The BC Summer Games: The First Step of Many

By Novella Rusman

The BC Games is the start of numerous journeys in the world of sport. The Opening Ceremony is memorable as it gives the athletes a glimpse of what it is like to be at the Olympic Games when they walk out as a team with the BC Games Torch. Then athletes from all zones are divided into different accommodations, which allows them to interact and learn about different and unique sports.

In 2022, I competed in my first BC Summer Games in my novice year of rowing. The Games were the first major event of my individual rowing career and was a significant eye-opener for me. I was a competitive swimmer until 2021, and I faced many “fork in the road” experiences that led to me becoming a rower; the BC Summer Games were one of those experiences for me. 

I had been a competitive athlete my whole life, but I had never experienced going through selection camps or competing against other teams of a higher caliber. I always wanted to compete at a high level in my sport, and the BC Summer Games was the start of my journey as a high-performance athlete. After winning the U17 Women’s 1X at the Games, my perspective and approach to the sport changed; it opened my eyes to the world of a high-performance athlete, and I knew that was where I wanted to be. 

Returning to training at my home club, Brentwood College, I constantly found myself searching for intensity and improvement to bring me to the next stage. By the end of the season, I had worked my way to Paris, representing Canada in the 2023 World Rowing U19 Championships in the U19 Women’s 4-. I consistently find ways to improve and strive for the next steps, but when I take a moment to reflect on my journey as a high-performance athlete, I am reminded of the impact the BC Summer Games had on me, my life, and my journey as a rower.