The Soaring Raven Newsletter – Team BC wants you!

What’s in this issue

• Team BC Selection Process Open for Swimming
• BC Indigenous Provincial Volleyball Camps (Team BC Identification Camps)
• BC Indigenous Archery Development Camp and Team BC Selection Process
• BC Games Box Lacrosse Coaching Opportunity – external opportunity
• Team BC Player Selection Camp For National Aboriginal Hockey Championship
• 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.

Team BC Selection Process – Swimming

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

There are still a few more opportunities to attend the Team BC Volleyball Selection Camp for the Halifax 2020 North American Games. 

The remaining camps are held by I·SPARC, in partnership with G.P. Vanier Secondary, Hazelton Secondary and Volleyball BC.

These one-day camps serve as identification camps for youth athletes (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) – born years 2001 to 2006 – to form Team BC development squads in preparation for the Halifax 2020 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG).

Athletes must register and submit $30 registration fee. For more information and to register click here.

BC Indigenous Provincial Volleyball Camps (Team BC Identification Camps)

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. 

All eligible archers (Indigenous athletes First Nations, Metis, 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/

BC Winter Games Lacrosse Coaching Opportunity

The BC Summer Games are taking place July 23-26, 2020 in the Maple Ridge area. The BC Games brings together British Columbia’s best emerging athletes, trained coaches, and certified officials for four days of competition. The games are a milestone event that people count as an experience of a lifetime where memories, friendships, spirit, and pride are abundant.

They are currently looking for head/assistant coaches for both the Box Lacrosse (15-16 year old boys) and the Field Lacrosse (14-15 year old boys) zone teams. If you or someone you know best fits/deserves the role of a Summer Games Coach, the application can be found at bclacrosse.com (click on the Summer Games link on the scroll). 

The DEADLINE to apply is Thursday, January 16, 2020.

Coaches, leading up to the Games, will need to be Trained at the Box or Field Competitive Introduction – Level 2 level.  
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Dave Showers at BC Lacrosse:  dave@bclacrosse.com
 

Save the date – Team BC Hockey Player Selection Camp

The Team BC 2019 Player Selection Camp registration opens January 15, 2020! 

The camp will be held in 100 Mile House from March 27 to 29, 2020 at the South Cariboo Recreation Centre.

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.