ProMOTION Plus announces In Her Footsteps honorees
Jul 24, 2015
Three extraordinary British Columbia women are the 2015 ProMOTION Plus In Her Footsteps Honorees. They will be formally recognized during a ceremony on November 3 at the John M S Lecky UBC Boathouse in Richmond.
The evening is the ProMOTION Plus signature recognition event of the year and comes on the occasion of the celebration of ProMOTION Plus’ 25th anniversary. ProMOTION PLUS is the only organization in BC whose sole mission is to promote and create increased opportunities for girls and women in sport and physical activity.
This year’s Honorees; Laurel Crosby of Delta, North Vancouver’s Mary Macdonald, and Patti Hunter of Victoria, join 56 other distinguished Honorees, including Olympians, World Champions, trailblazers and pioneers, whose stories are now profiled in the newly-reopened In Her Footsteps Gallery at the BC Sports Hall of Fame.
In addition, as part of a special commemoration of 2015 being The Year of Sport, ProMotion Plus will also be recognizing the National Women’s Soccer Team for their inspirational performance culminating at the 2015 FIFA World Cup. Led by captain Christine Sinclair of Burnaby, the team personified the very best of Canada, serving as role models and inspiring an entire nation. Three other British Columbians were on the team: Karina LeBlanc, Sophie Schmidt and Emily Zurrer.
Delta’s Laurel Crosby has been a Wheelchair Sports administrator and coach since 1980 and is currently President of BC Wheelchair Sports Association. Her incredible volunteer career has taken her to every level in the parasport community, including President of the Canadian Paralympic committee, President of the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association, Canadian representative to the International Paralympic Committee and a sub-committee member for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Just retired as an elementary school principal, she co-authored the 2010 Wheelchair rugby schools program. The teacher’s resource manual and lesson plans that came from this unique project are recognized as a major breakthrough in teaching children about the power of athletes with disability. As a coach she mentored several track athletes to International medals and world records.
North Vancouver`s Mary Macdonald fills the roles of athlete, coach, builder, official and pioneer. At 83 years of age, she can look back on a phenomenal career in the worlds of basketball and volleyball, both of which she played at the highest level, representing her country proudly. In 1967 when Canada hosted the Pan American Games, she was the top-ranked volleyball player in the country, but chose instead to cross over to basketball, where for many years she competed at the elite level. She was on the winning Senior A team in three national championships and played in three Pan American Games.
When the World Masters Games began in 1985, her teams won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze in five Games. As a high school (John Oliver) teacher and coach, she developed teams and individuals that went on to unequalled successes, several of her students playing volleyball for Canada at the 1976 Olympics.
Patti Hunter is currently the general-manager of KidSport Victoria (one of its co-founders) and a founding Board member of ProMotion Plus. She is recognized as an outstanding administrator with extensive experience in recreation, sport, physical activity, health and social service program management. Her resume includes former Director of Physical Activity and Healthy Living for 2010 Legacies Now, Director of Physical Health Services for Vancouver YWCA, member for six years on the Provincial Government Advisory Council for Sport and Recreation, past President of BC Recreation and Parks Association and past Board member of Sport BC. In 2013 she was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Award for her outstanding commitment to public service.
30
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Brian Pound, 604-438-9332
