ALUMNI INTERVIEW WITH ROB FRYER
Written By Angie Halas
December 2017
Athlete: Rob Fryer
Sport: Smallbore
Year & City: 1988, BC Summer Games, Oak Bay, Greater Victoria
Rob Fryer’s diverse involvement with the B.C Games have early beginnings as an athlete, fostered into coaching and mentorship since the 1990s. The values that his coaches from 100 Mile House instilled in him are still evident, almost thirty years later.
Originally from the South Cariboo Region, Rob and his team ranked 4th in smallbore- target shooting with a .22 calibre rifle at the 1988 Summer Games in Oak Bay. He describes the experience nostalgically and “full of shenanigans”, laughing at unfortunate events such as the team’s bus getting a flat tire on route to Vancouver Island, as well as pushing a courtesy car through an intersection after it ran out of gas in Oak Bay. Nevertheless, befriending the competition and being part of the camaraderie transpired into a decades-long commitment to the sports community. He adds that, He adds, “I as a kid I saw some kids get to the level where they got the sports jacket and bag. I strived to be that good. I guess it’s sort of nostalgia, thinking about the team uniforms and bags.”
His experiences as an athlete shaped him, particularly when he returned as a hockey referee at the 1991 BC Winter Games in the Cowichan Valley. He believes that “The 1991 Gamers were entirely different as an official because I was getting noticed by my peers from BC Hockey to be one of the best [referees] and move up the ranks. It was more professional and I was trying to be better and improve as both a referee and supervisor. That was fun…However, I was always told by my coaches to go back and build the programs that fostered my development. I don’t target shoot anymore and hockey isn’t part of the Games; yet, I feel indebted to give opportunities to young officials who have similar goals.”
More recently, Rob was an Official at the 2010 Winter Games in Terrace. In 2018, he will manage a venue with four sports under its roof. Growing up in a hunting family and regularly shooting, Rob's excited to watch the biathlon. "It will be a bit different as they’re going to run around a course and shoot laser guns instead of bullets… I’m very intrigued how that will transpire. It’s a first for the Games. I think people will be quite interested in it!”
To this day, he is still in touch with friends from the 1988 BC Games and has fostered strong friendships among the BC Hockey community. Looking forward, Rob has some advice for the 2018 athletes: “Embrace everything the Games have to offer whether you win, lose, or draw. Not everybody can come to win but everybody can come to compete and you’ll meet new friends. Sometimes you only get one opportunity.”