Team Sask Chef and Assistant Chefs de Mission Announced for the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games
May 15, 2018
The Saskatchewan Games Council is pleased to announce the Team Sask Chef de Mission and Assistant Chefs de Mission for the upcoming 2019 Western Canada Summer Games in Swift Current, SK. Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Games Council Mark Bracken will act as Chef de Mission, with Michelle Dezell of Sask Sport Inc. and April Tipewan of The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) sharing duties as Assistant Chefs.
The Chef and Assistant Chefs will serve as official spokespeople, team leaders, administrators and champions of the approximately 400 athletes, coaches, managers and technicians who will compete for Team Sask. All three individuals come to Team Sask and the 2019 WCSG with a wealth of multisport Games experience.
These Games will be Bracken’s third assignment as Team Sask Chef de Mission, following the 2017 and 2019 Canada Games. Additionally, Bracken has assumed duties as Assistant Chef de Mission a total of six times at previous Canada Games and Western Canada Summer Games and has been a regular part of Team Sask mission staff since the 1999 Canada Winter Games in Cornerbrook, NL. His career in multisport Games began in 1988, when he acted as Zone Sport Coordinator and Chef de Mission for the former Zone 5 (currently Prairie Central District) at the Saskatchewan Summer Games.
“I look forward to working with Michelle and April and the rest of our talented mission staff team to support Team Sask as they go for gold at the 2019 WCSG,” said Bracken. “Next summer will mark twenty years since Saskatchewan last played host to the Western Canada Summer Games, and I can’t wait to see our province’s best athletes represent in front of a hometown crowd.”
Tipewan has been involved in sports and recreation since 2011. Prior to her current role as Sports for All Coordinator with FSIN, Tipewan was Tribal Council Coordinator with Agency Chiefs Tribal Council. She has acted as Chef de Mission for Agency Chiefs Tribal Council at the 2012 Saskatchewan First Nations Winter and Summer Games, Team Sask Assistant Chef de Mission for the 2014 and 2017 North American Indigenous Games, and Assistant Games Manager for the 2018 Tony Cote Winter Games.
“I am looking forward to meeting new people and learning how mainstream Games are run -- both to bring back to my NAIG involvement, but also to share from my NAIG experience to enhance these Games,” said Tipewan.
Dezell, who is the Manager of High Performance Sport with Sask Sport Inc., has been involved in sport for over 25 years as an athlete, coach, volunteer, and official. This will be her third time as Assistant Chef de Mission for Team Sask, following the 2011 and 2007 Canada Winter Games. Additionally, she has been on mission staff for the 2001, 2005 and 2013 Canada Games and 2017 North American Indigenous Games. She has coached and volunteered at various Saskatchewan Summer and Winter Games and the 2018 Tony Cote Winter Games.
“It’s going to be a great honour and privilege to be part of the host province for the WCSG in Swift Current,” said Dezell. “Growing up in the area will mean reconnecting with many friends and having the opportunity to make new ones while supporting the athletes in their quest for personal excellence.”
An additional group of mission staff will support Team Sask athletes, coaches and staff during and in the lead-up to Games. A full list of mission staff can be found here.
The 2019 Western Canada Summer Games will run from August 9th – 18th, 2019, and will feature top amateur athletes from six provinces and territories across Western Canada (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut). Sixteen different summer sports will be contested. The Western Canada Summer Games have been held every four years since 1975. For more information, visit teamsask.ca and 2019wcsg.ca.
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Contact:
Karen Lawson
Games Services and Communications Lead
Saskatchewan Games Council
(306) 780-9387
klawson@saskgames.ca
