UPDATE: 2014 Coast Capital Savings Athlete Bursary Recipients
Author: BC Games Society/Thursday, July 2, 2015/Categories: 2015 News, 2014 BC Summer Games, Partners
It has been one year since the 2014 BC Summer Games in Nanaimo. At the Closing Ceremony of those Games, 16 outstanding athletes were recognized with a Coast Capital Savings Athlete Bursary award in the amount of $500.
The bursary recipients were chosen from over 350 applicants for their significant achievements in sport and education and most importantly for their leadership contributions to their schools, community, or sport associations. The athletes are from 16 different communities around the province and their leadership involvement includes service with student councils, community events, food banks, fundraising, coaching, and officiating, to name a few.
The athletes have continued to pursue their chosen sports at school and in their local clubs and many are competing provincially. The bursary funds have been used for equipment purchases, registration fees, coaching and put into savings for future education.
Here is an update on how some of the athletes have used their bursary funds.
Pursuing your passions is easy up until a certain point. Funding, in my opinion, should not be the reason why one can’t pursue their passions. That is why I was so honored and grateful when I heard that I would be receiving a bursary to help pursue some of my passions from Coast Capital Savings.
For me personally, two of my passions are rowing and displaying leadership. On April 29th to May 1st, I had the opportunity to row for my school at the Brentwood College School Regatta. Of course two often-costly necessities for participating in a regatta include transportation and accommodation. Thanks to the money I received last summer at the BC Summer Games, I was able to cover all the costs that came with attending the regatta. Fortunately, since my family and I didn’t have to worry about the cost of the regatta, both my parents and my sister were able to watch my crew and me win both the Junior B men’s heavyweight 8+ and 4+.
With the left over money, I was able to help fly myself to Montreal to attend a CAIS Student Leadership conference. The theme of this conference was Explore, Climb, Succeed. What I was able to take away from this conference, which included several guest speakers and workshops over the course of four days, is that there is no underlined definition of what leadership is, and it has the power to change a community and even the world.
On behalf of my family and me, I would like to thank Coast Capital Savings for their mindfulness and awareness, which can go a long way, especially when a kid is trying to pursue their passion.
Ryan Watt, Vancouver, Rowing
Your bursary has helped pay for training costs such as traveling by ferry and bus to the National Training Center at SFU, paying registration fees at the many tournaments I attended throughout the season, and various travel expenses at tournaments and camps. I attended camps on Christmas break and spring break as well as a tournament nearly every weekend from December through February. I was undefeated this year against high school competition, winning a BC High School Provincial Championship at 84kg, as well as finishing second at the Junior Nationals (U21) at 84kg and winning the Juvenile Nationals (U19) at 76kg.
Nolan Badovinac, Port Alberni, Wrestling
Thanks for the $500 Coast Capital Savings bursary from the Nanaimo 2014 BC Summer Games. I have been very busy in sport this past year and the money could have been used for many things. I could have spent it on shoes for volleyball, basketball, soccer, or track. I could have spent it on travel for school volleyball provincials or club basketball provincials in Langley. But instead, my parents had me put it in my education savings fund. I appreciate getting this bursary and will use it when I begin post secondary school in the fall of 2016.
Trevor Monkman, Telkwa, Volleyball
I am very grateful to have won the bursary as it really helped me in paying for my fee toward my soccer development with the Mountain United FC in the BC Soccer Premier League.
The BC Summer Games was my best experience I ever had in soccer.
Erica Lieu, Burnaby, Soccer
The money I was granted at the Games has been very helpful this season as I have used it towards meet fees to an International swim meet in November and the remainder I am using for this summer’s events. I am focusing on mountain biking this summer and I am using the funds for entrance fees to the upcoming events. I am very excited to try another sport during the swimming season’s down time. I know that all the time in the pool this past year has made me a stronger all around athlete and I am excited to see how I do at cross country mountain biking.
Thank you again for the financial help.
Dylan Joyce, Chetwynd, Swimming
Upon receiving the $500, I took it straight to the bank! I put the money into my education fund that is matched by the government. Upon graduation, I plan on going to University and know that I will need a sizable amount to help me cover costs. I am also hoping to get a academic scholarship or possibly (fingers crossed!) an athletic scholarship to play basketball at University. I really appreciated being chosen to receive this bursary. I was very proud to be one of the many worthwhile candidates.
Sydney Fetterly, Abbotsford, Basketball
The next opportunity for athletes to apply for a Coast Capital Savings Athlete Bursary will be at the Penticton 2016 BC Winter Games.