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Big contingent ready for BC Games

The 2016 BC Summer Games are less than two weeks away, and there is a strong contingent of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows athletes...
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The Abbotsford 2016 BC Summer Games are less than two weeks away, and there is a strong contingent of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows athletes, coaches and officials.

Some 3,181 of the province’s best emerging high performance talents have registered and are ready to be part of the games, which run July 21-24.

The 2,448 athletes are from every corner of the province and have trained to earn a place to represent their zone at the Games.

Competing in 18 different sports, the athletes are an average of 14 years old, and for most, this will be their first experience at a multi-sport games.

“These BC Summer Games will be the first step for many athletes towards future national and international level competitions and we look forward to following their journey,” said Kelly Mann, president and CEO of the BC Games Society.

These athletes will be supported by 473 coaches and 260 officials who have completed their certification in order to provide the best knowledge and expertise to the athletes and the competition.

The BC Summer Games has been the starting point for many athletes who have gone on to higher levels of sport.  The last time Abbotsford hosted the BC Summer Games was in 2004 and it was where some of today’s top athletes got their start including Brett Lawrie, who now plays Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Sox and 2012 Olympic medalists Richard Weinberger (swimming) and Gillian Carelton (cycling).

The Zone 3 roster for track and field will include Chisom Obioha, Nicholas Aron, Hudson Coumont, Aiden Grout, Nick Kuzyk, Elliott Payne, Marshall Shupe and Marquesis and Mateya Haintz.

Boys Basketball will feature Zachary Curran, Josh Franco, Luc Liboiron, Seth Ojo, Sidhartha Singh and Owen Walt.

The girls basketball team will have players Emiko Nagai and Jillian O’Dell with head coach Kate MacLeod.

The canoe/kayak team will feature local athletes Alexander Dmitriev, Jia Kim, Megan Pankratz, Noah Said, Cassidy McPherson and Lilly Small. Local coaches will be Brian and Wesley Hammer, assistant coach Alena Hammer and official Rick Hammer.

The Equestrian events will be officiated by Nancy Olson Beaulieu, Carlee Thompson, Emily Felgnar and Lee Walraven. Fiona Christensen will be the head coach in para-equestrian events.

Golfers teeing it up will include Amy Ehlert, Sienna Kraus and Lance Kraus.

James Perrin will be the box lacrosse head coach and the team will include: Nathan Barr, Gavin Bruce, Justin Cloete, Nathan Graham, Dorian Green, Matthew Hoskins, Mason Morais, Aiden Murphy, Lukas Rodriguez-Desrochers, Dylan Stott, Braeden Washington, Reece Hansford, Jas Singh, Shaaan Singh, Oliver Williams and Graham Welters.

The field lacrosse team will feature assistant coaches Lance Andre and Gord Kask. Athletes will be Crew Andre, Luke Evans, Trevor Funk, Ethan Grant, Drew Kask, Lochlan Munro and Kaidin Sheehan-Davies.

The Zone three soccer team will feature athletes Anthony Hernandex, Cameron Ickert and Evan Smith. Phillip Estacio will be head coach and Atle Koellmel assistant.

The girls soccer team will have Sierrah Burrows, Cassidy Craig, Sabrina Jones, Rylee Mugridge, Angelie Stepputat, Kareena Sahota and Avery Walsh. The assistant coach will be Kayla Euler.

The girls softball team will have Jaycee Berkey, Briana Blais, Naidine Burdett, Kate Meredith and Christine Swolfs, with assistant coaches Dave Case, Mariah Riley  and Shae Domitruk. Head coach will be John-Mark Prevost.

Swimmers Ellen Hayhoe and Kailin Wood will compete, and Ron Climenhaga will be an official.

Volleyball athletes will include Tamar Bill, Rachel Dumonceaux and Paige Healey.

Wrestling will be Emily Barker, Kurtis Brown, Michaela Duguay, Jordan Galaugher, Ryan Hicks, Mariana Levine and Cole Tinker.

Derek Doucette is the head coach in baseball.

Volunteers in Abbotsford have been preparing for the past 18 months to host the Games – the second time this community has done so. There will be over 3000 volunteers working to ensure the participants have exceptional competition and a first-rate experience with opening and closing ceremonies, special events and hospitality.