Media Advisory Category for BC Summer Games

Surrey, BC – The 2012 Surrey BC Summer Games came to a close Sunday after the final medals were awarded and the athletes were sent home having had an experience many of them will remember as one of the most important in their lives.

Chanell Botsis, 14, of Coquitlam took home more than the three Gold medals she won in Athletics. She was presented with the W.R. Bennett Award for Athletic Excellence at Sunday’s closing ceremony. Botsis set a new BC Games record in Javelin with her throw of 43.06 m, shattering the old record of 41.23m. She also won Gold in Discus and Javelin. The straight “A” student is a member of Richmond’s Kajaks Track and Field Club, and came to her first Games looking for a podium finish, she said, but also looking to perform her personal best. She credited her mom and coaches as the biggest influences on her life and her athletic success.

“These Games saw a number of records fall as BC’s best came together,” said BC Games President and CEO Kelly Mann. “That shows that BC’s investment in sport is paying off. We are seeing an escalation in skills in several sports, and many of the young people who competed here are well on their way to becoming provincial level athletes.”

“I firmly believe that many of the stars produced by these Summer Games in Surrey will one day compete for our country.”

Canadian rowers have a history of being at the top of the podium on the world stage, and if results from the past three days at the Delta-Deas Rowing Club are any indication the future is bright for BC rowers to follow in their footsteps. Zone 6 Vancouver Island-Central Coast dominated on the water, with every one of the 11 athletes on the team earning a medal.

Teams from the host Zone 3 Fraser Valley won several of their final match-ups Sunday. The boys rugby, beach volleyball, box lacrosse and field lacrosse teams all won Gold as did the girls rugby, basketball, soccer and softball teams. The girls of Zone 5 Vancouver-Squamish prevailed over Fraser Valley in two of the most exciting match-ups of the Games. They took the Gold in volleyball and in line hockey.

Individually, there were a number of standouts over the three days of the Games. Swimmer Justin Howe, 14, of Victoria had the largest haul of medals for the boys on his Zone 6 Vancouver Island-Central Coast team, going home with three Golds, three Silvers and one Bronze. His performance bodes well for the upcoming Age Group Nationals he will be attending. Burnaby’s Jemal Reta of Zone 4 Fraser River-Delta set a new BC Games record for the men’s 2000m steeplechase. He also holds the 1500m steeplechase Games record.

Parents came from around the province to support, congratulate and console their children. They stood out in the crowds of spectators as they waved their team’s colours and cheered on the youngsters from the sidelines. Parents’ contributions to an athlete’s success often go unnoticed, but all would agree that having the opportunity to watch their child compete at a BC Games is a reward like no other. Many also expressed their appreciation for the long hours put in by the 3,000 volunteers who helped make the Surrey Games a success.

The BC Games cauldron will be lit again in 2014 in Mission for the BC Winter Games and in Nanaimo for the BC Summer Games.

-30-

MEDIA CONTACT:

Lia Threlfall
Communications Manager
BC Games Society
250-812-3887
lia@bcgames.org

Surrey, BC – Sport venues across Surrey were alive with action Saturday, the second day of competition at the 2012 Surrey BC Summer Games. With weather conditions much improved over the opening day, the athletes put on an incredible display of talent. In the backs of the minds of many of them was the inspiration that 25 members of the 2012 Canadian Olympic Team, ready to compete in London next week, are BC Games alumni.

Vancouver teen Jasper Schiedel won Gold in Pentathlon, a grueling five-event competition capped off with a 1,000 metre run. The 14-year-old won with a cumulative score of 3,097 points after leaving his competitors in the dust on the final leg. Powell River’s Zane Hernandez, representing Vancouver Island-Central Coast (Zone 6) won Silver with a cumulative score of 2,721 points while Chilliwack’s Ryan Higuchi (Zone 3 Fraser Valley) won the Bronze with 2,410 points.

Triathlon competition also came to a close Saturday. Delta native Michael Milic, 14, won all three Triathlon events in the male division this week. Holly Henry of Victoria placed first in the Triathlon Sunday while fellow Victoria competitor Farisha Arensen placed first in the Aquathlon and Duathlon.

At Abbotsford’s Albert Dyck Park, Shawnigan Lake’s Desman Perry won double Gold after almost missing the opportunity to compete at the Games. The 13-year-old water skier received a wild card berth to the Games after failing to make the Zone 6 Vancouver Island-Central Coast squad. He made the most of the opportunity, winning in slalom and trick in the very competitive Boys 2 division.

In volleyball, the Zone 3 Fraser Valley’s volleyball B team completed an extraordinary achievement when they jumped in at the last minute to replace another team, and then playing to qualify for the Bronze medal game.

Zone 6 weathered a late rally to earn a berth in the box lacrosse final. Sunday’s matchup will be an Island vs. Mainland battle, as Vancouver Island-Central Coast goes up against Zone 3 Fraser Valley for BC Summer Games gold. Zone 2 Thompson-Okanagan will take on Zone 4 Fraser River-Delta, a match-up of teams that missed playing for first place by one goal each.

Campbell River’s 17-year-old wrestling prodigy, Ashley Osachuk, has an extensive list of accomplishments for her young age. With over five years of training and more than 35 tournaments under her belt, she can finally add her Gold medal win in the 56 kg weight class to her impressive resume which includes a second place showing at the 2010 BC Summer Games and a fourth place finish at the Cadet Pan Am Games in Venezuela.

At Bear Creek Park, 14-year-old Chanell Botsis of Coquitlam grabbed double Gold, in girls discus and javelin. The wins followed Friday’s Gold in hammer, making her 3-for-3 at the Games.

In equestrian competition, Tristiana Allwood of 100 Mile House, Kelowna’s Melissa Ramsay (both with Zone 2 Thompson-Okanagan) and Kim Scott of Victoria (Vancouver Island-Central Coast – Zone 6) stood on the podium to receive their medals for Para-Dressage. It was the second medal for Ramsay and Scott. Another equestrienne, Kaylee Shukin, 13 of Nelson wone Gold in vaulting while New Westminster’s Carley Harder (Fraser River-Delta – Zone 4) received Silver and Janelle Roed of Abbotsford (Fraser Valley – Zone 3) won Bronze.

Man in Motion Rick Hansen was just your average proud parent on Saturday, cheering on youngest daughter Rebecca, a member of the Zone 4 Fraser River Delta beach volleyball team.

“I remember when I was a kid I had a chance to come at the BC Summer Games,” said Hansen. “It was one of the inspirational moments in my athletic career and it launched me towards Paralympic and Olympic competition. Through that I realized that I could give back and support sport as well. That’s one of the core values and attributes of the BC Summer Games.”

Hansen noted that the volunteers at the BC Summer Games are a core element of the event. He expressed his gratitude to them for all their hard work, saying that it presents great opportunities to come back and close the circle from athlete to supporter. Over 3,000 community volunteers are contributing to the success of the Surrey Games.

The 2012 Surrey BC Summer Games conclude Sunday when many of the medals for team competition will be awarded and the 2,300 athletes will say goodbye to new friends and the experience of a lifetime.

With an average athlete age of 14 years, the BC Games are an important step and a training ground for the province’s best young athletes as they work toward provincial and national team programs.

-30-

For More Information

Lia Threlfall
Communications Manager                       
BC Games Society
250-812-3887
liat@bcgames.org

Surrey 2012 BC Summer Games Media Centre
604-543-8749 x 2003
news@bcgames.org

Surrey, BC – The first day of competition at the 2012 Surrey BC Summer Games got underway Friday with many of the 2,300 athletes having to contend with less than ideal weather at the outdoor venues.

Through rain and high water, sisters Kelly and Annie Hellman of Nelson (Kootenays – Zone 1) came out on top in Friday’s canoe/kayak events. Kelly, 13, placed second in the 2000 metre single canoe race with a time of 17:00, while 12-year-old Annie took third with a final time of 17:47. Nelson Canoe and Kayak Club is one of the smallest and newest in the province, and with only one racing kayak in the entire club, prepping for the Games was “an adventure”, said Annie.

Rowers Mira Girt and Miranda Prekaski handled the squalls, rain and cool weather Friday morning to win Gold in the Women’s 2x Skills event for Zone 4 Fraser River-Delta, and then rowed their way to Silver in the Mixed 4x Plus Coxswain. In the afternoon, it was a Bronze for Girt and Prekaski in the Women’s Doubles 1000 metre Time Trials, and another Bronze in the Mixed Quad Time Trials.

In the Men’s 2x, Gold went to Aaron Christie and Brendan Marney  (Zone 6 Vancouver Island-Central Coast), Silver to Zone 4’s Alex Payandeh and Ty Yamamoto and Bronze to Zone 6’s Gavin Cameron and Justin Miller, also from Zone 6.

Over 50 eager sailors from teams across the province converged on White Rock’s Blackie Spit Park to brave the large waves whipped up by 35 knot winds, equivalent to 64.8 km/h. Although many sailors capsized multiple times, the intense weather provided a great experience for the fledgling athletes, according to Darren Redies, Surrey Sailing Club’s commodore and overseer of the competition.

“That’s what you want for a competition of this caliber,” he said.

Kamloops’ Logan MacLeod, 14, swam her way to three medals on the first day of competition, winning Gold in both the 100 metre breaststroke and the 200 metre freestyle and Silver in the 50 metre Freestyle. Her younger sister Taryn, 13, is also competing at the Games for the first time.

In the Athletics competition at Bear Creek Park, Jake Hanna crushed the BC Games’ 300 metre record – twice! Competing in his hometown of Surrey, he won his semi-final heat effortlessly in a time of 37.35, breaking the record by mere milliseconds after easing up before he crossed the finish line.The energy he saved helped him to the win in the final in a time of 36.09.

It was first time lucky for Special Olympics athlete Brad Hogan of who won Gold in the long jump event with a distance of 4.48 metres. Teammate Jake Hooper placed second with a jump of 4.05 meters, and 16-year-old Jason Keddy was third with 3.61 meters. All three men are from Zone 6 Vancouver Island-Central Coast. 

In a tight matchup against Zone 7 North West, the boys’ soccer team from Zone 7 Kootenays emerged as the victors with a 3-1 win in their first match. The Kootenays team is made up of players from cities separated by long distances.

“It was a challenge to get players together for practices and the players often billeted. Some even had to travel five hours,” said assistant coach Michael Stambulic.

In the battle for field lacrosse supremacy the Fraser Valley Tropics team powered its way through heavy rain and winds like a tropical storm. Despite a late bus arrival and missing the all-important first meal of the day, the team took to the field at Newton Athletic Park wearing their signature Hawaiian print shorts and took a commanding 14-0 win over Vancouver-Squamish (Zone 5).

Michela Phillips, 17, from North Vancouver (Zone 5 Vancouver-Squamish) won the junior women’s wakeboard title, adding another medal to her family’s collection of Gold. Michela’s mother, Kathy Kreiner-Phillips, one of the Games’ celebrity medal presenters, draped the Gold medal around her daughter’s neck. Kreiner-Phillips won Olympic Gold in the giant slalom in 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria.

At the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, friends Alysha Russell, 15, Robyn Marjoribanks both from Squamish, joined each other on the podium as the medals were awarded to the riders and their horses for their Dressage performances. Russell took Silver and Marjoribanks was awarded the Bronze. Gold went to Hannah Beaulieu of Maple Ridge (Fraser Valley – Zone 3).

Over 2300 athletes are competing in 20 sports at venues throughout Surrey. With an average athlete age of 14 years, the BC Games are an important step for athletes towards provincial and national team programs. The BC Games are a training ground for the best young athletes in the province. 25 members of the 2012 Canadian Olympic Team are BC Games alumni. Over 3,000 community volunteers are contributing to the success of the Games.

-30-

Coast Capital Savings is throwing its financial support behind the Surrey 2012 BC Summer Games as a corporate partner, with a $75,000 commitment to the event, which begins July 19.

“Coast Capital’s support represents a significant contribution to the game’s success,” said Bruce Hayne, director, Friends of the Games. “Investments from private enterprise play an important role in helping fund the games, and as one of the leading businesses headquartered in Surrey, it’s great to have Coast Capital on board as a corporate partner.”

Wendy Lachance, director, community leadership for Coast Capital Savings, said support for the games aligns with the credit union’s community investment focus.

“Coast Capital Savings donates seven per cent of its pre-tax profits back into the community, with a goal of building a richer future for youth, and we recognize the important role that sport plays in helping young people gain key life skills,” Lachance said. “This is a great partnership opportunity since the games are taking place in our home base of Surrey and will engage 3,000 young B.C. athletes. Our employees are looking forward to watching and volunteering at the games to show their support as well.”

The BC Games are held throughout the province every other year in both winter and summer. The Summer Games provides a competitive sport environment that supports the development of athletes, coaches and officials as they move to higher levels of competition. There will be 20 sports represented involving up to 3700 athletes, coaches and officials over three exciting days of competition.

For more information:

Don Wells, Media Liaison
604-812-5613
don.wells@telus.net

Tara Mackenzie, Coast Capital Savings
604-517-7653
tara.mackenzie@coastcapitalsavings.com

May 31, 2012

It takes an awful lot of a lot of things to stage the Surrey 2012 BC Summer Games, including about 3,500 portable mattresses for participants to sleep on, and the task of storing and deploying them to host schools all over the city is no cushy job.

Panorama Ridge Secondary principal Kevin DeBoice (on ladder) teams up with Surrey Schools staff members Ken Cutting and Madelaine Mahoney to store 3500 portable mattresses.

Fortunately for Games organizers, Surrey Schools has generously offered its schools to house participants along with key members of its facilities staff to help make preparations. In addition, several of the School District’s teachers, retirees and staff have signed up to volunteer for any number of tasks related to setting up and supervising sleeping quarters for some 2,800 athletes and over 900 coaches and officials from every corner of the province.

Panorama Ridge Secondary principal Kevin DeBoice is Director of Accommodations for the 2012 Games and the School District’s representative to the Board of Directors. He is one of 15 volunteer directors selected in late 2010 by a Mayor’s committee to stage the Games which run July 19-22.  Among other things, DeBoice’s volunteer team is responsible for the onerous task of moving the mattresses – in exactly the right numbers – to each of the 14 participating schools. Director of Facilities Lance Nordling and Manager of Service Operations Jim Connolly are also volunteering in Chair positions within the Accommodations Directorate and will play key roles in ensuring the schools are ready to host the athletes, coaches and officials.

The mattresses, which are the property of the BC Games Society, currently occupy over 6,000 square feet of space in a Surrey Schools warehouse, where they were shipped after being used in February at the Vernon 2012 BC Winter Games.

“The mattresses travel from Games to Games, and so one of the first challenges is finding a place to store them all,” says DeBoice. “Our district took on this task because we felt it would be easier to store and deliver them ourselves and thereby ease the stress on the Board of Directors and the City to find space. The next thing we need to do is finalize the plan to distribute them and get the trucks and volunteers in place to pull it off.  This is where our facilities staff members are experts.  Ultimately, their knowledge of the district and willingness to help the volunteers will be paramount for success.”

To that end, DeBoice explains that Manager of Transportation and Central Stores, Ken Cutting and Assistant Manager of Service Operations, Madelaine Mahoney will represent the School District and provide hands-on leadership with the tasks ahead. With exactly 50 days to go before the opening ceremony, DeBoice says that school-based volunteers are signing up on a regular basis, but the hunt is on for more.

“We’ve had good volunteer support from teachers and staff, which I think says two things. First, it says that the people of our district take great pride in their schools, and second it says that they understand the historical importance of the BC Summer Games. But with just 50 days to go, we still need more people to sign up to help out. At the end of the day, both the City of Surrey and the School District are determined to make these Games the best experience possible for British Columbia’s athletes.”

The Surrey schools that will be hosting participants are Clayton Heights, Elgin Park, Enver Creek, Fleetwood Park, Frank Hurt, Gilford Park, HT Thrift, Kwantlen Park, Lord Tweedsmuir, Ecole Martha Currie, Ecole Panorama Ridge, Semiahmoo, Sullivan Heights and Tamanawis. In addition, Lord Tweedsmuir will be a competition venue for basketball and Semiahmoo for volleyball.

“Without the support of School Districts in host communities, we wouldn’t have the BC Summer or BC Winter Games, it’s really that simple,” says Kelly Mann, President and CEO of the BC Games Society. “Schools are essential partners because they provide competition and accommodation venues free of charge allowing the participants a safe and secure environment to have an outstanding Games experience.”

Anyone interested in volunteering for the Games can register on-line by going to 2012bcsummergames.ca/volunteers/.

The Surrey 2012 BC Summer Games will be held July 19- 22 and will attract as many as 2,800 athletes aged 11-18 from across the province to take part in 20 sporting events at 15 venues throughout the city.  A total of 3,500 local volunteers will be required to stage the Games, which are expected to have an economic impact of approximately $2.5 million in direct spending by games participants, spectators, volunteers and organizers.

For more information:

Kevin DeBoice, Surrey Schools
604-595-8890
deboice_k@sd36.bc.ca

For Media Inquiries:

Don Wells, Media Liaison
604-812-5613
don.wells@telus.net

May 31, 2012

With just under 100 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Surrey 2012 BC Summer Games, the official lighting of the Games torch will take place Thursday, April 19 at the running track at Bear Creek Park (13750 – 88 Avenue). All members of the public are encouraged to attend the one-hour ceremony, which gets under way at 6:30 pm and will be hosted by Global BC Senior Meteorologist Mark Madryga.

Spectators will be entertained by a large contingent of Surrey youth performers, beginning with the Maple Green Elementary Steel Drummers who will greet early arrivals from 6:15 to 6:30 PM. Others include the Quadrisauras Dance Team; the Erma Stephenson Elementary Choir and Taiko Drummers; the Princess Margaret Secondary Choir, and Elgin Park Secondary singing sensation Payton Rector, who will perform Because We Dream, the 2012 Games theme song co-composed by Doug Johnson, a Surrey resident and keyboardist of legendary Canadian recording artists Loverboy.

The ceremony will culminate with a group of young Surrey athletes representing 16 of the 20 BC Summer Games sports taking part in a short torch relay on the running track, after which Mayor Dianne Watts and a Surrey athlete representative will light the ceremonial Games torch. The Games will be held July 19-22 and will attract up to 2818 athletes with an average age of 14 years from across the province to take part in 20 sporting events at 15 venues throughout the city. A total of 3500 local volunteers will be required to stage the Games, which are expected to have an economic impact of approximately $2.5 million in direct spending by games participants, spectators, volunteers and organizers.

For more information:

Bonnie Burnside, Surrey 2012 BC Summer Games Ceremonies Director
604.580.2321

Cyndy Hill, Surrey 2012 BC Summer Games Ceremonies Chair
604-598-6307
cahill@surrey.ca

For Media Inquiries:

Don Wells, Media Liaison
604-812-5613
don.wells@telus.net

April 11, 2012

14-year-old Payton Rector of Surrey has been selected to perform and record the Surrey 2012 BC Summer Games theme song, Because We Dream, co-composed by Doug Johnson, a Surrey resident and keyboardist of legendary Canadian recording artists Loverboy.

Doug Johnson and Payton Rector record "Because We Dream"

The Elgin Park Secondary student burst onto the local scene at age nine when she became the 2007 BC Junior Talent Search Champion for the 7-12 age category. She subsequently won numerous other competitions, including the 2009 Surrey City Jams in the Pre-teen category. Besides competitions, Payton’s performance highlights include the 2009 BC Country Music Association Industry Awards, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games on the Richmond Ozone stage, the Merritt Mountain Music Festival, and opening for international recording artist and Grammy Award nominee Brian McKnight at the Orpheum Theatre in December 2010.

“There is no question that she is an amazing talent with unlimited industry potential” says Johnson, an original member of the multiple Juno Award-winning band that achieved international success with signature hits such as Working For the Weekend, Turn Me Loose and The Kid is Hot Tonight, and was inducted in 2009 into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

“Lyrically, the song draws attention to the bold aspirations of youth in sport or any other kind of endeavour,” explains Johnson. “In that sense, Payton is the perfect choice to sing it because she is a truly inspired young artist with big dreams for her future.”

Johnson, who composed and arranged all the instrumental tracks for the song and collaborated with Surrey drummer Don Wells on the lyrics, will produce a recorded version of Payton singing Because We Dream in advance of her debut live performance of the song at the Surrey Games Torch-lighting Ceremony April 19 at Bear Creek Park. Her performance will be one of the features of the Games opening ceremonies on July 19, while the recorded version will be used at medal ceremonies throughout the four-day event.

The Games will be held July 19-22 and will attract as many as 2800 athletes age 11-18 from across the province to take part in 20 sporting events at 15 venues throughout the city. A total of 3500 local volunteers will be required to stage the Games, which are expected to have an economic impact of approximately $2.5 million in direct spending by games participants, spectators, volunteers and organizers.

For more information:

Don Wells, Media Liaison 
604-812-5613
don.wells@telus.net