A North Vancouver hockey player will lead Team British Columbia, including a large contingent of North Shore athletes, into the Opening Ceremony at the 2019 Canada Winter Games Friday in Red Deer, Alta.
Fin Williams of North Van was chosen as the team’s flag bearer. Williams is an assistant captain with his Burnaby Winter Club Academy Midget Prep team and was drafted by the Swift Current Broncos 54th overall in the 2018 WHL bantam draft.
“I’ve really wanted to make this team for a long time,” Williams said in a Team B.C. release. “It means a lot to me and my family. It’s an event that’s bigger than hockey. I just want to say to all of my teammates in hockey and outside of hockey to be grateful and make the best of every opportunity at the Games!"
The team’s chef de mission, Jennifer Scott, is also from North Vancouver. Williams and Scott will be leading a team of 251 athletes, 46 coaches and 52 managers, technical support staff and mission staff into the games, including 30 from North Vancouver and four from West Vancouver.
Here are all the North Shore connections heading to Red Deer:
-Boxing: Parsa Biseh; Jonathan Hannah; Dave Brett, coach
-Cross country skiing: Jamie Stirling, guide; Jessica Hayes, coach
-Ringette: Kailey Magrath; Dani Brassington, coach; Nina Tajbakhsh, manager
-Hockey: Rebecca Clarke; Kayla Munro; Fin Williams; Nina Jobst-Smith
-Table tennis: Steve Wang
-Figure skating: Emily Millard; Keegan Murphy, coach
-Biathlon: Jessica Blenkarn, coach; Clay Whitman, coach
-Freestyle skiing: Leif Wilson; Ben Lynch; Jessie Linton; Josh Maga; Sam Cordell; Skye Clarke; Danika Mazur, manager; Mike Apps, coach
-Archery: Emma Chylinski
-Alpine skiing: Fiona McInnes; Adam Usher; Noa Rogers; Jaden Dawson
-Snowboard: Chelsea Williams, manager
-Squash: Matt Bicknell; Lucia Bicknell
-Mission staff: Jennifer Scott, chef de mission
“I can’t tell you how proud I am to lead a group of dedicated athletes, coaches and sport staff to the 2019 Canada Winter Games,” said Scott. “We have done all we can to prepare our team. Now it’s their turn to put all that practice into competition. I’m excited to watch our team perform at the Games.”
The Games run Feb. 15 to March 3 in Red Deer. Click here for a schedule of TSN broadcasts from the games. Events will also be shown live online at canadagames.live.
