Athletes and coaches who have participated in a BC Games, North American Indigenous Games, or Canada Games understand that competing in a multi-sport games environment is very different than competing in a single sport competition. Athletes must learn how to manage distractions – from residing in an athletes' village with athletes from numerous sports and with very different schedules, to dealing with heightened media attention and transportation challenges, to competing in front of a larger crowd.
Athletes also quickly understand the significance of competing as part of a larger team - whether for their zone at a BC Games or province in the case of the North American Indigenous Games or Canada Games – and that every individual result counts towards the greater team goal of finishing first overall. As athletes progress along the development pathway, BC Games, NAIG, and Team BC provide valuable learning experiences that prepare them for international multi-sport games competitions.