Green plans to compete in the Provincial Team selection in Vanderhoof, the Canadian Nationals in Edmonton and will be in Vernon twice to compete in BC Cup competitions. She has recently been named to the Biathlon BC Senior Development Squad for 2004-2005. Her goal is to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held at Whistler, B.C.
The Vancouver Island Mountain Sport Society (VMISS) was formed in the summer of 2003 by a group of local mountain recreation people who have a passion to see Vancouver Island athletes at the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The society’s primary objective is to provide financial support for the development of individual athletes (and clubs) involved in training and competition for Alpine and Nordic mountain-based sports. This newly formed society will assist young athletes in gaining the necessary experience to compete at a higher level.
Michael Pitcher, Chairperson of VIMSS, says, “Sarah is the perfect candidate for us to fund. She is an honour student who has a passion for her sport and will be an inspiration to others.”
Last winter, Green skyrocketed in improvement and results, fluctuating between first and second in the BC Cup circuit races, winning top overall shot at the Cascadia Cup races at Mount Washington, and again earning a spot on the Provincial Team, in both cadet and civilian races. She competed at the North American Championships/Canadian National Biathlon Competition, and at Canadian Cadet Nationals. Green placed fourth and fifth in the individual events at Canadian Nationals, and won both the Sprint and the Individual races the following week at Cadet Nationals, where she also won the Miriam Bedard Trophy as the 2004 Outstanding Senior Female Biathlete.
Besides being an honour roll student, as an air cadet Green has won multiple awards for first aid and public speaking. She balances her summer biathlon training around a full-time job and her winter race and training schedule around schoolwork and part-time employment. Even with that impressive schedule she finds time to volunteer as a CRD park warden (the youngest in the province), and as a DARE youth representative with the RCMP. She is also a Silver Level Duke of Edinburgh award recipient, currently completing her Gold Level.
“It is great to be recognized and supported by my home training area, and to feel that the Mount Washington community has embraced both Biathlon and my commitment to the sport,” says Green. “On a larger scale, gaining a vehicle for supporting local high performance athletes is a hugely important step in the longer-term goal of placing some BC athletes on the podium in 2010.
“I’d like to thank VIMSS for their confidence in me, and other Vancouver Island athletes. I hope we all make you proud.”