In the dead of winter with snow filling our feltpacks it's hard to imagine sunshine and warm temperatures but the City of Prince George will be hosting the 2022 BC Summer Games from July 21 to 24 and will see more than 3,500 athletes between the ages of 10 and 18 participating in 18 different sports, including track and field at Masich Place Stadium.
The greatest need for the Prince George Track & Field Club is getting new hurdles in time for the Games. The club, a non-profit organization, recently launched their Removing Hurdles Campaign to reach out to the community to help offset the costs of more than $35,000.
The club needs to upgrade from aluminum and wood hurdles to aluminum and plastic hurdles and there are only 18 purchased so far with a remaining 62 required to offer a consistent style of hurdle to all athletes during competition.
“The hope is sponsors will purchase more than one hurdle and we’ve already got a commitment from Canfor who is sponsoring an entire lane’s worth of hurdles,” Elena Thomas, Prince George Track & Field Club (PGTF) president and co-chair of the athletics committee for the BC Summer Games, said.
PGTF already bought 10.
The sponsors name will go on the top cross bar (plate) of the hurdle for everyone to see, she added.
Hosting the BC Summer Games in Prince George has its perks.
“It’s a great advantage to have the games here,” Thomas said. “The athletes don’t have to travel and get to train and compete in the facility that is hosting the BC Summer Games. So we want our kids to really shine and the track and field athletes will get to compete in the Sub Zero competition held in April and then they will have to attend the zones trial which will be the high school zones in the middle of May.”
Because being competition ready is of the utmost importance the City of Prince George is working with the Track & Field Club to make sure the Masich Place Stadium will be open and ready for athletes training as early as possible in the new year, Thomas added.
The Track & Field competition is set for 14 and 15 year olds and those who are training in their sport at this stage are also looking to go on to higher levels of competition.
“The experience of competing at a meet at this level is so important to the development of our young athletes,” Thomas said. “There are opening ceremonies and closing ceremonies and medal presentations and it’s a big deal. That type of ceremony is so important because we need to celebrate the athlete’s achievements.”
This level of competition sets the stage for these young athletes moving forward, Thomas added.
For those interested in sponsoring the Removing Hurdles Campaign this is the price break down:
· 1 hurdle with name/logo front and back $500
· 2 hurdles with name/logo front and back $1,000
· 5 hurdles with name/logo front and back $2,500
· 8 hurdles with name/logo front and back $4,000 (1 row across track)
· 10 hurdles with name/logo front and back $5,000 (1 lane around track)
· 20 hurdles with name/logo front and back $10,000
· 35 hurdles with name/logo front and back $17,500
· 70 hurdles with name/logo front and back $35,000
For more information and to be part of the Removing Hurdles Campaign call Thomas at 250-612-9186.
