NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate ReleaseFebruary 4, 2022
Chefs de Mission Announced for the 2023 Canada Winter Games
The BC Games Society is pleased to announce the appointment of Kurt Innes as the Chef de Mission and Jennifer Falloon as the Assistant Chef de Mission to lead Team BC’s preparations for the 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island. Kurt and Jennifer will draw from their ample experience as the new Chef and Assistant Chef pairing take the helm of the Team BC Mission Staff team for the 2023 Games. They will work concurrently with Jennifer Scott and Danielle Williams, current Chef and Assistant Chef de Mission for the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games.
Kurt Innes has made rich contributions to provincial, national, and international high-performance sport through a career spanning more than 30-years. As a 1992 Olympian, multiple time Canadian Cycling Champion, two-time recipient of the Coaching Association of Canada Coaching Excellence award, and most recently as the Director, Performance Solutions with the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific (CSI Pacific), Kurt has achieved excellence as an athlete, coach, and administrator. In his current role at CSI Pacific, Kurt works with National Sport Organizations to develop sport science and sport medicine performance solutions that will propel Canadian National Team athletes and coaches to success on the global stage. Kurt’s ties to Team BC and the BC Games run deep, as he has been a Team BC Mission Staff member on two occasions, served as a Team BC coach, and acted as the BC Games Mentorship Program Master Coach Mentor since 2020.
"It's an absolute thrill and privilege to be selected as the Team BC Chef de Mission for the 2023 Canada Winter Games,” said Kurt. “I am excited to be working alongside Jennifer to support our athletes, coaches, and Mission Staff to ensure every participant can strive for a personal best performance. Returning to the Canada Winter Games in the Atlantic is a full-circle opportunity for me, as my experience as an athlete at the 1987 Canada Winter Games in short track speed skating was the catalyst for what has become my life's passion – working with, and in support of, athletes and coaches."
As Chef de Mission, Kurt will fill the roles of team leader, official spokesperson, and cheerleader for the Team BC contingent, and in consultation with BC Games Society staff, the Canada Games Council, and the Host Society, will help coordinate the overall direction of Team BC's participation in the Canada Winter Games.
Jennifer Falloon brings extensive multi-sport Games experience to the role of Assistant Chef de Mission, having provided leadership and expertise in coach education, technical development, and major event planning throughout her career. She has worked with the Coaching Association of Canada, viaSport, and Ringette BC, among other sport organizations. She also took part in the 2014 BC Winter Games and 2015 Canada Winter Games as a provincial sport lead and member of the bench staff for ringette. Jennifer was Sport Mission Staff for Team BC at the 2019 Canada Winter Games and is currently continuing in that role for the 2022 Canada Summer Games while also stepping into the Assistant Chef role for the 2023 Games.
“Serving as Team BC Mission Staff has been one of the best experiences of my sporting career,” said Jennifer. “I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to lead the team to the 2023 Canada Winter Games, and to support our mission staff to ensure they have the same great experience.”
“I am thrilled to welcome Kurt and Jenn as Team BC’s Chefs for the 2023 Games,” said Jarret Poitras, Team BC Operations Manager. “Team BC is venturing into uncharted territory with two Canada Games within six months of one another and I have the utmost confidence that our two sets of Chefs will excel in leading the way into their respective Games.”
The Team BC leadership team will now work to recruit and select a Mission Staff team to support Team BC's athletes and coaches. These exciting volunteer opportunities will be made public in the coming weeks.
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About Team BC and the 2023 Canada Winter Games
The BC Games Society is the organization responsible for the Team BC program, in partnership with the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, SportMedBC, and viaSport. Team BC brings together the best athletes, coaches, managers, and mission staff to represent British Columbia at the Canada Summer and Winter Games. Team BC will send a delegation of 350 athletes, coaches, managers, and mission staff to represent British Columbia at the 2023 Canada Winter Games in PEI from February 18 – March 5. Visit www.teambc.org for the latest news and updates.
Media Contact:
Jarret Poitras
Team BC Operations Manager
jarretp@bcgames.org
O: 250-387-4635