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Sport BC honours BC Games and Team BC alumni at 56th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards

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Sport BC celebrated the 56th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards on Thursday, March 7, 2024, and eight BC Games or Team BC alumni walked away with honours.

Brian Balkwill and Brenda Beatty were awarded the BC Games Society President’s Award for their volunteer work as President and Vice President, respectively, of the Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games.

The event was hosted by CBC’s Scott Russell recognizing the province’s best in amateur sport including athletes, coaches, teams, and officials for outstanding performances in their 2023 sport season. Each finalist was nominated by their Provincial or Multi-Sport Organization, High School, College, or University. The Selection Committee, led by long-serving Chair Bernie Pascall, included a diverse group of highly experienced British Columbia sport leaders and media members.

President’s Award – BC Games Society
Brian Balkwill & Brenda Beatty – BC Games

Athlete with a Disability
Mel Pemble (Victoria, BC) – Para Cycling (Track) – BC Games and Team BC

Male Coach of the Year
Dylan Armstrong (Kamloops, BC) – BC Games and Team BC

Senior Female Athlete of the Year 
Camryn Rogers (Richmond, BC) – Athletics – BC Games

Senior Male Athlete of the Year
Ethan Katzberg (Nanaimo, BC) – Athletics – BC Games

Master Athlete of the Year
Malindi Elmore (Kelowna, BC) – Athletics – BC Games

Official of the Year
Trevor Walmsley (Vancouver, BC) – Karate – BC Games

Volunteer Drive Kick Off for Maple Ridge 2024 BC Summer Games

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On Sunday, March 17, the Directors and Chairs from the Maple Ridge 2024 BC Summer Games Society will be out in the community to kick off the drive to recruit over 2500 volunteers to help deliver an exceptional sport and cultural event from July 17 to 21, 2024.

“In February, I led a delegation of Directors from our community to attend the Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games. From the moment that we were picked up by the volunteer drivers at the Prince George airport we saw the importance of incredible community ambassadors to ensure that every aspect of the athletic competition and logistics were delivered with excellence and community pride,” said Laura Butler, President of the Maple Ridge 2024 BC Summer Games Society.

“Here in Maple Ridge, we will be recruiting over 2500 volunteers across all our areas of the Games operation from registration, accommodation, sport support, food services, logistics, special events, and a host of other positions. What we saw in Quesnel was how the energy, expertise and enthusiasm of the volunteers helped ensure that the youth athletes and the coaches and officials had a first-rate competition. We’re recruiting ‘Team Maple Ridge’ to welcome over 3000 athletes, coaches and officials to our community from July 17 to 21 of this year.

“Look for the blue jackets with the BC Summer Games logo at local grocery stores and community centres from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Sunday, March 17 as we launch our ‘Team Maple Ridge’ drive to secure over 2500 volunteers to deliver the 2024 BC Summer Games,” said Maple Ridge 2024 BC Summer Games Director of Participant & Volunteer Services, Heidi Einhorn.

She continued, “We’ll be available to answer questions about volunteer roles and we’ll be handing out information with a QR code that takes you to the online volunteer registration at www.bcsummergames.ca where you can sign up to join Team Maple Ridge.”

‘Team Maple Ridge’ will consist of over 2500 volunteers across a variety of roles that will draw on the expertise and interests of our community members. The earlier that people sign up, the more that the local Directors and Chairs will be able to connect people with roles that suit their interests and availability.

During the time in Quesnel, the Maple Ridge delegation saw volunteers serving in such diverse roles as guest services/hosts/ambassadors, promoting the Games and taking photos at the events/reporting/social media, food preparation and services, accommodation coordination, medical services, fundraising and sponsorship recognition, event set-up/take down and support, venue security, sport support/equipment procurement/support, and transportation support (courtesy drivers, parking management, traffic control).

“As we visited venues and met with volunteers, we saw how people of different backgrounds and experience were working together to handle so many aspects of the Games. We met retired military veterans who were bringing their logistics expertise to work in the background, home cooks who were helping serve all the meals, youth volunteers who wanted to gain valuable experience for future jobs as well as service club members who decided to invest their time to ensure that the youth athletes had a positive experience,” noted Laura Butler. “It was inspiring, and I was struck by the pride that everyone we interacted with had in their community. I also noted that people were making new friends and new connections which made for a joyful event. I think that one of the big legacies of the Maple Ridge 2024 BC Summer Games will be this incredible family of volunteers in our community when the Games end.”

The Games Directors and Chairs look forward to seeing you on Sunday, March 17 and at community events and facilities around the City in the coming weeks as we recruit Team Maple Ridge! Be a 2024 BC Summer Games volunteer. Sign up today at www.bcsummergames.ca.

Sixteen Participants Receive BC Games Leadership Bursary at 2024 BC Winter Games

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Athletes, youth coaches, and officials taking part in the Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games were invited to apply for the BC Games Leadership Bursary. Supported by Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, this bursary aims to recognize participants under 19 years of age who have achieved in academics and sport while going above and beyond in their communities through leadership and volunteer activities.

Sixteen recipients were awarded a $1,000 bursary to support their future sport or educational pursuits.

Kootenays (Zone 1)
Jasmine Chow – Artistic Gymnastics (Castlegar)
Sylas Welch – Alpine Skiing (Kimberley)

Thompson-Okanagan (Zone 2)
Annika Hay – Ringette (Kelowna)
Daylen Zachary – Ringette (Salmon Arm)

Fraser Valley (Zone 3)
Saanvi Lad – Karate (Langley)
Lachlan Sandford – Wheelchair Basketball (Mission)

Fraser River (Zone 4)
Weisen (Wilson) Hu – Badminton (Coquitlam)
Kierana Laut – Speed Skating (Coquitlam)

Vancouver-Coastal (Zone 5)
Vania Amani – Karate (North Vancouver)
Nika Ghaderi – Badminton (Richmond)

Vancouver Island-Central Coast (Zone 6)
Yashita Kaku – Karate (Victoria)
Rio Garcia – Judo (Shawnigan Lake)

North West (Zone 7)
Reese Hansen – Ringette (Terrace)
Katie Lo – Alpine Skiing (Smithers)

Cariboo-North East (Zone 8)
Sayla Forman – Artistic Gymnastics (Quesnel)
Lily Fraser – 150 Mile House (Archery)

 

Prince George’s Cillian Hollybow wins W.R. Bennett Award

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QUESNEL, B.C. – Prince George’s Cillian Hollybow was presented the W.R. Bennett Award for Athletic Excellence as the Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games on Sunday.

A karate athlete in Zone 8 North West, Hollybow was recognized for his outstanding achievements before and at the Games. The presentation was made by the Honourable Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship and MLA for Stikine.

“It’s been excellent to see this kind of growth and I’m excited about his potential for the future,” Jordan Foy, Hollybow’s coach at the Games, told Global BC.

The W.R. Bennett Award recognizes one athlete at each BC Winter and BC Summer Games who demonstrates athletic achievement and leadership. Nominations are submitted by Provincial Sport Organizations and the winner receives a $2,500 bursary. The award was named in honour of former premier Bill Bennett, who created the BC Games in 1978.

At the Lhtako Quesnel BC Winter Games, Hollybow took home a pair of silver medals.

“I’m very proud of this for myself and for everyone who helped me get it,” said Hollybow. “I want to get a gold medal in an international event like a Pan-Ams or a World Championships.”

Hollybow has showcased remarkable achievements in karate, highlighted by a gold medal at the U14 Male Kumite -50kg at the 2023 Karate Canada National Championships. This victory secured him a place on Team Canada at the 2023 Junior Pan American Karate Championships in Santiago, Chile where he placed 9th. His talent extends to the World Karate Federation Karate-1 Youth League in Merida, Mexico, where he finished 5th in the same category.

A Brown Belt at the Nechako Karate Club, he assists younger athletes in their training. In his free time, he is a school champion in chess and a talented cello player who is part of the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games kick off

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The Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games are underway from February 22-25, 2024 and with over 800 athletes, 210 coaches, and 132 officials attending.

PARTICIPANT LIST AND RESULTS | SPORT SCHEDULES | PHOTOS

On Thursday night, athletes paraded into the West Fraser Centre in Quesnel for the Opening Ceremony. Participants will compete in 13 different sports and hail from across the province, representing 144 communities and 84 of the 87 constituencies.

The Lhtako Quesnel Games are the 32nd iteration of the Winter Games. The event is taking place on the traditional territory of the Lhtako Dene Nation, which has partnered with the City of Quesnel to host the event. Volunteers from the host community have been preparing for the last 18 months to welcome participants and put on a celebration of community and sport. Over 1,300 local volunteers have already signed up to support attendees at Games time.

The BC Winter and BC Winter Games have been the starting point for many athletes who have gone on to higher levels of sport. Many Olympians and Paralympics have attended the Games, including Mollie Jepsen (Para Alpine) Jamie Macdonald (Speed Skating), Bo Hedges (Wheelchair Basketball), and Meryeta O’Dine (Snowboardcross).

For more information about the BC Winter Games please visit bcgames.org/.

PARTICIPANT LIST

To find out who is registered for the 2024 BC Winter Games, look at the Participant Listwhich is now available online and searchable by city, sport, and name. 

https://www.bcgames.org/Games/ResultsandParticipantLists.aspx

To search participants by community:
Step 1: Choose Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games
Step 2: Choose List of all Participants
Step 3: Choose All from the Sport drop down list (bottom of the list)
Step 4: Choose the community from the dropdown list
Step 5: Click Submit

PLEASE NOTE: The Participant List and numbers are subject to change until the close of the Accreditation at 11:59 pm on February 22. 

Media Contact:
David Conlin
Communications Manager
BC Games Society
davidc@bcgames.org

About the BC Games Society
Established in 1977 by the B.C. Government under the Societies Act, the BC Games Society (the Society) oversees the BC Winter Games and BC Summer Games. The Society also supports the participation of Team BC, the provincial team competing at Canada Games, in national multi-sport Games. Each of these Games provide opportunities for the development of athletes, coaches, and officials in preparation for higher levels of competition. The BC Games also provide important economic and tourism benefits, allowing hosts to profile their communities and benefit from an economic impact in the range of $1.6 million to $2 million. The legacies of the BC Winter and BC Summer Games allow for capacity building in communities across the province resulting in a stronger British Columbia.

Everything to know about the 2024 BC Winter Games

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The Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games are fast approaching and athletes are now registered to attend.

Learn everything you need to know about the Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games using our Guide to the Games booklet, G2G Sessions, and Registration Key Dates Timeline.

More resources:

Guide to the Games

The Guide to the Games booklet for the BC Winter Games is now available for download.

The Guide is a document produced before each BC Winter and Summer Games designed to fill participants in on everything they need to know ahead of the Games. The booklet has information on accommodation, transportation, ceremonies, the host community, and more.

View the Guide to the Games

Guide to the Games (G2G) Sessions

Prior to the Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games, online G2G Sessions open to athletes, coaches, officials, and parents provide an overview of what to expect at the Games.

The sessions are meant to help:

  • Increase understanding of the BC Games and the logistics of the Games.
  • Explore ways athletes can gain full benefit from their BC Games experience.
  • Provide specific information and tools to support preparation for the BC Games.
  • Provide practical information regarding their upcoming BC Games experience.
Register for G2G Session
G2G Register for a Session

Registration Key Dates

Eight BC Games and Team BC alumni to compete at Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games

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Canada’s 79-athlete delegation at the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games, taking place January 19 — February 1, includes eight individuals who competed at either the BC Games or with Team BC at the Canada Games. The event serves as an invaluable international sport experience in a major games environment.

The full list of BC Games and Team BC alumni can be found below, while Canada’s full Gangwon 2024 team list can be found here.

Name Sport BC Games Canada Games Result
Eamon Wilson Cross-country Skiing 2020 BC Winter Games 2023 Canada Winter Games  
David Li Figure Skating 2018 BC Winter Games 2019 Canada Winter Games  
Gabrielle Dinn Freestyle Skiing 2022 BC Winter Games    
Ella Garrod Freestyle Skiing 2022 BC Winter Games    
Kael Oberlander Ski Cross 2020 BC Winter Games    
Amalia (Billy) Pelchat Snowboard   2023 Canada Winter Games  
Anthony Shelly Snowboard   2023 Canada Winter Games Silver
Hannah Turkington Snowboard   2023 Canada Winter Games  
About the Youth Olympic Games

The Youth Olympic Games are the world’s largest multi-sport event for high-performance youth athletes aged 14 – 18. Gangwon 2024, the fourth edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games, will feature a fully gender-balanced sporting programme, with 1900 athletes competing across seven sports and 15 disciplines in Gangneung, PyeongChang, Hoengseong, and Jeongseon in the Gangwon province of South Korea.

BC Games and Team BC alumni deliver standout performances at 2023 Parapan Am Games

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Five athletes who competed in the BC Games or for Team BC at the Canada Games came home with seven of Canada’s 52 medals at the 2023 Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

Canada’s contingent of 140 athletes included seven with connections to Team BC or the BC Games.

Name Sport BC Games Canada Games 2023 Pan Am Games Result
Nate Clement Para Cycling Township of Langley 2010 BC Summer Games (Swimming)   Gold, Bronze
Bo Hedges Wheelchair Basketball 1996/2000/2002 BC Winter Games 1999/2003 Canada Winter Games Bronze
Trevor Hirschfield Wheelchair Rugby Nanaimo 2002 BC Summer Games   Silver
Dustin Hodgson CP Football Kamloops 2006 BC Winter Games (Athletics)    6th Place
Mel Pemble Para Cycling Mission 2014 BC Winter Games 2015 Canada Winter Games Gold, Silver
Doug Ripley Goalball Coquitlam 1991 BC Summer Games 1993 Canada Summer Games Bronze
Thomas Venos Wheelchair Tennis Penticton 2016 BC Winter Games (Wheelchair Basketball)   5th Place (Doubles), 9th Place (Singles)

BC Games and Team BC alumni reach the podium at 2023 Pan Am Games

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Canada’s delegation of almost 500 athletes at the 2023 Pan Am Games included 54 who previously competed in the BC Games or for Team BC at the Canada Games.

Twenty-eight of these athletes contributed to 22 of Canada’s 164 total medals at the Games.

READ THE PAN AM GAMES PREVIEW

Name Sport BC Games Canada Games 2023 Pan Am Games
Zachary Clay Artistic Gymnastics 2006 BC Winter Games 2011 Canada Winter Games Gold, Silver
Sydney Turner Artistic Gymnastics 2016 BC Winter Games – Bronze
Kaila Butler Athletics 2012 BC Winter & 2014 BC Summer Games 2017 Canada Summer Games Bronze
Alycia Butterworth Athletics 2006 BC Summer Games 2009 Canada Summer Games Silver
Ethan Katzberg Athletics 2016 BC Summer Games – Gold
Sean Richardson Cycling 2016 BC Winter Games – Gold
Dylan French Fencing – 2013 Canada Summer Games Silver, Bronze
Shaul Gordon Fencing – 2013 Canada Summer Games Gold, Bronze
Ethan McTavish Field Hockey 2014 BC Winter Games – Bronze
Isabelle Harris Judo 2016 BC Winter Games 2019 Canada Winter Games Silver
Devan Wiebe Modern Pentathlon – 2013 Canada Summer Games Bronze
Abby Speirs Rowing 2012 BC Summer Games – Gold
Caroline Crossley Rugby 7s 2012 BC Summer Games – Silver
Shalaya Valenzuela Rugby 7s 2016 BC Summer Games – Silver
Elias Ergas Rugby 7s 2012 BC Summer Games – Bronze
Lockie Kratz Rugby 7s 2014 BC Summer Games – Bronze
Jake Thiel Rugby 7s 2010 BC Summer Games – Bronze
Emma Entzminger Softball 2008 & 2010 BC Summe Games 2013 & 2017 Canada Summer Games Bronze
Sara Groenewegen Softball 2008 BC Summer Games – Bronze
Callum Pilgrim Softball – 2017 Canada Summer Games Bronze
Morgan Reimer Softball – 2022 Canada Summer Games Bronze
Nicole Bunyan Squash 2006 BC Winter Games 2011 Canada Winter Games Silver (2)
Jeremy Bagshaw Swimming 2006 BC Winter Games 2009 Canada Summer Games Bronze (2)
Raben Dommann Swimming – 2017 Canada Summer Games Bronze (2)
Mo Zhang Table Tennis 2004 BC Winter Games 2015 Canada Winter Games Bronze (2)
Brock Hoel Triathlon 2016 BC Summer Games 2017 Canada Summer Games Bronze
Hunter Smith Wakeboard 2018 BC Summer Games – Silver
Nishan Randhawa Wrestling – 2013 Canada Summer Games Bronze

Core Sport Policy for the 2026 BC Winter and BC Summer Games Released

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The BC Games Society has released the Core Sport Policy for the 2026 BC Winter and BC Summer Games.

This keystone policy shapes the partnership for Provincial and Disability Sport Organizations in the current BC Winter or BC Summer Games and includes opportunities for new sports to apply to the BC Games.

Guided by the Core Sport Policy, sport organizations who are not currently part of the BC Games are given the opportunity to demonstrate how the Games would fit into their sport development plans and how the Games would be used as an integral part of athlete, coach, and officials’ development models. 

Key principles for inclusion in the Games include province-wide participation, gender equity among participants, competitive opportunities for athletes with a disability where the same level of opportunity for the same caliber of athletes is not available in other Games in BC.

The application deadline for new sports is February 19, 2024, while the deadline for sports in the Games to apply for major changes is detailed in the Core Sport Timeline (different timing for winter and summer sports).

Existing sports in the BC Winter or BC Summer Games do not need to re-apply, but do go through a post-Games evaluation process as per the Core Sport criteria.

For details, refer to the following documents:

Questions about the Core Sport application process can be directed to coresport@bcgames.org.

About the BC Games Society

Established in 1977 by the B.C. Government under the Societies Act, the BC Games Society (the Society) oversees the BC Winter Games and BC Summer Games. The Society also supports the participation of Team BC, the provincial team competing at Canada Games, in national multi-sport Games. Each of these Games provide opportunities for the development of athletes, coaches, and officials in preparation for higher levels of competition. For host communities, the Games provide the chance to build or enhance their capacity to attract and deliver major events. Team BC’s Mission Staff are able to develop and enhance competencies such as leadership, teamwork, time management and organizational skills. BC Games also provide important economic and tourism benefits, allowing hosts to profile their communities and benefit from an economic impact in the range of $1.6 million to $2 million. The legacies of the BC Winter and BC Summer Games allow for capacity building in communities across the province resulting in a stronger British Columbia.

Get Involved

Territory Acknowledgement

We respectfully acknowledge the lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) People, also known today as the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations, and recognize that our work in this province spans the territories of more than 200 First Nations, as well as Métis and Inuit communities.

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