NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts 2008TSA0040-000702 May 5, 2008 2009 CANADA SUMMER GAMES MISSION STAFF ANNOUNCED VICTORIA – Team BC Mission Staff have been selected to lead the provincial team competing in Prince Edward Island at the 2009 Canada Summer Games, Tourism, Sport and the Arts Minister Stan Hagen announced today. “For many of B.C.’s athletes, the Canada Summer Games is an important stepping stone towards qualifying for the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Hagen. “Many of the province’s athletes competing at the upcoming Beijing Games this summer have gone through our program. To give our athletes and coaches the support they need, the Team BC executive staff have assembled a strong team of leaders reflecting a broad range of sport experience.” Every four years, the Province of British Columbia assembles a team of elite athletes, coaches, managers and mission staff to represent the province at Canada’s premiere multi-sport events: the Canada Winter Games, Canada Summer Games and the Western Canada Summer Games. For the first time, the Canada Summer Games will be held in two cities, Summerside and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (August 15-29, 2009) and will showcase the spirit of the smallest province in the nation. “We’ve taken a close look at the skill sets of the mission staff and are confident we have the right people in place to support our athletes as they strive for personal bests and podium performances at the Games,” said Chef de Mission Ajay Patel. “These individuals are leaders in their communities and share the common goal of helping British Columbians be their best, from playground to podium.” Returning mission staff from the 2007 Western Canada Summer Games - where B.C. won its ninth Consecutive Cup – are Geoff Welham (City of Victoria Parks and Recreation Department), Ashley Haynes (Sport BC), Sarah Gallsworthy (City of Victoria), and Darren Stolz (Canadian Paralympic Committee). New to the Team BC Program are Adam Olsen (University of Victoria), Geoff Paynton (City of Prince George), Joseph Hitchcock (BC Athlete Voice), Becki Edwards (B.C. Sport and Recreation Branch) and Carolynn Boomer (PacificSport Interior BC), the Chair of the Technical Committee for the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games to be held in Kamloops, BC. Rounding out the mission staff is Michelle Collens (2010 LegaciesNow) who was on mission staff at the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon and Kyna Fletcher (Vancouver Phoenix Gymnastics Club) who has previous coaching and mission staff experience. -more- - 2 - The mission staff join the management team of Ajay Patel (Langara College), Chris Graham (B.C. Sport and Recreation Branch), Tami Tate (Triple T Consulting), Fletcher, Keven Dubinsky (BC Alpine Ski Association), Judy Joseph-Black (B.C. Sport and Recreation Branch) and Kurt Innes (Canadian Sport Centre Pacific). -30- Media Victoria Klassen Ajay Patel contact: Public Affairs Bureau Chef de Mission Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts Team BC 250 387-2799 604 617-6724 For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. .