The BC Hockey Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held at the Hilton Whistler Resort and Spa in Whistler, BC from June 22-24, 2012.

 

In an effort to address the many challenges facing athletes, team officials, administrators and participants in sport today, BC Hockey will be focusing on safety and respect during our Saturday, morning seminar.    The Safety and Respect In our Game seminar has been designed to address current safety and social issues that a Minor Hockey Association (MHA) may face throughout the course of the hockey season.  

 

"We all have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for our kids and participants.  We are pleased to have three keynote guest speakers at our AGM who will offer tools and information to assist MHAs in handling harassment and abuse situations and injury prevention - both relevant and important topics in sport today," said BC Hockey President Shannon Bell. 

 

The seminar topics are as follows:

 

Wayne McNeil is the Co-Founder of Respect in Sport Inc.  Wayne served as Trustee and Vice-Chairman of the Rocky View School Division, volunteer President of the Sheldon Kennedy Foundation.  The Foundation raised over One (1) Million dollars during the 1998 Cross-Canada Skate to raise awareness for the prevention of child abuse. Additionally he was the volunteer Chairman of the Alberta Gymnastics Federation for six (6) years. These volunteer experiences and his social consciousness towards the issue of abuse prevention lead Wayne to co-found Respect Group Inc.; Canada’s first, on-line, abuse, discrimination, bullying and harassment prevention training program for community/sport organizations, schools and corporations.  In this seminar Wayne will provide information focused on parent issues such as the natural influence over a child, the coach or leaders role in an activity, the role parents play in their child's enjoyment and of a sport or activity, and protecting your child when they are outside of your immediate control.

 

Simone Longpré completed a Master’s Degree in Educational Studies at the University of BC (UBC) and has been teaching courses in Health Promotion, Field Placement and Sport Sociology in the UBC School of Kinesiology for 15 years. She is currently on a break from teaching and has taken on the position of Coordinator of the School of Kinesiology’s Co-operative Education Program. Simone has been actively involved in the fitness and sport community in Vancouver and the lower mainland for over 20 years, most significantly in the field of gender equity. She was on the Board of ProMOTION Plus, the BC organization for Girls and Women in Sport for four (4) years and held the position of Chair for two (2) years. An accomplished speaker and facilitator, she continues to play an active role in the community raising awareness on topics concerning gender equity, sexism and homophobia in sport.  Simone will provide important information on homophobia in the world of sport and transgender issues.

 

Dr. Shelina Babul has been involved in various injury prevention strategies and initiatives, but primarily focuses on sport & recreational evidence-based research development, with a particular specialization in traumatic brain injuries/concussions and its prevention, recognition, treatment and management. She is the Associate Director/Sports Injury Specialist for the BC Injury Research & Prevention Unit and a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, teaching a graduate level course in the School of Population and Public Health. Dr Babul’s work includes: 

 

The Annual General Meeting of BC Hockey is the only regularly scheduled meeting where the BC Hockey Executive Committee and its constituent committees (minor, junior, male senior/recreational, female senior/recreational) meet simultaneously.

 

For more information about BC Hockey, please visit the BC Hockey website at www.bchockey.net or email info@bchockey.net.