Next week marks the beginning of the 2017 Canada Summer Games, and the 50th anniversary of the event’s inception. Over 4,000 athletes and coaches in 16 sports will descend on Winnipeg, Manitoba, the host for this year’s event. Forty-seven of them (38 athletes and nine coaches) are current or incoming Tigers who will be representing their home provinces during the two-week event.
, the Tigers current women’s soccer coach will lead Nova Scotia’s women’s soccer team to the pitch along with Tigers assistant coach . The 18-person squad boasts four incoming Tiger recruits including , , and . was named as an alternate to the squad.
Tye, a silver medallist in soccer at the 1993 event in Kamloops, B.C. has been leading the team for a number of years and is looking forward to the event.
“It is always exciting to represent Team NS and Soccer Nova Scotia at the Canada Games,” she says. “As staff and players, we know it is a privilege to wear blue and white and look forward to making Nova Scotia proud."
Fellow soccer recruit will also be making the trek west with her home province of New Brunswick.
The men’s soccer team has two incoming athletes who will also be heading to the Games in week two. (Halifax, N.S.) and (Whitehorse, Y.K.) will both be representing their respective province/territory with (Tigers women’s soccer video coach) serving as team manager for Team Nova Scotia.
Athletes from across the university
The Tigers track and field teams have 19 athletes representing four provinces at the Games this year. , , , , , , , , , , , , and will all suit up for Nova Scotia at the Games with Tigers head coach on the coaching staff. and will run for their home province of Prince Edward Island, while and will suit up for New Brunswick. Incoming runner will race for team Alberta.
Beals, Beaton, Lunda and Walker will all be making their second appearances at a Canada Games after competing at the 2013 event in Sherbrooke, Q.C.
“I’m very happy to be able to attend a second Canada Games,” says Beaton. “Having attended the 2013 event just before I started at pilipiliÂţ» has better prepared me with what to expect. I can’t wait to showcase what my four years at Dal and training with my coaches have helped me achieve!”
A U SPORTS bronze medallist in the 300m last March, sprinter Mike Van Der Poel is a medal favourite at the games and will be competing in the 200m, 400m and 4x400m events.
“I am looking forward to the experience and I am extremely proud to represent Nova Scotia,” says Van Der Poel. “My preparation started as soon as I finished school for the year. I have been trying to give it my all on every workout and hopefully it will pay off.”
Striving for excellence
Volleyball is another sport the Tigers will be well-represented in at the Games in the next two weeks.
Long-time women’s volleyball assistant coach will lead Nova Scotia’s women’s volleyball team to Winnipeg this summer. This will be Elliott’s fourth Canada Games, having served as an assistant coach with the men’s teams in 2005 and 2009 and again with the women’s squad in 2013.
“I'm looking forward to our group of talented and dedicated Nova Scotian athletes and coaches achieving their best performance at the 2017 games in Winnipeg,” says Elliott. “I'm equally excited for everyone to experience that electric feeling of participating in a multi-sport games. There is no better feeling then being a part of an opening or closing ceremonies, and to be able to support and cheer for athletes in different sports makes wearing the Blue and WhiteĚýthat much more special.”
Fellow Tigers assistant coach will serve as his assistant, while Sam Sanders (also a Tigers women’s volleyball assistant coach) and U SPORTS second team all-Canadian have been working with the team in advance of the Games. Tigers newcomers , , and are all part of the roster that will look to improve upon Nova Scotia’s quarter-final loss in 2013.
On the men’s side, four incoming Tigers will also be competing in Winnipeg. and will compete for Nova Scotia, while and will play for New Brunswick and Manitoba, respectively.
Three of the four players competing in beach volleyball for Nova Scotia are current Tigers players. and will pair up to compete in the men’s competition, while veteran and her partner Micaela Sabean will play on the women’s side.
Swim head coach will lead Nova Scotia’s teams to the Games in the second week, with recent Tigers grad serving as a team manager. The team is comprised of athletes aged 16 and under so there aren’t any university-aged swimmers on the roster.
It should be an exciting two weeks of competition. Be sure to cheer for the Tigers and stay up to date with all the action!
Twitter @2017CanadaGames
The Tigers competition schedule
Week One (July 28-August 4)
Name |
Sport |
Province |
Event (if applicable) |
Christian Fricke |
M Beach Volleyball |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Kobe Shannon |
M Beach Volleyball |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Victoria Haworth |
W Beach Volleyball |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Matthew Coolen |
M Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
100m, 110m Hurdles, 4X100m |
Hudson Grimshaw-Surette |
M Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
800m |
Shiloh Johnson |
M Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
4X400m |
Josh Lunda |
M Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
100m, 200m, 4X100m |
Angus MacIntosh |
M Track & Field |
New Brunswick |
3000m Steeplechase |
Mike Rogers |
M Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
1500m, 5000m |
Will Russell |
M Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
1500m |
Kaelan Schmidt |
M Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
High Jump, Triple Jump |
Mike Van Der Poel |
M Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
200m, 400m, 4X400m |
Graeme Wach |
M Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
5000m |
Shannay Beals |
W Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
100m, 200m |
Heather Beaton |
W Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
400m, 4X400m |
Elizabeth Comeau |
W Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
400m Hurdles |
Hannah Cormier |
W Track & Field |
New Brunswick |
1500m |
Savanna Jordan |
W Track & Field |
Alberta |
1500m, 5000m |
Anna McCrea |
W Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
800m |
Jenna MacDonald |
W Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
5000m |
Shaylynn Tell |
W Track & Field |
Nova Scotia |
1500m, 5000m |
Michaela Walker |
W Track & Field |
PEI |
1500m |
Haley Birrell |
W Soccer |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Julie Cormier |
W Soccer |
New Brunswick |
Ěý |
Katelyn Fines |
W Soccer |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Alyssa Hartlen |
W Soccer |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Olivia MacIntyre |
W Soccer |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Ěý
Week Two (August 5 - 13)
Name |
Sport |
Province |
Ěý |
Skyler Bryant |
M Soccer |
Yukon |
Ěý |
Enrico Rodriguez |
M Soccer |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Justin Drapeau |
M Volleyball |
New Brunswick |
Ěý |
Nicolas Faulkner |
M Volleyball |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Mathieu Lavoie |
M Volleyball |
Manitoba |
Ěý |
Malachy Shannon |
M Volleyball |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Catherine Callaghan |
W Volleyball |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Julie Moore |
W Volleyball |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Victoria Turcot |
W Volleyball |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
Hannah Wilkie |
W Volleyball |
Nova Scotia |
Ěý |
For more information on the history of the Games: