, 2003, 2007) including Canada’s best-ever finish at a World Cup tournament when the Canadian women finished fourth in 2003.  Neil also spent six seasons (2001-06) playing club soccer with the Vancouver Breakers/Whitecaps establishing club records for games played (69), minutes played (6066), and assists (22).  While club captain, she led the Whitecaps to two W-League championships in 2004 and 2006. Andrea is the first women inducted in the athlete category in the sport of soccer.

BUILDER CATEGORY

DAVID ESWORTHY – Equestrian
A long-time resident of Vancouver, who has called Langley home for over a decade, David Esworthy has dedicated his life to equestrian sport in British Columbia, Canada, and internationally through the FEI (Federation Equestrian Internationale).  Esworthy has been described as a true horseman, in that he has served in virtually every role possible in his sport: as a rider, judge, steward, horseshow organizer, horseshow chair, and industry advisor.  Beginning as a young cowboy wrangling horses on a ranch to his current status as an Equine Canada and FEI steward, judge, and clinician, Esworthy has experienced the sport at all levels over a fifty-plus-year career.  Always working to give equestrian greater recognition and credibility, Esworthy served as president of Horse Council BC, Equine Canada, and assisted in the preparations for equestrian events at the 1976 and 1984 Olympic Games.  Perhaps Esworthy’s biggest impact is in the countless individuals he has mentored in BC, Canada, and beyond, who themselves have gone on to become accomplished athletes, officials, and administrators.

DON MARTIN – Sailing
A fixture in the BC sailing community for forty years, Vancouver’s Don Martin has been involved in the sport as a boat designer, boat builder, sailor, coach, mentor, judge, and official.  Incorporated in 1975, Martin Yachts Ltd. has been responsible for the design and construction of over 600 composite craft up to 27 meters.  Martin’s designs include the Martin 242, which has become one of the most popular one design keel boat classes in the Pacific Northwest, and the popular Martin 16, designed specifically for people with a disability to sail independently.  Martin actually donated all design rights of the Martin 16 to the Disabled Sailing Association of BC.  A co-founder of the Easter Seals Regatta in 1991, since its inception the event has raised over $1 million for children with disabilities.  As a sailor, Martin’s resume includes numerous Canadian national titles, several North American championship victories, and participation in several Admirals’ Cup and America’s Cup efforts.  An active international judge certified by the International Sailing Federation, Martin has volunteered at many of the world’s top competitions.  Martin served as the team leader for both the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic sailing teams at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Paralympics and more recently as coach of the 2004 and 2008 Canadian Paralympic sailing teams competing in Athens and Beijing respectively.

TEAM CATEGORY

1945-46 VANCOUVER CANUCKS HOCKEY TEAM
Formed in the summer of 1945, the inaugural edition of the Vancouver Canucks proved remarkably successful winning the 1945-46 Pacific Coast Hockey League Northern Division with a 37-21 record.  Scoring an average of nearly five-and-a-half goals a game and having four of the top-ten scoring players in the PCHL put the Canucks in good stead going into the playoffs.  The Canucks’ Andy Clovechok led the league with 56 goals and 103 points.  The Canucks defeated the PCHL’s Southern Division winner Hollywood Wolves 4-1 in the best-of-seven final series to be crowned Pacific Coast Hockey League champions.  From there, the Canucks challenged the Boston Olympics, champions of the Eastern Hockey League, for the United States Amateur Championship.  In an epic seven-game series played out of the Vancouver Forum, the Canucks battled back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the star-laden Olympics 4-3 and become the first and only Canadian team in history to win both the PCHL championship and United States amateur championship.

Team Members:

PIONEER CATEGORY

BARBARA HOWARD – Track and Field
During the late 1930s, Vancouver’s Barbara Howard was one of the fastest female sprinters in the British Empire and looked poised to make her mark on the larger Olympic stage.  If not for the outbreak of World War II, she may well have.  In 1938, at the age of seventeen, Howard ran the 100-yards in a scorching time of 11.2 seconds at the Western Canada British Empire Games trials, bettering the British Empire Games record of the time by one-tenth of a second.  The result earned Howard selection to represent Canada at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, Australia.  After the month-long trip by boat, Howard, who had never left Vancouver before, became a minor celebrity Down Under, black athletes being a rarity at the time in Australia.  In fact,

Howard is believed to be the first black woman athlete to represent Canada in international competition.  In Sydney, Howard finished sixth in the 100-yard dash and helped two Canadian relay teams to silver and bronze medals.  Determined to run at the 1940 Olympics in Tokyo, war intervened and the Games were cancelled.  Her sprinting career was over by the time the Olympics resumed a decade later.  Howard later became a Vancouver school teacher and today at the age of 91 remains active in the Burnaby community.

W.A.C. BENNETT CATEGORY

MAY BROWN
As the first-ever female W.A.C. Bennett Award recipient, Vancouver’s May Brown must be considered among the most highly principled individuals in the volunteer world of sport and recreation this province has ever known.   Brown volunteered countless hours to sports organizations and causes over a sixty-year career beginning in 1947 as a UBC field hockey coach.  In the 1950s, Brown was critical to the development of synchronized swimming in BC.  Twice she was elected to serve on the Vancouver Park Board in 1972 and 1974-serving as chair during her latter term-and was responsible for the creation of many new sports facilities and parks.   From 1969-74, Brown served on the National Advisory Council on Fitness and Amateur Sport establishing the Canada Games, creating Sport Canada, and approving grants for national sports governing bodies.  Brown was a member of the BC Advisory Council for Sport and Recreation from 1987-92, the 1994 Commonwealth Games Society from 1989-94, and the sport sub-committee that worked for six months to encourage Vancouverites to vote “Yes” in the City of Vancouver referendum on the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games bid.

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About the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
The BC Sports Hall of Fame has re-opened at Gate “A” of BC Place with a new Vancouver 2010 Gallery and a new Hall of Champions and is open daily from 10am-5pm. The BC Sports Hall of Fame, a non-profit society, is the ‘go to’ organization for BC sport heritage. For over 40 years, we have honoured BC’s teams, builders, athletes, pioneers, and media through the annual induction ceremony the Banquet of Champions. To date 325 individuals and 54 teams have been inducted onto the BC Sports Hall of Fame. The collection of the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum includes over 25,000 artifacts and 20,000 archival documents representing 100 years of sporting accomplishments in British Columbia. In everything it does, the BC Sports Hall of Fame honours, educates, and inspires through the Hero In You© educational program.

Media contacts:
Allison Mailer
Director of Operations
BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
Direct               604-687-5520
Cellular             778-839-8576

Honouring the Past.   Inspiring the Future

The Canadian side will face three academy sides including Welbeck Form Military College (February 26th), Leicester Tigers Academy (February 29th) and Northampton Saints Academy (March 3rd).

Eight of the 27 players were members of British Columbia’s U18 national championship side that downed Ontario for the 2011 title this past August.

“It’s gratifying to see players coming through our Pathway programs to reach this level,” said BC Provincial Coach and Development Manager Dave Brown. “Jorden Best for example, has played BC U14 right through to U18 as well as Canada U17 and the Youth Commonwealth Games Sevens. Most of the players have also been involved with the BC Academy with the exception of [Burnaby's] Fuku Vikilani who came into the Provincial program at the U18 level.”

The national selection is the first for Jordan Harvey who co-captained the BC U18 team at nationals in Calgary this year. Harvey carried his form into the fall club season, where he guided Capilano RFC to the 2011 U19 provincial club championship.

“It is really pleasing to see Jordan get the credit that he deserves,” Brown added. “From Playing prop on our U16 pogram, Jordan has developed into an excellent back row player who combines a solid skill set with a great work ethic and tremendous on-field leadership and maturity.”

Brown also acknowledged the work of local rugby programs in developing the players who will represent their country in the coming months.

“Of course we can not fail to mention the work done by both club and school coaches in developing these players to their current level,” Brown added.

Canada U19 touring roster
(Name/ Club/ Province)
*Paul Ahn (UBC Thunderbirds / British Columbia)
*Jorden Best (Abbotsford RFC / British Columbia)
Josh Boyles (Ontario)
Mac Chown (Ontario)
Joe Franey (Saskatchewan)
Eric Garnham (Ontario)
*Fergus Hall (Castaway Wanderers RFC / British Columbia)
Lucas Hammond (Ontario)
*Jordan Harvey (Capilano RFC / British Columbia)
Sawyer Hearn (Ontario)
Matt Heaton (Quebec)
Daniel Lantos (Newfoundland)
Jonny LaPlaca (Ontario)
*Alex Mascott (UBC Thunderbirds/ British Columbia)
Kerry McElhaney (Alberta)
David Merithew (Ontario)
*Liam Murphy-Burke (UBC Thunderbirds/ British Columbia)
Jon Nadler (Quebec)
Luca Pattellia (Ontario)
Darcy Ralph (Alberta)
D.J. Sears (Ontario)
Scott Sopel (Ontario)
Monty Tichowsky (Saskatchewan)
*Reid Tucker (Capilano RFC/ British Columbia)
*Fuku Vikilani (Burnaby Lake Rugby Club/ British Columbia)
Jacob Webster (Ontario)
Matt Whittle (Newfoundland)
*denotes 2011 national champions with BC’s U18 team

Non-Traveling Reserves
Chris Gladney (Ontario)
*Connor Hamilton (Vancouver Rowing Club / British Columbia)
*Connor Hunter (Abbotsford RFC / British Columbia)
Curtis Lauzon (Ontario)
Kainoa Lloyd (Ontario)
Mike Santangalli (Ontario)
*Charlie Thorpe (UBC Thunderbirds / British Columbia)
*Quinton Willms (Bayside Sharks RFC / British Columbia)
*denotes 2011 national champions with BC’s U18 team

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For immediate release
November 17, 2011

MLA STILWELL INTRODUCES CONCUSSIONS IN YOUTH SPORT SAFETY BILL

VICTORIA – Vancouver-Langara MLA Dr. Moira Stilwell introduced a Private Member’s Bill to the Legislature today. The proposed Concussions in Youth Sport Safety Act will help protect the minds of young athletes by requiring youth sports organizations to adopt guidelines to increase awareness about concussions and outlines criteria for athletes experiencing concussion symptoms to follow before returning to play.

Why this Matters:

• According to the Canadian Paediatrics Society, the majority of sport-related head injuries occur in individuals younger than 20 years of age.
• Once a person suffers a concussion, he or she is often more likely to sustain future concussions. An impact delivered to the head of an athlete who has not yet fully recovered from an initial concussion can be devastating – potentially resulting in life-long brain damage or even death. This condition is known as “Second Impact Syndrome.”
• Young athletes often experience pressure to return to play before they have completely healed from a concussion.

Quotes:

“This bill protects the minds of young athletes by outlining specific guidelines for managing sports-related concussions. It will also empower parents, coaches and athletes with knowledge of the serious effects of concussions.”
- Vancouver – Langara MLA Dr. Moira Stilwell

“This will focus attention on the issue of concussion and better management of risk in young athletes, and that is important.”
- Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall

“Football BC has been in the forefront pushing for this type of legislation. We are fully supportive of this initiative and think it’s the right thing to do to protect youth playing sports in B.C.”
- Football BC Executive Director, Pat Waslen

“Concussions are brain injuries that often go unrecognized and untreated. As a brain injury there are hidden costs, as well as real costs, not only to the sports world, but to the workplace and the health care system. This legislation is an excellent step towards raising awareness about this preventable issue and will help educate the public about the serious effects of concussions.”
- Neurosurgeon and ThinkFirst BC Director, Dr. Brian Hunt

Additional information:

• The bill requires Youth Sports Organizations to develop and adopt guidelines and other pertinent information and forms to inform and educate coaches, youth athletes, and their parents and/or guardians of the nature and risk of concussion and head injury including continuing to play after concussion or head injury.
• Prior to initiating practice or competition in a high-risk sport, young athletes will be required to return a concussion and head injury information sheet  signed by them and their parents.
• Youth athletes suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game will be required to be removed from competition.
• A youth athlete who has been removed from play may not return to play until the athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care professional trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and receives clearance to return to play from that health care professional.

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For more information contact:

Thomas Marshall
Communications Officer, Government Caucus of British Columbia
Thomas.marshall@leg.bc.ca
(250) 387-8589

Forty-eight teams of top athletes will be skating rings around rinks in Burnaby and New Westminster in April. Or should that be ringettes?

The 2012 Tim Hortons Canadian Ringette Championships will be contested in Burnaby and New Westminster April 8-14 with a new expanded format that brings more than 2600 players, officials, family and fans to the area. Games will be played at Copeland Arena and Canlan 8 Rinks in Burnaby and Moody Park Arena in New Westminster.

While previous championships were contested only by the champions from the various provinces, those champions will be joined by other top teams that have expressed interest in playing in the tournament. The final allotment of eligible entrants from each province was determined by a special draw held at Copeland Arena on Tuesday.

“This change in format will certainly make things more exciting and it will also give more athletes the opportunity to experience the feeling that goes with competing at the highest level,” said David Patterson, the executive direcotr of Ringette Canada.

For the local organizing committee, the tournament will be the culmination of three years of planning.

“I think it may increase the overall level of the game,” said Randy Wall, the host committee’s chair. “There’s some very high calibre teams that are out there and this may increase the difficulty of winning.”

For Wall and his committee of about two dozen volunteers, the event will be the culmination of three years of work to bring the nationals back to the Lower Mainland for the first time in 20 years. It’s also a chance to show off a sport that has only about 2300 participants in British Columbia, 23,000 nation wide.

“It’s a small sport,” says Wall. “Hockey is king to most people but we’d like to broaden the awareness base about ringette.”

To that end his committee is reaching out to leadership students at local high schools to help them fulfill their volunteer requirements by helping out at the tournament. Wall figures he’ll need to tap into about 400 volunteers during the competition, taking care of things like registration, inputing stats, running game sheets, manning the penalty boxes.

Wall is also hoping to forge a relationship with elementary schools, sending athletes and coaches to gym classes to teach kids about the game, then organizing field trips to watch some of the action.

It’s a lot to put on the plate of a small association like Burnaby/New West, which has only 150 players and 10 teams. But they’ve got plenty of experience hosting their annual Icebreaker tournament, which attracted 60 teams last weekend, and last year’s provincials, which they used as a dry run for the big show in April.

“I think it’s going to be pretty positive,” said Wall. “We’re pretty proud to show off our town.”

And their sport.

For more information about the tournament, follow the links at www.ringette.ca

The official announcement of the Dr. Geoff Gowan Coaching Award recipients were made last weekend at CAC Petro Canada Sport leadership.  Two BC residents are the 2011 honourees of this very prestigious award – Allison McNeill and Dr. Eric Broom.

Basketball BC Executive Director Lawrie Johns, commenting on the recently announced Dr. Geoff Gowan award recipients “Basketball BC, our President Diana Chan, our Board and members are so very pleased that the Coaching Association of Canada has recognized both Allison and Eric.

Allison’s contributions to coaching go way beyond her work as National Senior Women’s Coach – though those contributions can not be minimized and we are anxiously awaiting the qualification process for London as she leads the team for a potential qualifying spot.  Coach McNeill has worked with hundreds of our youth coaches in this province through our Steve Nash Youth Basketball program and continues that work today.  She initiated the Women’sLeadership Circleconcept allowing women in coaching/leadership to address both obstacles and successes in their careers and to share those in a professionally facilitated atmosphere – in recent partnership with ProMOTION Plus.  It was a distinct honour for Basketball BC to nominate Allison and certainly an exciting moment to learn of her being chosen as one of the two 2011 recipients”

Johns also noted “Dr. Broom is an institution in coaching in BC, Canada and internationally.  There are few coaches in our province that have not been involved, in some way, with him in his many decades of coaching leadership. Basketball BC also congratulates Eric on this much deserved award.”

More information on the two recipients is in this link:
http://www.coach.ca/-p145131#mcneill

October 24, 2011 VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA

 Floorball Canada is extremely pleased to announce the following staff selections for the upcoming World Floorball Championships Qualifier (WFCQ), February 1-3, 2012 in Los Angeles, California and subsequent World Floorball Championships next December 1-9, 2012 in Zurich|Berne, Switzerland.

Head Coach: David Jansson, current Head Coach of Pixbo Wallenstam in the Swedish Super League.  David has spent his entire professional career in Floorball.  “As the leader of the most successful Floorball club in the world, David brings a perfect balance of winning attitude and ability, and is a perfect fit for our National Teams development strategy”  Greg Beaudin- National Teams Committee

• Coach of the year in Denmark
• Silver and Bronze medals in the Swedish Championships
• Gold medal in Swedish Junior Championships
• Youngest head coach in the Swedish Superleague

Co-GM/Assistant Coach: Nathan Leslie, current Director and coach consultant for Leslie Global Sports, GM of Junior Prep Camp and owner of the Leslie Coaching Academy.  

Co-GM/Assistant Coach: Rob Armstrong, current GM/Head Coach for the Peninsula Panthers Junior Hockey Club and owner of Hockey Evolution.

Floorball Canada has been active in developing a National Teams Program strategy.  Key goals are to be an elite Floorball nation by 2018, to build a successful model of talent development across each province, and to work within the framework of Canadian hockey excellence.

“Mr. David Jansson will be a strong leader and coach to our National Team Players while playing an integral role in mentoring our next generation of coaches and team executives.  Nate Leslie and Rob Armstrong represent our vision to connect successful, innovative and motivated Hockey minds to the sport of Floorball. Canada has a built-in winning mindset for ice hockey, and with a solid Floorball expert like Jansson at the helm, we can shape our Floorball Teams to be winners too.” Marc Kronewitt National Teams Chair

The Proposed timeline and training camp schedule for our Men’s National Team are as follows:

• November-December 2011, tryouts and team selection
• February 1-3, 2012, WFCQ against USA and Brazil
• May 18-22, 2012, development camp, Toronto, Ontario.
• August 12-19, 2012, development camp, Vancouver, British Columbia.
• December 1-9, 2012 WFC, Zurich|Berne Switzerland

To Learn more about our National Teams Program, playing opportunities and other staff positions, please contact greg.beaudin@floorballcanada.ca