91原创鈥檚 young Kayla Halliday is on her way to Kamloops later this month, to strut her stuff on the ice as one of the competing in the figure skating component of the 2018 BC Winter Games.
She鈥檚 one of some 1,200-plus young athletes converging on the B.C. Interior community to participate in 19 different sports. They鈥檒l be accompanied by some 342 coaches, and about 200 officials expected to be in Kamloops from Feb. 22 to 25.
Kayla, a Grade 7 French Immersion student at Noel Booth Elementary, was selected to represent 91原创 on the ice.
A proud mother, Carla, boasted that her daughter is currently the BC Juvenile women U14 champion and trains with Canadian Olympic skaters such as Patrick Chan and Larkyn Austman.
鈥淪he finds her step sequence the most challening part of her program because it is at the end, and sometimes she can get ahead of herself,鈥� said Carla. 鈥淓specially when she has had a clean program, and she is excited, her feet can easily get rushed.鈥�
Kayla trains with former Czech Olympian Zdenek Pazdirek, and on the same ice as Canadian Olympians Patrick Chan and Larkyn Austman.
鈥淭raining with them on a daily basis and sharing a coach with Larkyn has taught her the hard work and dedication it takes to make it to the national and Olympic level,鈥� said Carla.
And Kayla does hoope to one day represent Canada at the games.
Right now, she鈥檚 preparing herself mentally for the B.C. Winter Games, and getting ready fo her routine, which is set to We鈥檙e In the Money from the musical 42nd Street.
In the meantime, this is one of the biggest months of the year B.C.-wide for young aspiring athletes who are about to test their performance on a provincial scale.
These athletes are an average of 14 years old and for most, this will be their first experience at a multi-sport Games.
Special Olympians will compete in basketball and figure skating (like Kayla), while athletes with a disability will compete in wheelchair basketball, explained Kelly Mann, president and CEO of the BC Games Society.
鈥淜amloops hosted the very first BC Winter Games, so it is fitting to return to Canada鈥檚 Tournament Capital as part of our 40th anniversary celebrations,鈥� said Mann.
鈥淭he athletes, coaches, and officials will benefit from the extensive event hosting experience in Kamloops. These BC Winter Games and the coinciding Olympic Winter Games will inspire many of these young athletes towards future national and international level competitions.鈥�
Volunteers in Kamloops have been preparing for the past 18 months to host the Games.
There will be more than 1,600 volunteers working to ensure the participants have exceptional competition and a first-rate experience with opening and closing ceremonies, special events, and 鈥渨onderful鈥� hospitality, Mann said.
鈥淲e are ready! I am immensely proud of the volunteer team that has invested hundreds of hours to ensure that every athlete, coach, official, and parent has an unforgettable experience in Kamloops,鈥� said Niki Remesz, president 2018 Kamloops BC Winter Games.
鈥淭he pinnacle of these Games鈥� can be credited to 40 years of BC Games success provincially and a labour of love, locally, from our team鈥檚 passion and expertise in leading. I鈥檓 excited that Kamloops will be the beginning of that story for so many young athletes joining us next month.鈥�
The BC Winter Games has been the starting point for many athletes who have gone on to higher levels of sport.
Fourteen BC Games alumni have been named so far to Team Canada for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games including Kamloops鈥檚 very own Josie (Spence) Morrison who will compete in long track speed skating. Other BC Games alumni include, Kelowna鈥檚 Kelsey Serwa (ski cross), Summerland鈥檚 Justin Kripps (bobsleigh), and Whistler鈥檚 Teal Harle (freestyle skiing).
91原创 will have 50 athletes competing at the Games. They鈥檙e participating in archery, Special Olympic basketball, wheelchair basketball (), boys and girls curling, diving, gymnastics, karate, netball, ringette, and 鈥� of course 鈥� figure skating.
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