Jennifer Botterill credits much of her success to a lunch date with her dad when she was 15.
"We were just talking about dreams and goals," said the four-time Canadian Olympian. "At one point he told me, 'Why not you?'
"It was just like, 'Yeah, OK, maybe I should be believing in myself, if someone else can be there,then why can't it be me?'"
Botterill - a three-time Olympic gold medalist with the women's hockey team and Harvard University graduate - says the story of her lunch with dad Cal, a well-know sports psychologist who has worked with several NHL teams, is a great icebreaker when she's doing speaking engagements.
"That whole idea of 'Why not you?' is one I try to relate to people and encourage them to have that attitude of setting their standards very high," said the 32-year-old, who played with the Canadian Olympic women's hockey team for 12 years, hanging up her skates after the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
The peppy and personable Botterill will be in Prince George as keynote speaker at the banquet, Oct. 1, held at the Ramada Inn with 300 people to windup the second annual Y Champions Hockey Weekend, while putting on an on-ice clinic Sept. 30 for female youth hockey players at the Coliseum. Ryan Walter, former NHL player and coach will join Botterill as the MC.
Following the on-ice session Botterill and Walter, who coached Canada's women's hockey team during the 2010-2011 season, will have their coaching skills auctioned off, giving the winning bidders an advantage for Saturday's six-team tournament.
Ultra-popular former Vancouver Canuck Trevor Linden was the feature attraction at the inaugural celebration.
Botterill said she was excited when the opportunity with the Y was presented to her because it's always nice to connect with communities and have an impact.
"I was fortunate in the family department that I had lots of motivation around me," she said, referring to mom, a former Olympic speed skater and brother Jason, a former member of the NHL Dallas Stars. "For kids that have had challenging upbringings and don't have as many opportunities, I guess, it's the whole idea that there are lots of options for them and possibilities to realize that they can overcome all of those challenges.
"Even if someone tells them that they can't do it, well, they can, if they put their minds to something then they can achieve some really great things."
Last year's event raised over $20,000 for Prince George Family Y programs and initiatives and organizers are hoping for this years event can build on that success.
Proceeds will got to the Strong Kids Fund which is used to assist children and teens attend day camps, find employment, access child care and recreation facilities, as well as programs to build confidence and skills needed to avoid addiction, violence and isolation.
"Thirty percent of children enter kindergarten unprepared," said Karen Cameron, manager of resource development and communications. "They don't know colours, numbers, the alphabet and that's not just lower income kids."
The Neighbourhood Scholars program is a new program to be introduced this year that involves three- to-five-year-old children being picked up at home by bus and taken to the Family Y for a couple of hours of literacy type activities. The program has signed up 60 kids with half the participants taking part before Christmas and the others in the New Year and is aimed at the Ospika north area but no one will be refused.
"I think the Y is on the cutting edge of what we need to be as a society," said Walter, president of the AHL's Abbotsford Heat. "I know that the B.C. government is bringing out a whole initiative for families and certainly the Y will be a big part of that.
"I just like all of the programs that the Y offers for kids and the focus," added Walter. "The last time I was up in Prince George, Mark [Miller, CEO of the Family Y] took me over to a couple of the places - there are very special people in the Y that help take care of people, who are a bit down and out. I love that side of what they do to."
Another program that benefits from the Strong Kids Fund is Camp Kanannaq, the Family Y day camp that runs throughout the summer at Nukko Lake. There six to 12 year-old kids take part in crafts, swimming and outdoor activities for the full day before returning home in the evening. Twenty five percent of the of the kids taking part in the camp are subsidized to some degree to make it available wanting to partake in the activities.
The weekend ties in with the WHL Cougars home-opening game Friday night as banquet attendees can show their ticket to receive a special price of $10 for the game.
Teams for the weekend have not been set yet, but organizers are expecting four to six teams to take part in the tournament. Individuals and teams are welcome to register by contacting the Family Y at 250-562-9341.
Tickets for the banquet are $65 for individuals and $625 for a table of 10, whether purchased at the YMCA or from their website at www.pgymca.com.
