Canadian Blind Sports Announces Prospective Team Canada, and alternates, for the 2013 IBSA Pan American Games and World Youth Championships

Canadian Blind Sports Announces Prospective Team Canada, and alternates, for the 2013 IBSA Pan American Games and World Youth Championships

Wednesday May 22, 2013 – Canadian Blind Sports is excited to announce our prospective Team Canada for the 2013 International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) Pan American and IBSA World Youth Championships. The competition takes place in Colorado Springs, Colorado from July 9th-15th.

Senior Women’s Goalball
Amy Kneebone, Ontario
Ashlie Andrews, British Columbia
Cassie Orgeles, Ontario
Jillian MacSween, Ontario
Nancy Morin, Quebec
Tiana Knight, Ontario

Alternates:
Brenda Luke, British Columbia
Angell Lu-Lebel, British Columbia
Carla Shibley, Alberta
Ruby Soliman, Alberta

Senior Men’s Goalball
Ahmad Zeividavi, British Columbia
Aron Ghebreyhonnes, Alberta
Brendan Gaulin, British Columbia
Bruno Hache, Quebec
Doug Ripley, British Columbia
Simon Tremblay, Quebec

Alternates:
John Tee, British Columbia
Oliver Pye, Nova Scotia

Junior Women’s Goalball
Brooklyn Fraser, Ontario
Gvna Estillore, British Columbia
Haley Olinyk, British Columbia
Tanya Peterson, Alberta

Alternates:
Jessica Rideout, British Columbia

Junior Men’s Goalball
Arvin Carandang, Ontario
Erik Miller, Ontario
Justin Lowrey, Ontario
Kyle Brunet, Ontario
Price Parker, Ontario
Simon Richard, New Brunswick

Alternates:
Ryan Chou, British Columbia
Matthew Alvernaz, British Columbia

Please note that the final team roster is subject to athletes meeting entry criteria set out by Canadian Blind Sports and is also subject to any appeals.

If you have any questions please contact Stephanie Rudnisky at stephanie@canadianblindsports.ca

Junior Nationals Results

Here are the final results from the Junior National Goalball Championships held in Brantford, Ontario.

Final Standings:

Women:
Gold: West
Silver: BC
Bronze:Ontario
4. New Brunswick

All Star Team: Ashlie Andrews (BC), Haley Olinyk (BC), Brenda Luke (West)

Mens:
Gold: Ontario Black
Silver: New Brunswick
Bronze: Alberta
4. BC
5. Ontario White

Special mention to VIP from Pittsburgh who placed 2nd in the tournament.

All Star Team: Simon Richard (New Brunswick), Justin Lowrey (Ontario Blacks), Calahan Young (VIP-Pittsburgh)

A special thank you to all the organizers, volunteers, officials, coaches, athletes and spectators for a great weekend and a job well done.

National Officials Day

National Officials Day – April 17, 2013

OTTAWA – April 17, 2013 – Say “THANKS” to a sports official today. Sports Officials Canada has designated today as National Officials Day in Canada. The theme of this – the inaugural event, is “Respect the Official”. The aim is to increase the awareness of the importance of officiating to sport and to promote respect of officials.

“We hope that sport organizations, administrators, coaches, athletes and parents are taking time today to thank the thousands of officials who volunteer their time every day so that Canadians can enjoy the sports they love to play”, said SOC President, Paul Deshaies.

The estimated number of technical officials in Canada who come under the jurisdiction of National Sports Organizations technical officiating programs is 250,000, of which 150,000 are registered. These are in addition to the other 650,000 Canadians who perform some sort of officiating duty each year.

As the “keepers of the game”, it is their role to ensure fair play and safety for all participants. For the majority, it is a volunteer activity – they give up their evenings and weekends to do something that they love. It is their dedication and passion for what they do which makes them an integral part of the sport system.

It can be a thankless and sometimes rough job. Disrespect and abuse of officials can lead to low recruitment and retention figures in some sports. The message today is that disrespecting a sports official is never acceptable nor should it ever be considered “part of the game”.

Sports Officials Canada invites all sport organizations and individuals to take time today to acknowledge their officials. National Officials Day is a chance to thank the men and women who officiate our sports and to recognize their efforts and the tremendous impact they have on the games we love.

Sports Officials Canada has several projects being announced and launched today including the first ever virtual Hall of Fame honouring the best in Canadian officiating; a new Online Resource centre, and a new Critical Incident Reporting System (CIRS) which will track various types of abuse of officials. SOC is also running several contests and draws today for members and our Facebook friends. Details of all these projects are available at www.sportsofficials.ca

Sports Officials Canada is a federally incorporated national organization dedicated to promoting excellence in sports officiating and represents Canadian technical officials as a national voice. For more information about SOC please visit their website at www.sportsofficials.ca or contact them at info@sportsofficials.ca
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For information about National Officials Day/Sports Officials Canada please contact:
Denise Pittuck
Executive Director
Sports Officials Canada
denise.pittuck@sympatico.ca
613-837-7298 or 613-878-7298 (cell)

TALENT, COMMITMENT AND LEADERSHIP CELEBRATED AS SIX INDUCTEES NAMED TO CANADIAN PARALYMPIC HALL OF FAME

OTTAWA, April 15, 2013 – Talent, commitment and leadership are being celebrated today as the Canadian Paralympic Committee announces the selection of six outstanding individuals to the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame.

Athletes Robert Easton, Jennifer Krempien and Tim McIsaac; coach Tim Frick; and builders Janet Dunn and John Howe will be officially introduced at the Canadian Paralympic Committee Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony May 10 in Toronto.

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Junior Goalball Nationals – Schedule

The Junior Goalball National Championship is taking place Friday April 19-Sunday April 21 at W. Ross MacDonald School in Brantford, Ontario.

Click here to see the schedule
Click here to see the playoff schedule.