Paralympic medalist, law school graduate and Canadian sport leader Josh Vander Vies announces retirement from competition
Vancouver, BC (May 7, 2015) – The Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (CCPSA) proudly celebrates the boccia career of Paralympian Josh Vander Vies, a BC4 Pairs Bronze Medalist at the London 2012 Paralympic Games as he announces his retirement from the sport, ending an 11-year career as a member of the Canadian team.
Vander Vies’ first major competition was the 2003 World Cup in Christchurch, New Zealand. There he qualified for the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games and went on to compete in the 2007 and 2011 World Cups and the 2006 and 2010 World Championships. He has been on the international podium several times, winning a bronze medal at the 2011 Parapan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, and two silver and one bronze in the Americas Cup. His international career is undoubtedly marked by the courageous bronze medal in Pairs at the 2012 London Paralympic Games won with teammate Marco Dispaltro.
“Josh is a remarkable athlete who has consistently risen to the many challenges and opportunities presented to him,” said Head Coach Mario Delisle. “Commitment and discipline as an athlete has always been very important to Josh, even when he was pursuing his education and starting his family. Josh’s presence, experience and leadership will be missed on the national team, but we also wish him the best as he begins a new chapter in his life.”
From 2008-2013, Vander Vies served as the Athlete Representative on the CCPSA Board of Directors, while also being elected to a two-year term as the Athlete Representative on the International Boccia Committee in 2006. In addition, he has served as the Athlete Council Representative on the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) Board of Directors and as Chair of the CPC Athlete Council from 2008 to 2012. Currently, he is President of AthletesCAN, Canada’s national team athlete association, where he has the honour of helping to guide the evolution of Canadian sport.
“Paralympic sport and boccia have played an important role in my life,” said Vander Vies. “It’s hard to leave. But I am very proud of the success of all my Canadian Boccia teammates and especially thrilled to see my BC4 teammates on track after last week’s spectacular come-from-behind performance in Montreal against the number one ranked team in the world, Brazil, to become the dominant international pair.”
Globally recognized as a strong supporter of the Paralympic movement, Vander Vies shares a desire to make the elegant game of Boccia more and more familiar to future athletes and fans. As a professional speaker, Vander Vies uses the platform of sport to open dialogue about inclusion, accessibility and a better understanding of disabilities and feels very privileged to share his life story with the business, school and local communities.
“On behalf of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, congratulations to Josh on a career of great success on and off the field,” said Gaétan Tardif, President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. “We couldn’t be prouder of Josh as he moves on to the next chapter of life, knowing that he will continue to be a great ambassador for Paralympic sport by bringing his leadership and vision to the Canadian sport system as a whole. Thank you Josh for all your contributions and we wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.”
While being an athlete, Vander Vies became the father of Olivia, now almost two years old, his stepson Karolis, and a husband of international fencer Dalia Vander Vies. He excelled in his studies, graduating with a double major in Political Science and French from the University of Western Ontario and then completing the law program at the University of British Columbia.
While Vander Vies will miss the experiences of high-level sport and the excitement of competition, he is looking forward to spending more time with his family and beginning his legal career as an articling student.
About the Canadian Paralympic Committee
The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a private, not-for-profit organization with 25 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic movement. The vision of the Canadian Paralympic Committee is to be the best Paralympic country in the world. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian high performance athletes with a disability and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to participate in sport through the programs offered by its member organizations. For more information, visit www.paralympique.ca.
About Boccia Canada
Boccia Canada is the boccia delivery arm of the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (CCPSA), the National Sport Organization for the Paralympic sport of boccia. Boccia Canada is focused on providing athletes and individuals of all ages and skill with the chance to play a unique Paralympic sport. CCPSA collaborates with partners to increase the participation of Canadians with cerebral palsy and related disabilities in sport and physical activity, while leading, developing and growing boccia from grassroots, to producing World and Paralympic Champions.
About boccia
Boccia is a Paralympic sport of precision and strategy similar to lawn bowling or curling, played by athletes with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy and related disabilities. It is one of only two Paralympic sports that do not have an Olympic counterpart. Athletes compete in one of six sport classes based on their level and type of disability: BC1, BC2, BC3 BC4, BC5, and Open.
Media contact:
Sabrina Wilkinson
Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Boccia Canada
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: (613) 748-1430 poste 3 | (613) 276 5667
Alison Korn
Senior Manager, Media Relations and Communications, Canadian Paralympic Committee
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: (613) 569-4333 poste 243 | (613) 298-4927