The Soaring Raven Newsletter – New sports added for Team BC

What’s in this issue

• One day left to apply for Team BC Swimming
• (External opportunity) Team BC Player Selection Camp For National Aboriginal Hockey Championship
• Volleyball Development Squad Selected
• Badminton Now Accepting Team BC Applications, Registration open for Provincial Athlete Development Camp
• BC Indigenous Archery Development Camp and Team BC Selection Process
• Team BC Contact Information

The Team BC NAIG program provides 545 Indigenous athletes, coaches, and mission staff from across BC with an incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a major international sport competition and to share and celebrate their cultural heritages with other youth from across the continent.  Team BC’s performance at both the Regina 2014 NAIG and the Toronto 2017 NAIG resulted in winning the Overall Team Award!
 
With the approaching Halifax 2020 NAIG, Team BC has resumed planning and activities for athlete selection processes. The annual series of BC Indigenous Provincial Championships and Athlete Development Camps, held in various communities across the province, will once again support the Indigenous Team BC program.

One day left to get your Team BC Swimming Athlete Expression of Interest Application submitted

The Team BC selection process for athletes to represent the province in the sport of swimming at the Halifax 2020 North American Indigenous Games closes at 4 p.m. on January 31. The NAIG swimming competition consists of both male and female divisions in the following categories:

• 14U (defined as born 2006 and later*)
• 16U (defined as born 2004 and later)
• 19U (defined as born 2001 and later)

*For reasons of safety and maturity, Team BC is seeking athletes born no later than 2007

To find out more about the athlete selection process and how to submit an application via the Athlete Expression of Interest form, click here.

Application deadline is January 31, 2020.

Team BC Hockey Player Selection Camp
external opportunity

The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (I·SPARC), through the oversight and coordination of its Provincial Hockey Committee, will host a three-day Player Selection Camp in 100 Mile, BC from March 27 – 29, 2020 to evaluate and select the province’s top Indigenous male and female hockey players to represent British Columbia at the 2020 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC).  

The 2020 NAHC will be held Regina, Saskatchewan from May 9-16, 2020.
The Team BC 2019 Player Selection Camp registration is now open.

For more information about the 2020 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships and/or I·SPARC, visit www.isparc.ca, www.teambcnahc.com  or contact: Alissa Assu, Provincial Coordinator, Performance Sport aassu@isparc.ca.

Team BC Volleyball Development Squads Selected

Following one day camps in Westbank, Hazleton and Courtenay, Team BC is pleased to announce the volleyball development squads.

These training sessions served as identification camps for youth athletes (First Nations, Metis, Inuit) – born years 2001 to 2006 – to compete for a chance to represent BC at the Halifax 2020 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG).

Coaches will make final roster decisions, in each respective age category, in the spring to form Team BC which will compete at NAIG 2020.

I·SPARC hosted the BC Indigenous Athlete Development Camps in partnership with Westbank First Nation, G.P. Vanier Secondary, Hazelton Secondary and Volleyball BC.

View the Team BC Development Squad rosters by clicking here

Team BC Badminton applications now being accepted, athlete development camp coming soon

The Team BC selection process for athletes to represent the province in the sport of badminton at the Halifax 2020 North American Indigenous Games is now open.

Athletes who are selected will compete at the Games, which will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia from July 12 to 19, 2020.

The NAIG Badminton competition will consist of male and female singles, doubles and mixed doubles events.

For more information on Team BC Badminton, click here

BC Indigenous Provincial Archery Camp and Team BC Selection Process

Hosted by the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (I·SPARC) in partnership with the Osoyoos Indian Band, South Okanagan Sportsmen’s Association and BC Archery at:

March 28 – 29, 2020
5856 Cessna Street
Oliver, BC

Saturday, March 28 – Group 1: 10 am to noon

Saturday, March 28 – Group 2: 2 pm to 5 pm

Sunday, March 29 – All participants: 10 am to 2 pm (mini 3D competition)

Open to male and female Indigenous youth (First Nations, Métis, Inuit), ages 10 through 17. Spots are limited so archers are encouraged to register soon by clicking here.

Please note this is NOT a Team BC selection event for the North American Indigenous Games, however, this event does provide opportunity for athletes to meet the Team BC coaches and to better prepare for the Team BC selection process for NAIG 2020. 

Interested in Team BC for 2020 NAIG for archery?
All eligible archers (First Nations, Métis, Inuit athletes born in years 2001 through 2007) wishing to be considered for Team BC competing at NAIG 2020 are required to submit a formal athlete expression of interest followed by, or accompanied by, a package of scores/scoreboards and references by March 31, 2020.  The scorecard earned from the competition portion of the March 28-29 camp will be eligible as part of the Team BC application.

More information, including the Team BC Athlete Expression of Interest Form can be found here:

ISPARC.ca/performance-sport/teambcnaig2020/3d-archery/