It came as quite a shock for Quesnel's Landon McGauley when he learned he had won the Pacific Western Brewing Hometown Heroes program. The program was established in 2002 and focuses on helping to support young athletes and community heroes within BC. The program is open to any BC residents 19 years of age or older.
When McGauley was 15 he had a passion for mountain biking, but it was an injury at a downhill race, flipping over his handles bars, that would change his life forever. It was clear that this remarkable young athlete was not going to let anything stop him and he soon found a new passion downhill sit-skiing. It was six months to the day after his accident that McGauley took to the slopes trying his hand at his new sport.
It was no doubt this inspiring young athlete’s determination that helped him to win the Hometown hero program last May for Northern B.C. McGauley was nominated as a surprise by a friend initially as a way to encourage sponsorship.
On May 2, 19-year-old McGauley was awarded with a $2,000 bursary at a ceremony at the Terminal City in Vancouver headlined by Olympian Denny Morrison. The accomplished skier hopes to put the money towards travel costs and race fees that he requires to practice and get the experience necessary to compete at an elite level, as well as a water ski.
"I feel that if I keep pushing myself and try to stay positive as I can it just seems that crazy things keep happening," McGauley said.
His sights are set high and for now there seem to be no signs of slowing down for this young athlete. Over the last season McGauley was staying in Whistler from February – March spending countless hours on the slopes during competitions partnered with training camps every weekend he did not have a race to attend. He finished his stay in Whistler with a bang, competing in nationals and coming in sixth over all.
The B.C. Para Alpine Ski Team had invited McGauley to be a member and after that he started to race, determined to make the Canadian National Para Alpine Ski team and eventually represent Canada in the Paralympics.
For now his plans are a little closer to home. In 2015 McGauley will be competing in Prince George at the Canada Winter Games.
"I am putting quite a bit of pressure on myself for that one," McGauley said. "I'd like to do really well, its pretty much in my own backyard."
Pacific Western Brewing has partnered with the 2015 Canada Winter Games and expanded its Hometown Heroes program to include four rounds, selecting a total of 16 heroes to receive bursaries as an exciting lead up for the games.
In each of the rounds four heroes will be selected, one from each major provincial region – Northern B.C., Greater Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and the Okanagan/Kootenays.
Any people who have entered in the program and do not get picked in the first round will continue to be eligible in the following rounds.
The 16 heroes selected will receive bursaries to help finance the sporting endeavours of these exceptional athletes and community heroes.
Applicants can be nominated or apply and must be currently involved in their local sporting community as an athlete or a coach, or an outstanding member of a community mentoring activity.
Round two will begin on April 1, round three on Sept. 1, and round four on Jan. 1. Any individual involved in their local sports community and who is hoping to receive a Hometown Heroes bursary will have until the end of January 2015 to apply or be nominated.
Application forms are available online at www.pwbrewing.com.