About Team BC

Team BC is the group of athletes, coaches, and Mission Staff who represent the Province of British Columbia at Canada’s premier multisport Games – the Canada Winter Games and Canada Summer Games.

Our athletes and coaches are the best in their age group and the Games are a key development opportunity towards future national and international competitions.

The Province of BC provides funding for the program which is managed by the BC Games Society with integration with Canadian Sport Institute-Pacific and Sport Med BC.

Learn more about our partners

Program Foundations

The Team BC program is a collaborative effort of partners to prepare, select, and service the athletes and coaches to ensure optimal performance at the Games.

Athlete Development

Team BC athletes are the next generation of junior national and national team athletes. Athletes are provided with enhanced training and competitive opportunities, science and medicine services, and support with the goal of personal bests and podium performance at the Games.

Coach Excellence

Team BC coaches create optimal training and competition environments that prepare athletes to compete in a multi-sport Games environment. Coaches are provided with support for planning, services, and professional development, and have access to science and medicine practitioners to round out the coaches and athletes development.

Leadership Advancement

Team BC Mission Staff is made up of volunteer leaders in the BC sport and recreation system. Mission Staff are provided with professional development and networking experiences and provide administrative support to the sport so that the athletes and coaches can concentrate on competing at their best.

Our Policies

As representatives of the BC sport sector, members of Team BC are expected to adhere to high standards of behaviour and conduct. Participants must ensure they are fully aware of Team BC policies to avoid any unnecessary conflict or situations. The policies are based on a common sense approach, and are in keeping with the practices of other provinces and territories.

Drugs, Doping, and Fair Play Safe Guarding Policy Flag Bearer Selection Support for Nursing Coaches

Drugs, Doping, and Fair Play

Team BC and the Canada Games Council strongly embrace the concept of Fair Play in Sport, and unequivocally oppose cheating, which includes the use of substances and methods banned by the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Team BC and the Canada Games Council will assist in whatever manner possible to implement Fair Play initiatives and a Drug Education Policy.

Team BC and the Canada Games Council recognize the Canadian Policy on Penalties for Doping in Sport (endorsed by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, adopted by Fitness and Amateur Sport and National Sport Organizations) and will honour suspensions of athletes or others determined to have committed doping or doping-related infractions. Therefore, any person under suspension by their National/Territorial/Provincial Sport Organization shall be ineligible to participate in the Canada Summer Games, as per the Canada Games Council policy.

There may be testing for performance enhancing drugs at the Canada Winter Games and Canada Summer Games. Team BC encourages participants to be aware of banned substances and the consequences associated with their use.

For more information, contact the Team BC Medical Manager.

Safe Guarding Policy

The foundation of the Team BC program is the BC Games Culture of the Games principles that outline and describe the expectations of those associated with Team BC.

Team BC believes that creating a safe environment is a collective effort and requires the awareness and action of all coaches, volunteers, athletes, Mission Staff, sport and recreation organizations, local clubs and associations, schools, all levels of government, and everyone associated with Team BC.

The BC Games Society accepts the responsibility to take reasonable and appropriate steps to protect everyone involved with the Games from both intentional and unintentional harm. As such Team BC will:

Support and adopt best practices and processes that promote a safe environment
Communicate and make available information about the rights and roles and responsibilities of all individuals involved in the Games
Ensure that reporting processes and procedures are documented and accessible
Ensure information regarding identifying and responding to signs of abuse, neglect, maltreatment, and other safeguarding concerns is accessible
Ensure processes are in place to receive reports of incidents/concerns, that appropriate action is taken, and that support is available to the individual(s) who raise or disclose the concern
Ensure that confidential, detailed, and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely stored
Ensure the registration processes include the agreement to the code of conduct and the Culture of the Games principles
Prioritize the safety and wellbeing of children and young people, including athletes, coaches, and volunteers

Team BC will appoint a Safe Sport Lead for each Games. Contact information will be available to all athletes and coaches as well as through the Mission Staff and the Team BC mission office.

Team BC will take seriously any infractions of the Code of Conduct, rules, or policies. If a Team BC participant or someone else is in an uncomfortable situation and unsure about what to do, please report this to the Team BC Safe Sport Lead.

Flag Bearer Selection

The selection committee for the Team BC Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony flag bearers shall consist of the Chef de Mission, Assistant Chef, Operations Manager, and Communications Manager. Alternates may be assigned to this committee should availability be a challenge.

Team BC Opening Ceremony flag bearer will be selected from PSO submissions by the prescribed deadline. Criteria for selection will include athletic achievement, volunteer service, academics, and leadership. The selected athlete will be notified by the Chef de Mission one week prior to the Opening Ceremony. The Team BC Closing Ceremony flag bearer will be selected from PSO submissions one day prior to the Closing Ceremony. Criteria for selection will include Games performance, volunteer service, academics, and leadership. The selected athlete will be notified by the Chef de Mission no later than the morning of the Closing Ceremony.

Support for Nursing Coaches

Team BC supports equal coaching opportunities for females and recognizes the limitations a female coach with a nursing infant faces in regards to participating in the Games.

If the infant must accompany the mother and would otherwise preclude the mother from attending the Games, a caregiver can be requested to assist with the caring of the infant while the mother performs her coaching duties. An infant is defined as less than 12 months old and requires nursing care. Special cases of an infant over the age of 12 months will be taken into consideration.

The Canada Games Council will work with the Host Society and Team BC on making the decision of whether to grant the request in question. If approved, the Host Society will secure appropriate accommodation for the caregiver, infant, and coach outside of the Games’ Village.

Costs related to the accommodation, caregiver per diem, and additional relative expenses will be the responsibility of Team BC.

More Resources

As the lead organization for the program, of the BC Games Society has made Team BC an integral part its organizational Vision, Mission, and Values.

Graphic Standards

Participant Resources

Supporter Resources

Media Services

Code of Conduct

Incident Report Form

Online Incident Report Form

Notice of Appeals Form

Accessibility Plan

Annual Service Plan

Service Plan Report

TERRITORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We respectfully acknowledge the lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) People, also known today as the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations, and recognize that our work in this province spans the territories of more than 200 First Nations, as well as Métis and Inuit communities.