WATCH: Thousands of young athletes will descend on the Cowichan Valley for the BC Summer Games. Ceilidh Millar reports.
Softball player Bethany Brass is batting big when it comes to her sporting dreams.
“I’m hoping to go to a div-one college or university,” Brass explained.
The 15-year-old from Victoria will get her first taste of a career on the diamond at this year’s BC Summer Games.
“These young athletes are the very best,” said Kelly Mann with the BC Games Society. “They’ll be scouted and looked at by provincial levels to form provincial-level teams. Then they’ll go onto international and national competition.”
The four-day showcase will draw more than 3,000 athletes, coaches and parents to the Cowichan Valley for the multi-sport games.
Some players have travelled from as far as Haida Gwaii to compete.
“A lot of these kids will be Olympians one day,” Mann explained.
Sporting stars like former professional cyclist Ryder Hesjedal and triathlete Kirsten Sweetland took part in the games during their career.
More than $2-million was generated from the 2014 games held in Nanaimo.
“We have all the great venues in the region to host events of this size,” said Mayor of Duncan Phil Kent. “It’s very vibrant all the time and this just adds a great deal more vibrancy.”
The BC Summer Games kickoff at Laketown Ranch at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
The games run across various venues until Sunday.
Ceilidh Millar
