Team BC Website > About Us

What are Mission Staff?

Team BC Mission Staff are volunteers that are selected from experts in the sport, recreation, health services, and communications sectors to provide support to the Provincial Sport Organizations, athletes, coaches, and managers leading up to and during the Canada Games. Mission Staff provide support in the areas of operations, special events planning, sport management, and communications. The Mission Staff team works to minimize distractions to ensures that athletes, coaches, and managers can optimize their performances and enhance their overall experience at the Games.

Those chosen to Team BC's Mission Staff can expect to have an exceptionally valuable and unique experience. Through their involvement with Team BC and the Canada Games, Mission Staff will develop leadership skills while growing their professional networks and fostering friendships. Travelling to new parts of the country, working with experts in sport, and supporting Canada's high-performance athletes of the future at a major multi-sport Games is something that many before have called the experience of a lifetime.

Involvement in Team BC Mission Staff is a significant commitment where team members take part in pre-Games meetings and events, as well as attend the entire duration of the Games. This commitment and unique professional development opportunity requires the support of each Mission Staff member's employer, who can feel confident that their workplace will benefit from the skills their employees will gain and further develop.

Why Join Team BC's Mission Staff?

Mission Staff Experience

Hear from former Mission Staff members about their experience as part of Team BC.

Carolyn Boomer is the Executive Director of PacificSport-Interior BC in Kamloops and has served on Mission Staff at seven Canada Games. Her story of what it means to be on Team BC Mission Staff was captured at the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George.

Ajay Patel is the President and CEO of Vancouver Community College and served as Chef de Mission for Team BC.

Testimonials

Kurt Innes
Director of Performance Solutions, Canadian Sport Institute-Pacific
Team BC Chef de Mission, 2023 Canada Winter Games
"Volunteering as Team BC Mission Staff provides our staff with first hand practical experience working within a high performance multi-sport competitive environment. It also provides exceptional professional development experience for anyone interested in a long-term career in sport, recreation, or health. From the first Team BC Mission Staff training session through to the end of the entire Games experience, our staff have learned the ins and outs of how to support the coaches and sport technical experts as they prepare the athletes for peak performances. On top of getting great professional development opportunities, the opportunity to travel around Canada, and network with your peers from the other provinces are also great benefits you will receive."

Tyla Flexman
Team BC Mission Staff, 2013 Canada Summer Games, 2015 Canada Winter Games, and 2017 Canada Summer Games
"When I first started as a mission staffer, I was just beginning my professional career and my experience at the Canada Games helped me gain new skills and build lasting relationships. Over the course of three Canada Games I grew and developed as a leader and that has significantly contributed to my career today. One of the incredible parts of being on Team BC’s Mission Staff is the being involved in the entire life cycle of the Games (pre, during & post). Ultimately your experience, learnings and input is relied upon to inform the BC and Canadian Sport System.

I would say that the most important thing you’ll learn as a mission staffer is being able to triage and think quickly on your feet in an unpredictable, intense environment. The ability to adapt, problem solve, and manage priorities efficiently are essential skills that all business leaders need to succeed in any industry. The Games truly do prepare you for anything, and I have applied these skills in my current role and throughout my career in & outside of the sports industry.

I would highly suggest a Mission Staff role with Team BC to anyone who is hoping to grow their network, learn essential leadership skills, and have a once in a lifetime experience."

Also check out the videos on this page from Carolyn Boomer and Ajay Patel.