OCNews

An Okanagan College employee is being recognized for making a splash in the sport community.

Ben Halsall, an Educational Technology Coordinator with Learning and Applied Research, has been nominated for a 2023 Community Sport Hero Award, in the category of Volunteer/Sport Leader.

The Community Sport Hero Awards were created by the City of Kelowna and PacificSport Okanagan, recognizing athletes, sport leaders and volunteers for their outstanding contributions to sport in the community. This year will continue to focus on those who demonstrated: excellence, leadership, and innovation within their sport.

"This award is not just for me but recognition for all the hard work our coaches, players, parents and volunteers have contributed to help grow the club. When my family relocated to Kelowna in June 2020, I was disappointed to find that the city lacked a water polo club. However, I was able to connect with other water polo players living here, and together, we set out to establish a club. Today, everyone’s efforts have resulted in a thriving water polo community with over 70 participants ranging from ages 5 to 65+. It is incredibly rewarding to witness the growth and development of our athletes and to see the sport gain recognition. Our community has achieved remarkable success, with two of our 15U players now training with Team BC, and one of our masters athletes set to compete at the Barcelona Masters Cup in June," said Halsall.

Halsall is a coach with the Kelowna Water Polo Club, which is the only water polo club in the Interior. His favourite part of the water polo season is when the club heads out to play on Okanagan Lake in the summer. He helped to facilitate this by completing his Water Safety Instructor certification with the Red Cross and National Lifeguard Pool and Waterfront certifications. He has big dreams for summer outdoor water polo in Kelowna.

“You can’t beat playing outdoors out on the lake. It is such a great space for our community to come together, play water polo, and enjoy our superb Okanagan weather! This is such an awesome sport for those that love team sports and swimming. Seeing our youth players progress whilst at the same time developing essential swimming skills that will help to keep them safe out in the open water is an incredible privilege.”

Awards will be featured March 8, 2023 at the Rotary Centre of the Arts, and recipients will be presented with a commemorative plaque and gift to mark the achievement. The awards are open to the community. To attend RSVP through Eventbrite 2023 Community Sport Hero Awards | Tickets