A summer of preparation and teamwork for a local athlete has resulted in a gold medal at the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games in Kamloops.
Taylor Bamford, a Grade 10 student at South Delta Secondary, played for the Team BC women's basketball squad that won gold wth a 61-60 triumph over Manitoba.
In late May, Bamford was selected to the provincial team for U15 girls. The team trained throughout the summer to prepare for the Western Canada Summer Games by playing at tournaments in Lynden, Spokane and Seattle, attending training camps at Quest University in Whistler and UBC Okanagan, and training weekly at facilities around southern B.C.
Even though Bamford underwent an emergency appendectomy in July, she soon rejoined her teammates and coaches on the court after extensive physiotherapy and rehab work.
At the Summer Games, Team BC's round-robin play produced wins over Saskatchewan and Alberta, with a loss to Manitoba. Team BC's record qualified it for the gold medal game and another chance at Manitoba.
During the gold medal game, Team BC built a 19-5 lead after the first quarter but had to endure a missed Manitoba shot at the final buzzer.
In the fall, Bamford will continue to train with Basketball BC's Elite Development Program and looks forward to her season at SDSS.
