Each high school in the Central Okanagan will have one representative from their school nominated by Monday May 27th.  Then the voting will begin! The public will be allowed to “stuff” the ballot box and vote as many times as they wish.  Show that school spirit and vote your coach as the High School Coach of the Year!

The winning coach will be announced the week of June 10th and will be highlighted on Ryan Watters.ca and win the Ultimate Sports Ticket Package.  They will win tickets to the Kelowna Rockets, West Kelowna Warriors, Kelowna Falcons, Okanagan Sun and UBC Okanagan Heat.  The High School Coach of the Year will also win an autographed 11×14 framed Team Canada photo of Shea Weber  courtesy of Shut Out Sports Collectibles.

Good luck to all the coaches and get ready to show your school spirit to name the Second Annual High School Coach of the Year!

“I’d have to say my greatest strength is my versatility,” Linttell said, “I can shoot from the outside or drive inside, score and rebound. I also see the floor well and I’m an unselfish player. I work hard on defense and keep my man in front of me.”

Linttell is versatile enough to lead his school volleyball team to a BC Provincial title and be named the tournament MVP, and then a few months later lead his Knights basketball squad to a provincial championship and earn a first team all-star. For his stellar achievements throughout the year in athletics Ryan recently received the Augie Ciancone Memorial Award as the City of Kelowna high school male athlete of the year.

Not your average wing player, Ryan was called on at times to run the point from the forward spot for his Knights squad as he averaged 17 ppg., 8 rpg., and 5 apg. while shooting an impressive 63% from the floor and 38% from three-point range. He will join last year’s Augie Ciancone award winner, Mitch Goodwin, as a core of strong local high school players that signed with the Heat.

Linttell plans to enter the Bachelor of Human Kinetics program, and believes that UBC’s Okanagan campus “is a highly reputable school.” He currently seeks to become an optometrist and boasts a 93% average while residing on the Principle’s List and Work Ethic List at the high school level. He hopes that his academic success will also translate into university success.

Ryan is fortunate in that he has an older brother, Tyler Linttell, who currently plays in the CIS and who has been able to lend advice to his younger brother for the jump in competition. “It’s much more physical than high school,” Ryan said was Tyler’s advice, “and I have a lot to do to get my body ready for next year.” He adds, however, that “I always like to play with players who are better than me so I can step my game up.”

Second-year coach Pete Guarasci is excited to add Ryan to the basketball program at UBC’s Okanagan campus. “He’s a local talent who helped lead his KCS [Kelowna Christian] team to a AA Championship. Ryan is a well-rounded basketball player with good size, athleticism and basketball IQ. We believe he has a chance to develop into a strong CIS wing player. On top of Ryan’s athletic abilities, he’s also an excellent student and teammate.”

A large part of Ryan deciding to come to UBC’s Okanagan campus after sifting through offers from other CIS schools was his familiarity with coach Guarasci. “I feel UBCO is the best fit for me. I really like coach Guarasci’s game style and he explains himself well,” said Ryan and, “I think I will grow as a player and person under his direction.”

Courtesy of Cary Mellon – UBC Okanagan Sports Information Officer

The change will be noticed for the soccer program as they will be the next sport to play in Canada West beginning in September of 2014.  The option is also now there for UBCO to apply to add sports, which is what the Okanagan Sun have been waiting for the last couple of years.

Ryan talks with UBCO Director of Athletics and Recreation Rob Johnson about the announcement on Thursday…

In the sixth round the BC Lions picked defensive back Matt Walker who played one season with the Sun before moving onto UBC.   The Vernon native played the 2011 season with the Sun not only at safety but would returns some kicks as well.    On May 29 Walker will have some familiar faces at Lions camp, as former teammates Bobby Davis, Steven Shott and Steven Doege will all be at Lions’ Rookie Camp as well in Kamloops.

With the final pick in the draft in the seventh round the defending Grey Cup Champion Toronto Argos selected former Sun MVP Paul Spencer.  “The General” sits third all time in Sun tackles with 141 and was named the club’s MVP in 2009.   He would also be named the team’s top defensive back from 2007 to 2009.

Since winning the gold Woods has won a number of individual awards including a Sport Hero Award, a Provincial All-Star, named the co-Female Athlete of the Year at UBC Okanagan and now add the 2012 City of Kelowna’s Civic Female Athlete of the Year to her resume.

Ryan talks with Woods after accepting the award on Wednesday night.

Following high school graduation in June, Turner will attend the University of Toronto in the fall and continue to train and reach his Olympic dreams.

Ryan talks with Turner following his acceptance of the Male Athlete of the Year award on Wednesday night.

The Rockets D-Man scored the game tying goal in the gold medal game against the USA in the second period.  Bowey would log the most ice time for team Canada, picking up where he left off with the Rockets and their playoff run.

Ryan talks withe Bowey about the tournament and the gold medal game.

Photo courtesy of Marissa Baecker/shootthebreeze.ca

Katie Dunlop (14), Josh Zakala (14) and Cameron Feil (15) performed very well at a meet in Kamloops, which won them a spot on Team BC.

The head coach of the Aqua Jets program is Peter Wilkins and he talks with Ryan about the three swimmers.

Haylee Lakovic (Striker, Kelowna, BC)
A local soccer standout from Mount Boucherie Secondary School, Haylee Lakovic has decided to call Kelowna home for at least another five years with her recent commitment to the UBC Okanagan Heat.

Lakovic brings a wealth of talent and experience to the program, having traveled across Canada and the United States playing soccer. In 2011, she helped lead her Thompson-Okanagan FC team to the Super Y National Finals in Tampa Bay, FL and ended up tied for top scorer to highlight the event. She has also won the Golden Boot award in 2010 and 2011 for the Mount Boucherie Bears, while serving as team captain for both the Bears and the TOFC.

Head coach Claire Paterson has had her eye on Lakovic, the 5-foot-6 forward, for a while now, and could not be more pleased that the Kelowna product is deciding to stay home to play her university soccer at UBC Okanagan and earn her post-secondary degree.

“The Okanagan has produced some fantastic goal scorers; Haylee is one of them, and I am really glad that she has decided to stay close to home,” says Paterson. “Her attacking prowess and nose for goals will bring another threat into the Heat line up which is something we are always looking for. She first became a player to watch for us as a U14 player playing for the TOFC Super Y program where she had some fantastic success over the years.”

Haylee credits the program’s direction, as well as proximity to home, as the major reasons why she chose the Heat.

“I decided to sign with UBC Okanagan because Claire is a great coach [and] along with the rest of the coaching staff, they have so much to offer,” says Lakovic. “I have heard a lot of good things about the program and I am excited that the school is going CIS. I look forward to be playing against the top players in the nation, and there’s nowhere better to play than in your own backyard. I am hoping that playing at UBC Okanagan will take my game to the next level, and I look forward to the challenge that university soccer brings me.”

Katie Smillie (Fullback, Delta, BC)
A workhorse from her fullback position, Smillie has enjoyed quite a successful career playing soccer in the Lower Mainland. In 2011, she led her Coastal FC team, as captain, to a first place tie in the Super Y League. Then, in 2012, she helped lead South Fraser FC to not only an undefeated regular season, but an undefeated postseason as well, en route to the championship.

Head coach Claire Paterson is a big fan of the 5-foot-5 Katie’s defensive abilities, stating: “Katie is a workhorse, [and] every time I have seen her play she has made an impact in the game.  A tenacious defender with pace and an attacking mindset, she can cause problems for teams on both sides of the ball.”

Graduating from Delta Secondary this June Smillie feels the fit as UBC Okanagan is perfect for her and credits the future move to the CIS as a major reason why decided to join the Heat.

“I chose UBC Okanagan because I believe that the program will help me develop to the best of my abilities as a player and student,” says Katie. “I am excited for the plans the women’s soccer program has for moving forward into the future and can’t wait to join the Heat in the fall.”

Paige Moody (Centre Defender/Fullback, Surrey, BC)
Smillie will be joined by her Coastal FC teammate in Paige Moody, who has also signed her letter of intent to play for the Heat in 2013. Much like Smillie, Moody has caught the attention of university programs due to her defensive prowess and ability to lockdown strikers from her centre defender position. More importantly, she adds size to a Heat program that has struggled with finding tall players that have the ability to control the middle of the pitch; a main reason why coach Paterson found her to be a very appealing recruit.

“I am really glad Paige has decided to join our program in the fall,” says Paterson of the 5-foot-9 recruit. “I have had the opportunity to see Paige play at our identification camps, as well as the Whitecaps Showcase, and she has a lot of potential to add some depth to our back line.  A tall, pacey player she works hard to shut down the opposition with the added benefit of adding some height to our back line.”

Like her teammate Smillie, Moody credits the direction of the program, as well as the coaching environment, as the major reasons why she chose to join the Heat after graduating from Elgin Park Secondary this June.

“I am excited to be joining the Heat soccer team because of the great coaching staff as well as the playing and learning environment they offer,” says Moody. “I feel like I can learn and grow as a player under their guidance and look forward to being part of the vision and future of the women’s soccer program here at UBC Okanagan.”

Courtesy of Cary Mellon – UBC Okanagan Sports Information

Be a part of the #1 baseball camp in Canada! The Toronto Blue Jays are partnering with Baseball Canada to bring amateur players, the Blue Jays Honda Super Camps! This three-day camp offer children ages 9-16 – of all abilities – the ultimate Major League experience. Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar, Lloyd Moseby, Jesse Barfield, Kelowna native Paul Spoljaric and 1993 World Series Champion Duane Ward are scheduled to be in Kelowna.

A number of Falcons from the 2013 roster will also be assisting at the Honda Super Camp.

“We are excited and honoured to be working again with the Blue Jays,” says Falcons General Manager Mark Nonis.  “This is a wonderful opportunity for baseball fans of all ages to see some of the best players ever to play for Canada’s team.  And for the kids participating in the camp, it’s an unbelievable opportunity to learn.”

“The continued commitment from the Blue Jays has truly enhanced the experience we can give these kids. With the efforts of the Blue Jays alumni and our own quality instructors, we are able to provide a true experience during these camps. To see the Blue Jays’ effort with these camps and the impact it is making across the country is truly rewarding.” -  Jim Baba, Director General, Baseball Canada

Blue Jays Honda Super Camps are taking place in 16 locations across Canada.