Team BC concludes Games with trophy win
The 2015 Western Canada Summer Games came to a close in Wood Buffalo, Alberta with a wonderful celebration at Shell Place in Fort McMurray on Sunday.
After 10 days of celebration, athletic accomplishments, and team spirit the Team BC athletes, coaches, mangers and mission staff have returned to their home communities to share their successes and experiences.
“On behalf of Premier Christy Clark and the Government of British Columbia, I want to thank all of the athletes, coaches, and staff who worked so tirelessly and represented our Province with so much pride,” said Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. “It is an honour to see so many of you bringing home medals from the Western Canada Summer Games and I look forward to what you can all accomplish in the future for this Province and this country.”
334 athletes showcased their commitment to sport through 280 podium performances including 134 gold, 86 silver, 61 bronze. Team BC topped the medal count ahead of Alberta and Manitoba. The 2015 medal count is an increase from the 255 medals won at the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games.
BC Games alumni represented 44% of Team BC and 147 alumni won or contributed to the medal count. These athletes have had the opportunity to compete in a multi-sport environment which will be of great benefit as they move forward to larger competitions. At the 2015 Pan Am Games, Team BC alumni from past Western Canada Games won medals for Team Canada including Evan Dunfee (race walk), Liz Gleadle (javelin), and Luke Reilly (swimming).
Jesse Shade, a Special Olympics swimmer from Campbell River, was selected as the Team BC flag bearer and proudly led the team into the Closing Ceremony where BC was awarded the Western Canada Summer Games trophy. This trophy is awarded to the team with the highest aggregate points, and Team BC has won the trophy at every Games since the inception of the Western Canada Summer Games in 1975.
“I am incredibly proud of our entire team,” said Diane St-Denis, Team BC Chef de Mission. The athletes, coaches, and managers showed tremendous pride and spirit both on and off the field of play and represented our province to the very best of their ability. The venues were top notch, the volunteers passionate about their community, and the memories will last a lifetime.”
Team BC also showed that we are leaders and ambassadors for sport and in our communities by contributing to a legacy project that supported MiKids, an organization in Fort McMurray that provides financial assistance to youth to help them participate in sport and recreation programs. Team BC provided a $1552 cash donation to MiKids.
The next Games for Team BC are the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg. The next Western Canada Summer Games will be held in Swift Current, Saskatchewan in 2019.
#WEareBC News Wrap
After a successful 10 days in Wood Buffalo, Team BC is the news across the province. Come check out our online newspaper with news, photo, and video highlights of Team BC at the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games. #WEareBC News Wrap
A special thanks
After phase one, we received this wonderful letter of thanks from Deborah Carter, head coach of Special Olympics athletics team. From your Team BC mission staff, thank YOU Deborah. It is most appreciated to hear that the work we do can have such a positive and meaningful impact on the lives of our athletes and coaches.
The the mission staff of WCSG 2015 -
It was so great to work along side you again this year at Western Canada Games. I feel so blessed to have been able to work with each of you over the past few months leading up to games and last week at the event. The friendships made are worth so much. I truly believe that Special Olympics is sometimes the only place where people with intellectual disabilities can develop a strong belief in themselves to know they can do so much more. When I first met our athletes some were shy and weren’t really sure where they fit in. As a coach I have seen them grow from shy individuals to strong, very independent young people with determination, confidence and a desire to be the best they can be. For me, there is nothing more rewarding as a coach then to see an athlete meet, achieve and exceed their personal best and being proud of their accomplishments. I can only hope that the culture we focused to attain on this team helped them achieve this because they accomplished so many things in Wood Buffalo.
It is a great honor and responsibility volunteering as a Special Olympics coach and representing our province as an ambassador where lessons of ability, acceptance and inclusion are taught through our athletes. For me I think this is my platform to educate people from all walks of life working together to make the world a better place with more respect and tolerance of the challenges we face and of each other. I am so proud that we achieved that in so many ways over this last few days. This movement has enriched my life in ways I cannot ever describe in words. How blessed am I to be taught by our greatest teachers, our athletes, both on and off the field of play.
#WEareBC Spirit Contest
Team BC would like to thank everyone who participated in our #WEareBC Spirit Contest. The tremendous amount of photos and videos submitted helped to spread the sense of Team BC pride, as we came together to show our spirit, support our athletes, and make it known that WE ARE BC.
Congratulations to Alisha Lau, from Team BC golf, on being selected as the second winner of our Beats by Dre Pill speaker. A special shout out to our other two finalists - Team BC Women’s Volleyball and Team BC Women’s Soccer, who also submitted exceptional videos. All three entries were so great the winner had to be decided by a draw.
Relive the action
There are lots of great avenues to catch up on the action from the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games. Check out these links for some great photos, videos, and SportsNet highlight clips.
Flickr - All the photos from Team BC's amazing photographer, Kevin Bogetti-Smith are posted here. For great action shots of your favourite sport - this is where you want to go. All photos are available for free download.
YouTube - Daily feature videos from Team BC Mission staff and other videos reporting on Team BC at the Western Canada Summer Games are posted here.
SportsNet - The official broadcaster of the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games, Rogers SportsNet was on location in Wood Buffalo. Daily highlight clips aired every night on Sportsnet Central, as well as 30 minute pre and post Games shows that aired on August 6 and 17. View the highlight clips and shows here.
WCSG Photos - The 2015 Western Canada Summer Games host society had volunteer photographers stationed at the all the venues capturing images of the competitions, the celebrations and the fun! These photos can be viewed here.
Support from our partners
Check the websites of SportMedBC, ViaSport, Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, and the Pacific Sport Network of Regional Centres for resources, courses, services, and information to support you as you take your next steps as an athlete or coach.
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