Month: February 2011

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Be The Best.

The one minute video recap.

I had forgotten about some quick vid shots that Max and I had taken during the Maple Leaf Award dinner.

The one minute video recap is below.

As mentioned, Scott Rintoul from Team 1040 radio did a great job emceeing the event and it was great to meet him in person.

As a shameless BCIT plug, he’s a fantastic ambassador for the broadcasting programs (radio, journalism, tv) and we’re sure proud to have him as one of our Alumni.  For those readers of this blog who are making education and career decisions in the next few years (or parents), BCIT has an excellent Big Info night coming up on March 2.  I just double checked the weblink and my staff have put a very freaky looking picture of yours truly up on a vid that gives you a run-through of the event.  Ok…why am I telling you all this?  Of course, I love BCIT and what it does for people’s lives, but education of ALL FORMS is so critical to provide choice, options and opportunities for the future.  These sessions simply open up eyes and brains to a bigger understanding of what kind of possibilities exist in the world of education.  On a personal level, that’s a BIG DEAL for us as parents and I believe for us as a province and country as well.  Ok, enough already, I’m stepping down from the soapbox…!

The last frame of the Maple Leaf video is a picture of the quilt that was made for us by one of my BCIT staff colleagues in Marketing, Kim.  That became an instant family heirloom and something that we treasure at a very deep level.  It seemed fitting for Chris’ 32 to show at the end of this clip surrounded by his BMS teammates. The side of the quilt shown in the vid is made entirely of Burnaby Mountain Select jersies that were brought to Chris’ funeral as a sign of respect, honour and friendship at Chris’ funeral.

To see more about the quilt, you can read/view: 7 days to write about a quilt and then link to other quilt blogs.  For a while there I thought this was going to become a full-time quilting blog but thankfully I left that to quilting professionals.

As we move forward from the Maple Leaf Awards 2011 and the initial Chris Friesen Memorial Award, we are excited think about the thousands of dollars to be awarded in the future and more importantly the opportunity to inspire and challenge young men and women each year to BE THE BEST.

Here’s the vid:

Categories
Be The Best.

16 year-old Langley player makes National U19 team.

Once you get involved with any kind of serious lacrosse in the Valley, you’ll soon learn that the Bull family is very well represented and have deep roots in the community and a passion and skill for the game that is in the blood.

Chris played with Brandon Bull, Ashley’s brother, Riley Brown, Ashley’s cousin, and was coached by Dennis Bull (dad) and Harvey Bull (grandpa).  See what I mean?  We saw Ashley at the rink all the time with stick in hand.

To be named to the National Team for Canada at the U19 level is unbelievable enough. To do it when you’re two and three years younger than most of the players is simply incredible.

It’s completely BE THE BEST!!!

There is a great story about Ashley in the Langley Times which is worth the read.

Here’s an excerpt:

The characteristics some of her coaches used to describe her — tenacious, fearless, determined and not afraid to mix it up — are fitting of her surname.

Coaches were describing Ashley Bull, a 16-year-old Grade 11 student at Walnut Grove Secondary.

“She is best described as fearless,” said former coach Sean Beasley. “Not too many girls find themselves on the lacrosse floor with male players, but she had no fear.”

I love the passion, dedication and focus that Ashley embodied as she pushed towards her dreams.

The Team Canada coaches called her a sponge.

They weren’t saying that because she’s soft…she’s one of the toughest players around and played with all-boys teams for many years holding her own and more often than not being one of the top players on the floor regardless of gender.

No, the coaches called her a sponge because of her desire and willingness to soak up information, to get better, to continually learn to BE THE BEST.

Congrats Ashley.

You’ve made your family, your town, your province and the lacrosse community very proud.  We know you’ll make Canada proud too.  Go get em!

Go Canada Go!

LINK: Langley Times article (includes great pic)

LINK: Official announcement from Team Canada

Ashley hams it up a few years ago at a lacrosse tourney.
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Be The Best.

A tattoo…for your car.

I know many of us remember Chris is so many different ways.  I still see many of those wrist band things when we’re out and about. Awesome.  We’ve worn ours every day for 10 1/2 months and I’m not sure when we’re ever going to stop.

I’ve seen more than one tattoo.  Cool. (again, from a parent’s perspective, we’re not pushing tattoos, but we understand the DEEP meaning of getting one and we are incredibly humbled and honoured when someone makes that personal decision to honour Chris in that way!!)

I’ve seen email accounts, twitter accounts and facebook stuff all acknowledging and remembering Chris.  Love it.

But one thing I had not seen…until now.

What would a tattoo for your car look like?

Well, I think Will VH, a good friend and lacrosse bud of Chris’, figured that out.

He just received the one and only set of CF 2 license plates in the entire province of British Columbia.

Cool.

Take a look at the pic below.  I think it says it all.

Love it Will.  Drive safe and Be The Best!

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Be The Best.

A few final thoughts about the CFMA 2011.

What…we’ve awarded it once and already formed an acronym?  Lame.

That’s the Chris Friesen Memorial Award.  There, that feels better.

A few closing thoughts about the awards.

Jeff Cathrea and Brent Hoskins are the head coaches for the SFU men’s lacrosse team.  Their accomplishments are pretty impressive, but they probably won’t tell you that.  You’ll have to read it here.

The biggest accomplishment however, doesn’t really show-up on stats sheets.

It shows up in stories about young men and how they have focused on their education.

Focused on their fitness.

Focused on lacrosse.

Focused on their future.

Read this story about one of their players, Chris Tessarolo.

If you’re a young person reading this, some fatherly advice.  Work hard at school, do your homework…and listen to your coaches!  They know what they’re talking about!!

Brent and Jeff won Coach of the Year honours in their conference and that’s a testament to the dedication to the team, SFU and development of younger players in the Selects program and camps.  Congrats guys!

Here’s a few more pics from the evening.

Oh, and the Best Dressed?  The very lovely Ingrid Friesen of course.

Brent, Marilyn (Brent's Mom and Team Manager for 11 seasons) Jeff
Max and Kiera
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