BC/Yukon Ladies' Auxiliary Announces Voice of the 2013 Legion Championships

LANGLEY, BC July 31st, 2013
 
The Legion proudly announces, Olympic Medalist 3000m LA 84, Lynn Kanuka, as the Voice of the 2013 Hosting of the Legion National Track & Field Championships being held August 9, 10, 11 at McLeod Athletic Park in Langley, BC.

Lynn is an Alumni of the Championships, having had her start with the Legion as a young, aspiring track star many years ago.  Her athletic and life accomplishments are impressive.
1984 Bronze Medal Olympian 3000 Los Angeles
1989 Bronze World Championships Norway
Commonwealth Gold Scotland '86
Canadian Record Holder 1500m
Former Canadian Record Holder 3000m, 5000m, 10K on the roads
Olympic, BC and Saskatchewan Halls of Fame
YWCA Woman of Distinction Award
Professional Career as a Coach and Motivational Leader
 
As an inspiration for the 2013 Legion Championships’ youth
athletes, Lynn has encouraging words. “The parallels between being
 successful in life and what it takes to be a high performance athlete, are huge. Commitment ~ preparation training ~ striving to be the best you can be ~ and above all else, believing in yourself.”  
 
Lynn also has high praise for The Royal Canadian Legion. “I am honoured to be part of the 2013 Legion Championships,” comment Lynn. “For me, it’s like giving back to the Legion for the opportunities they gave me, putting me on a path of personal growth, development and discovery.  The Legion believes in Canada’s youth, I am proof of that.”    
 
For further information:

Sharel Fraser 778.772.1585 or sharelfraser@shaw.ca

For more information about the Championships, please visit YO.ca

BC/Yukon Ladies' Auxiliary Announces Torch Bearer for 2013 Legion Championships

LANGLEY, BC August 3, 2013 – Marie-Josée Le Jour is travelling from Ontario as one of the volunteer Coaches for the 2013 Legion National Youth Track & Field Championships being held August 9, 10, 11 at McLeod Athletic Park in Langley, BC.  Ms. Le Jour is also an Alumna of the Championships dating back to 1994 and will be one of this year’s Torch Bearers.

Ms. Le Jour credits the Legion Championships as being a “life turning point”. “Thanks to the Legion, I found a passion for track and field. Through this passion, I travelled the world, I met amazing people, and I had incredible experiences. I even earned an athletic scholarship in the NCAA, which allowed me to get a Bachelor’s degree and two Masters for free. Most importantly though, I learned the value of hard work, dedication, perseverance, and commitment.”

In 1993, a Quebec Coach sent Ms. Le Jour a pamphlet about the Legion Championships.  She decided to give it a try even though soccer, gymnastics, and badminton were her sports of choice.  In 1994, 1995, and 1996, she qualified for the Quebec Team and became a track and field rising star. “If it hadn’t been for the opportunities given to me by the Legion, I am convinced my life would have turned out very differently. Athletics has played a crucial role in all aspects of my life. I am very grateful to the Legion for giving me my first taste of national competition and for giving the same opportunities to some of the athletes I coach, almost 20 years later.” commented Ms. Le Jour.    

1. Legion National Champion in the discus in 1994 (U16) and 1996 (U18). Two-time NACAC medalist for Canada in the discus and shot put. Canadian Senior National Champion in the discus in 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2009 and 14-time national medalist in the discus and shot put from 2000 to 2013. NCAA All-American and Academic All-America First Team at the University of Arkansas.

2. Ms. Le Jour is still competing at the elite level and will be representing Canada at the Jeux de la Francophonie in Nice, France this upcoming September. She is also actively involved in coaching the throwing events for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues and the University of Toronto Track Club. Two of her pupils (Cyerra Cassell and John Reston) will be competing in their first Legion Championships in Langley.  

 
 
 
For further information please contact Sharel Fraser at 604.899.1585 or Bruce Poulin at Dominion Command, The Royal Canadian Legion at (613) 591-3335 ext. 241 or by cell at (613) 292-8760 or bruce.poulin@legion.ca .

Find out more information about the Championships at YO.ca

Press Conference to Launch Championships and Honoring National Peacekeepers Day

Date               Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Time               1:30 PM
Location        Trinity Western University
Setting           Pond Area at Entrance
                         Ladies’ Auxiliary Cross ~ Wreath Laying
 
Officials      Gordon Moore, Legion Dominion President
                       Ed Pigeau, Legion Dominion Sports Chair
                       Karen Crashley, BC/Yukon Legion President
                       Ladies’ Auxiliary
                       Lynn Kanuka, Voice of the Championships
                       Hosting 1984 Olympic Medal
                       Nicole Clarke, Athletics Canada
                       Lesley Maudsley, Legion Host Chair
                       Brent Dolfo, Host Track Club Langley
                       Mustangs
                       Torch Bearer ~ Youth Athlete                      

Special Guests

                        Jim Harris, Veteran Yugoslavia 1992 (UNPROFOR); 1990 Gulf
                        War; 34 Years Service, Canadian Military Engineer
                        Barry Drews, SAA 3^rd CAv ROME Unit
                        Silver Cross Mother, Diane Street
                        Youth Athletes from various Provinces
                        Langley Youth for the Fallen, Michael & Elizabeth Pratt

Sequence

Gordon, Ed and Nicole say a few words to launch the Championships
 
Lynn Kanuka says a few words about the importance of the Championships
 
Karen, Lesley and Brent present the Torch to the Youth Torch Bearer
 
Youth Athletes present the Certificate for the Commemorative Tree to the Langley Youth for the Fallen
 
Youth Athletes present Certificates and Flowers to the Silver Cross Mothers
 
Youth Athletes, Veterans and Silver Cross Mothers lay a wreath in honour of National Peacekeepers Day

ONE OF A KIND IN CANADA The Unveiling of the Torch!

Unlike anything you’ve seen before

37^thLegion National Youth Track & Field Championships
 
 See the New Torch on our Facebook Page!

The new torch was carved in the Lower Mainland from a single piece of Ash.
 
PRESS CONFERENCE
Wednesday, August 7th
1:30 PM
Reimer Student Centre, Building #4
Trinity Western University, 7600 Glover Road, Langley

 
Check out YO.ca
Check out bcathletics.org
Check out athletics.ca
 
Canada’s Young Olympians get their start at the
Legion National Youth Track & Field Championships.
 
 
For further information:
Sharel Fraser 778.772.1585 or sharelfraser@shaw.ca
Bruce Poulin, Dominion Command, The Royal Canadian Legion 613.591.3335 ext. 241 or 613.292.8760

1000 Shining Stars on Their Way to BC!

It's not 100 or 500 ~
it’s 1000 Shining Stars on
their way to British Columbia!
 
37^thLegion National Youth
Track & Field Championships

FASTER! HIGHER! FURTHER!
 
They’re coming to train with the best coaches in Canada.
They’re coming to beat their own personal bests.
They’re fierce and want to win gold.
 
Canada’s premier National Youth Track & Field
Championships for the 14 to 17 age group will
rock the stadium at McLeod Athletic Park
in Langley, August 9, 10, 11.
 
Athletics Canada and the Legion are primed for 1,000
youth athletes from across the nation, the best of the best,
not settling for anything but medal standing.
 
Check out YO.ca
Check out bcathletics.org
Check out athletics.ca
 
Canada’s Young Olympians get their start at the
Legion National Youth Track & Field Championships.
 
 
For further information:
Sharel Fraser 778.772.1585 or sharelfraser@shaw.ca
Bruce Poulin, Dominion Command, The Royal Canadian Legion 613.591.3335 ext. 241 or 613.292.8760

Guess Who’s Coming to Langley? Keiran Leboe is aiming high for Nationals

Prince George's Keiran Leboe is ready for the big stage.

The 15 year old will be making his first Team BC appearance at the 2013 National Youth Track and Field Championships August 9-11 in Langley, BC.
 
He already passed the Team BC standard for Hammer Throw at the Jamboree as a member of the Prince George Track and Field Club and now he wants to take on the Canadian Legion record.
 
As reported to the Prince George Citizen, Leboe says, “The Canadian Legion record is only 53 metres, so I'd like to keep working and see if I can get up to 54 just to make sure nobody steals it the next year.”
 
We wish Keiran and all the competitors lots of luck at Nationals next weekend! It would definitely be exciting to see record be broken and history be made.
 
Click here to view the Prince George Citizen article.
 
For more information on the athletes, the events, and the championships, please visit the official site: YO.ca.

Guess Who’s Coming to Langley? Nanaimo’s Deschiffart Twins join Team BC!

Yesterday we mentioned that Marita Deschiffart hit her Team BC standards at the BC Track and Field Jamboree in Kamloops.

Now we are excited to announce that both Marita AND Erica Deschiffart will be heading to Langley next week as members of Team BC.
 
They have competed against each other all year in the 2000m Steeple Chase and they expect to do it again at the National Youth Track and Field Championships.
 
Reported on Canada.com and the Nanaimo Daily News the twins have said, “They both have goals of improving on that performance and being on the podium together in Langley.”
 
We can’t wait to see the camaraderie and sibling rivalry help the girls push each other to beating their personal bests!
 
You can read the rest of the Canada.com article here.
 
For more information on the athletes, events, and the 2013 National Youth Track and Field Championships, check out the rest of the YO.ca site!

Three Nanaimo Athletes hit their Team BC standards at BC Jamboree in Kamloops!

It was a big day for the Nanaimo Track and Field Club last week!

Rachel Jerome (15), Jason Clare (15), and Marita Deschiffart (17), all met their standards to become members of Team BC at the National Youth Track and Field Championships on August 9,10, 11.
 
In fact, of the 15 athletes from Nanaimo, most of them will be going to Nationals! However many of them will compete separate from Team BC.
 
Congratulations to Rachel, Jason, and Marita – we can’t wait to see you achieve even more personal bests at the Championship.
 
Check out the rest of this article at Canada.com.
 
For general information about the Championships and the athletes competing, head to YO.ca.

Make your championship profile for exclusive access to event information!

Chicago Bains breaks 27 year old BC Hurdles Record! 

History has been made by BC Athlete Chicago Bains. The 15 year old track star has set a new 80m Hurdles record with a time of 11.42 seconds! The previous record – 11.50 seconds – has stood since 1986.

You can see Chicago Bains and many other outstanding Canadian athletes at the 2013 Legion National Youth Track and Field Championships at McLeod Field, Langley, BC from August 9-11.
 

Stay up to date with the championships and Canada’s youngest rising stars at YO.ca
 
The Cowichan News Leader, the local paper in Bains’ hometown, reported on the event.
 
Click here to read their full article!