ABORIGINAL ATHLETES, COACHES RECOGNIZED IN B.C.

RICHMOND – Western Canada Games athletics gold medallist Brooke Pighin (Port Alberni) is the 2007 B.C. Aboriginal Female Athlete of the Year, announced Tourism, Sport and the Arts Minister Stan Hagen today. Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Association’s (ASRA) annual Awards and Recognition Feast took place at the Hilton Hotel in Richmond as part of a two-day Spirit of Excellence Symposium.

The weekend event included educational and interactive workshops for youth delegates and courses for coaches and community leaders from all professional backgrounds. The awards night culminated in an evening recognizing sport leaders and exceptional athletes for their outstanding achievements.

“We are very fortunate to have so many individuals show such dedication to sport,” said Hagen. “These outstanding individuals are role models for their respective communities. Some of these coaches and athletes will proudly represent British Columbia at the 2008 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) in the Cowichan Valley.”

Pighin, of Métis ancestry, is a multi-sport athlete who represented Aboriginal Team BC at the 2006 NAIG. Pighin won gold medals in javelin, high jump and a bronze medal in discus. She is a member of both the senior and junior national team.

The Male Athlete of the Year is hockey player Dylan Willick (Prince George), also of Métis ancestry, who competed for Aboriginal Team BC at the 2007 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships and was invited to the 2007 Western Hockey League Medicine Hat Tigers rookie camp. He currently competes for the major midget league Caribou Cougars.

Male Coach of the Year went to Frank Wilson (Cowichan) of First Nation ancestry. The canoe coach is still active after 40 years of coaching and continues to be an inspiration and mentor to many. Female Coach of the Year was awarded to Cheryl Charlie (Harrison Mills) of the Chehalis First Nation. The Aboriginal Team BC soccer coach attended the 2006 NAIG and recently travelled internationally with the Native Indian Football Association.

Other awards presented include the proMOTION Plus Leadership Award to Karen Collins (Cowichan) for her involvement as an Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Association (ASRA) board director and coach at the 2006 NAIG and the Investors Group Volunteer Administrator Award to Susan Beland (Lillooet) for volunteering to manage several Aboriginal Team BC sports.

Aboriginal Team BC is ASRA’s largest and most successful program with a dedicated group of Aboriginal athletes who compete at the North American Indigenous Games and other Aboriginal Championships. ASRA is responsible for selecting and supporting Aboriginal Team BC’s athletes, coaches and managers and is committed to bringing people together to share in the spirit of sport and culture. Aboriginal Team BC’s Aboriginal athletes, coaches and managers demonstrate the transformative power of culture and sport.

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Media contact:	Don McDonald Communications Director Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts 250 356-9869	Alex Nelson President and CEO, ASRA 250 544-8172 ext. 101

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