bil.png)
Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID |
2019.2.5 |
Object Name |
Video Recording |
Title |
Colette Bourgonje Interview |
Interview Summary / Résumé d'entrevue |
Colette Bourgonje, Order of Sport recipient, inducted in 2019, born in Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan, describes how, in grade 10, she decided that she wanted to teach. Colette moved to Canmore in 2008 to pursue her athletic career. She states that those two decisions were the best she ever made. She credits Pat Prokopchuk for her introduction to the sit ski and her supportive coaches at Sask Sport. Colette talks about how the introduction of the sit ski increased the accessibility of cross-country, alpine, and biathlon skiing. Colette describes her love of Saskatchewan and the communities she has lived and worked in. She elaborates on how supportive the Saskatchewan community has always been to her. Colette is asked whether she feels that volunteer levels have decreased, and she elaborates on her coaching work with youth in Saskatchewan. She talks about the evolution and growth of the sport among youth in Saskatchewan and how they are now seeking funding to assist with accommodation, traveling, and overall expenses of the sport. Colette reflects on a quote from Waneek Horn-Miller, and about how "inclusive diverse sport is a way to bring and build a stronger nation." The interview concludes with Proust Questionnaire questions, and Colette describes her motto as "work hard, play hard, and thank all the people along the way that have helped you in your journey." Colette reflects on what it means to receive the Order of Sport and how she hopes it will benefit her home communities in Saskatchewan. Entrevue avec Colette Bourgonje, 22 mai 2019. MP4 d'origine numérique, temps de visionnement : 00:20:08. Colette Bourgonje, récipiendaire de l'Ordre du sport, a été intronisée en 2019 et est née à Porcupine Plain, en Saskatchewan. Elle décrit comment, alors qu'elle était en 10e année, elle a décidé qu'elle voulait devenir enseignante. Colette a déménagé à Canmore en 2008 pour poursuivre sa carrière athlétique. Elle affirme qu'il s'agit là des deux meilleures décisions qu'elle ait prises de sa vie. Elle reconnaît l'apport de Pat Prokopchuk, qui l'a initiée au ski paranordique, ainsi que l'appui de ses entraîneurs chez Sask Sport. Colette explique comment l'introduction du ski paranordique a augmenté l'accessibilité du ski de fond, du ski alpin et du biathlon. Colette décrit son amour pour la Saskatchewan et pour les communautés où elle a vécu et travaillé. Elle parle plus en détails de l'appui dont lui a toujours fait preuve la communauté de la Saskatchewan. On demande à Colette si elle croit qu'il y a eu une baisse au niveau des bénévoles et elle décrit son travail à titre d'entraîneure avec les jeunes en Saskatchewan. Elle parle de l'évolution et de la croissance du sport auprès des jeunes en Saskatchewan et des efforts pour mobiliser des fonds aidant à défrayer les coûts de logement, de déplacements et autres dépenses générales liées au sport. Colette pense à une citation de Waneek Horn-Miller, affirmant que " l'inclusivité et la diversité dans le sport contribuent à forger un pays plus solide ". L'entrevue prend fin avec un questionnaire de Proust et Colette décrit sa devise : " Travaille fort, joue fort et remercie toutes les personnes qui t'ont aidée en chemin ". Colette réfléchit à ce que cela signifie de recevoir l'Ordre du sport et espère que cela bénéficiera à sa communauté en Saskatchewan. |
Scope & Content |
Colette Bourgonje interview, 22 May 2019. Born digital MP4, viewing time 00:20:08. 00:00:20:25 What is the best decision you have ever made? 00:00:22:31I feel that the best decision I ever made was to become a teacher and that was in grade 10 and that was influenced by all the wonderful teachers I had in Porcupine Plain elementary and secondary school. As an athlete, the best decision was to move to Canmore in 2008, prior to 2010. Those decisions were very helpful in my career. 00:00:50:22 00:00:53:33Question about those Decisions. Did you make them alone or did someone help you make them? Anyone in particular? 00:01:00:00The decision to even try cross country skiing was helped by Prokopchuk by bringing a sit-ski into Canada, that was very helpful and the coaches leading up to that, Jeff Whiting and Casper Wards. Bruce Craven who met with me on a weekly basis at Sask Sport, all of the help along the way has definitely, you know have been influential to my career. 00:01:26:51 00:01:26:52Do you find yourself going out to certain people and asking them what they think about something that is in front of you, a certain decision, or anything. Do you have any touch stones, people that know you really well and can help you? 00:01:39:00I feel extremely comfortable with the cross country Saskatchewan coaching group, so we are an inclusive group that they help whenever I have these para-kids that come and they maybe have ski wax on their skis five minutes before the race, they are always there to help and I feel very fortunate in Saskatchewan that anybody who I have worked with is just willing to help and give a lending hand to some of the crazy ideas like the para-sport tour and para-ski tour, any of those events that we have thought of is, people are always coming out to help. Saskatchewan is a great province to grow up in and to live. 00:02:28:52 00:02:39:00Can you tell me a bit, you talked about how you characterized a community, Saskatchewan generally has an incredibly supportive community, have they been very supportive to para? 00:02:53:48You know from the time I was really little Delmer Thor let me play hockey with the boys. That was the start that was very important to me and my brother, Everett let me use his hockey equipment, and that was the start of that community and then we went to Saskatoon, I just found that the city of Saskatoon and Saskatoon public schools so supportive in many ways to help each step of the way, give my career a boost. So through great coaches and great communities in Saskatchewan, and now I am living more in the North, and I am finding that the doors are always open we just have to make that attempt to move forward and I love Saskatchewan because it is awesome. 00:03:47:06 00:03:47:36Do you think because of the size of the population there, does everyone have the chance to stand out and if anyone ambitions would be regarded, taken care of, people are there? 00:04:02:42I think because of the size of the population, it is inclusive and diverse and I do think, if there is a will and a person to try something, the doors just open up and people try to help. Yeah, it is just a great place to live. 00:04:22:30 00:04:24:48So, is there a stand out, person, place, or thing, of all of Saskatchewan and the people you have met and who helped you along the way and you have helped, is there someone in particular who you would hold up as a real asset for you and your community? 00:04:41:00You know, I think that Prokopchuk has spread the love of skiing, and not just cross country, alpine, and biathlon. Spread the ability and helped with so many people to give skiing a try, I think since she initiated that as a volunteer, I would say that she would have been the person in the city of Saskatoon to help not only our province, but people across Canada to experience skiing and she has been very instrumental in my life and many other peoples lives. 00:05:19:50 00:05:23:56Yesterday, Guylaine Bernier had said that volunteers is really struggling at some levels these days, do you find that at all? 00:05:37:07Well I think because of the amount of opportunities there are through social media, through various things, there is a lot of activities to do and volunteering you know having that time maybe not is not pertinent as it was back in the day, so yeah you can see that being an issue. 00:06:03:46 00:06:04:33Are you still competing, or are you past competition? 00:06:10:33You know what, I am not competing internationally, I race with the kids in Saskatchewan, and I absolutely love racing with the kids. I think it is fun to do it as a coach and fun to do it with them and that has allowed me to keep moving and try to keep in shape. 00:06:33:56 00:06:35:42Do you have some new ambitions outside of the sport? 00:06:40:23Well, not outside of the sport because coaching is taking a lot of time and effort and going through the coaching sections there is a lot to do with coaching, and I am pretty grateful to Jeff White for getting me going into that direction because it has been amazing to see the progress in the kids 00:07:08:31 00:07:08:03How big is the program now? How much has it grown in the 20 years? 00:07:12:44Well it started with me, working part-time and there were a few adults and then Britney Whodack made the national team and now I started looking more at kids starting at eight and now in this area, more in the north and a little bit in the south, but we have fifteen kids that are looking forward to the Jump Start program like to trying to get them some funding, and help with accommodation and traveling, and help with all the expenses of sport. So it has grown from no kids to a few kids. 00:07:50:52 00:08:01:07Do you find yourself doing something you never thought you would do? 00:08:06:29Actually, I never thought I was going to get into coaching, actually I was okay for looking for possible potential para athletes, but I never thought I would go through all the levels of coaching to try to be qualified to coach at the Canada Winter Games. So I was mentored by Jeff Whiting at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George and then I coached two athletes at the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer and that was a pretty interesting journey. So that was pretty much what we have been doing now. 00:09:06:55So did you look at the quotes from your fellow Hall of Famers put on the postcards this year? Did you see one that you liked or caught your attention? 00:11:18:00All of them did in certain ways. I like Waneek's quote about Indigenous people reaching their full potential because as a country I do believe that once all of us are engaged and involved in sport we can reach a higher level and inclusive diverse sport is a way to bring and build a stronger nation. 00:11:41:05 00:12:12:00What is your greatest fear? 00:12:14:29You know, my greatest fear is climate change because you know I fear that if we don't take better care of our earth it won't be there for the next generation to enjoy skiing or to enjoy the sixty six different sports that there are to enjoy so, I think we need to take better care of mother earth. 00:12:34:20 00:12:40:00What is the thing you most admire in others? 00:12:44:11I most admire, my mother would have been my role model I would say, in that she was a hard worker, she was persistent, she was never late, she was responsible, she showed us the way and taught us values that we live by and that would be one of the persons that I admire. 00:13:10:16 00:13:14:00What things do you most detest into yourself? 00:13:18:57Well I think my ability to procrastinate my times is differently not the best quality so keeping on top of everything is a better way to go. 00:13:34:42 00:13:35:00What is your idea of perfect happiness? 00:13:38:22My idea of perfect happiness is traveling with George and Muskwa (Cree for bear) around the country and going out Kayaking and adventures and skiing in nature, I think we are so lucky to have such a beautiful country. 00:13:56:46 00:14:19:10Do you have a motto? 00:14:21:09Do I have a motto? Well, my motto would be to work hard, play hard and thank all of the people along the way that have helped you in your journey, guess that would be my motto. 00:14:37:06 00:14:43:41Would you like to change anything you said? Would you like to add or say anything that might be included into our education program? As you are a teacher, any message to the students? 00:15:28:05 I would hope that my legacy to pass on, would be my love of physical activity and sport, and exercise is for everyone and I would like to pass that on to future generations and cross country skiing is a great way to connect with nature and move. 00:15:50:47 00:16:01:49Last question. So now that we talked about the Order of Sport and you know it is sort of a step below the Order of Canada and a step above just being in the Hall of Fame, do you have any thoughts about you know what that might mean so people might recognize who's got the Order in Sport, do you think that would help at all? 00:16:26:18Well, I am hoping that the Order of Sport would help pass on my passion and you know if I am asked to speak, hopefully that passion of the importance of sport, maybe, how much sport can give to all Canadians, to a healthier society and hopefully you know that I can pass it on to our community back home in Saskatchewan. 00:16:55:45 |
Date |
2019/05/22 |
People |
Bourgonje, Colette |
Search Terms |
Colette Bourgonje Para Nordic Skiing Para Athletics Skiing Interview Paralympic Winter Games Torino Vancouver Canadian Disability Hall of Fame SaskSport Athlete of the Year Nagano Metis |