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Two Nanaimo coaches part of B.C. staff for Canada Summer Games

Mar 28, 2017 | 11:39 AM

NANAIMO — Two local coaches have been named to the Team BC staff for the 2017 Canada Summer Games.
 
Allen Johnston will serve as head coach and Paul Little will be the team manager.
 
This won’t be the first time for Johnston, who is going to the Canada Games for the eighth time as a coach.
 
He’s happy to have a familiar face like Little joining him on the staff.

“Paul was with the Nanaimo Track and Field Club, I even coached him a little bit. He was also my manager for the Western Canada Games a few years back, so we go back a few years,” Johnston said.
 
Qualification for the Games hasn’t started yet with the athletics portion of the schedule slated for July 28 to Aug. 4 in Winnipeg.
 
There will be approximately 60 athletes that Johnston will be responsible for in running, throwing, jumping, and para events.
 
He sees himself primarily as an overseer and said it’s his role to ensure all the athletes are ready for their different event areas.
 
“I can do that simply by passing that task on to the expertise that we’ll have with us, in terms of coaches in those events,” he said.
 
Team BC is perennially strong in distance running and throwing events, according to Johnston.
 
A large group of the medal hopefuls this time will be chosen based on their performance at the BC Jamboree which takes place July 14-18 in Coquitlam. The competitors will be between the ages of 16 and 22, except in the para category, where the age bumps up to under-30.
 
Looking back over previous games, Johnston said it’s been a career highlight getting the opportunity to coach some of B.C.’s para-athletes. Being a part of Team BC in 2001 was also special with Johnston having the opportunity to work with standouts like Garry Reed, Dylan Armstrong, and Tyler Christopher.   
 
Athletics is just one aspect of Team BC for the Canada Games.
 
There’s an estimated 450 person group from the province including athletes, coaches, and staff that will be making the trek to Winnipeg.
 
The Games happen every two years with 16 sports and over 4,000 people involved.
 
2017 is the 50th anniversary of the Canada Summer Games.