For more than 30 years of her professional life, Anne Bracey has been teaching kids about athletics and the benefits that come from including sports in their lives.
The Don Ross Secondary Physical Education teacher was honoured by the B.C. High School Sports (BCSS) on Saturday (May 7) as the Provincial High School Sports Female Coach of the Year and she said the privilege was somewhat unexpected.
"I was really surprised," she said. "I actually didn't find out until I got a hold of the press release myself. The BCSS profiled me in March and shortly after that, told me I was shortlisted for the award, but it's still surprising."
Bracey got her schooling at McMaster University and the University of British Columbia before beginning her career in Prince George in 1980. After taking some time off to start a family and a stint at Howe Sound Secondary School, she made her way to Don Ross in 1993 and has been there to this day.
Sports and athletics have been a lifelong passion for Bracey.
"I was a lifeguard when I was younger and involved in swimming and P.E. heavily when I was in high school," she said. "It's exciting watching athletes compete at any level and as a coach, it's so rewarding to see my kids improve and do well."
Bracey said Don Ross and the age group she works with is perfect for her.
"First of all, we have a track here, which is great," she said. "We've got a fantastic gym that has just a beautiful set-up and a great weight room. The people I work with are awesome, we've been together for years and I really think we complement each other well."
The sentiment from her colleagues is mutual.
"Anne spends countless hours helping athletes get opportunities to compete at their particular sports," Bracey's colleague Bill Rizun said in a statement issued by the Sea to Sky School District.
"Her lunch hours are taken up with running intramurals Anne supports athletes behind the scenes so opportunities are not lost to them because of issues that are beyond their control. Anne does this because she believes that they will benefit from being involved with athletics."
Said Don Ross principal Christine Perkins, "Anne is a highly skilled professional, juggling not only knowledge, skills and ability needed to teach all-comers physical education, but goes the extra thousand miles to organize, ref and promote intramurals, coach above and beyond, drive, bandage, educate, and in some cases parent, student athletes, and still does it all with class and dignity."
But it's the students that Bracey truly enjoys guiding.
"Coaching junior high is great because they often don't have the worries of a boyfriend, a job or high marks for university," she said.
Bracey has touched the lives of thousands of youngsters during her 18 years at Don Ross but she does remember first encountering Joe Eppele, who's now playing with the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts.
"I remember in his Grade 8 year noticing him sitting in the corner during an introduction session," she said. "I went up to him and said, 'You're going to throw shot-put on the team, aren't you?' He said, 'yes,' and that's where it all started for him."
Eppele went on to win a gold medal in the hammer throw at the B.C. Summer Games and placed in both the shot put and the discus before playing college football at Washington State University and being drafted by the Argos. But Bracey said Eppele wasn't the only great athlete she's coached.
"I've coached lots of good athletes," she said. "A bunch have gone on to the B.C. Summer Games and a couple of kids have picked up scholarships and played their sport at a collegiate level."
In addition to teaching P.E., Bracey also helps coach the track and field team, as well as the girls' basketball and volleyball teams at the school. Bracey said the joy of coaching is seeing the young athletes she coaches grow and prosper.
"I love watching athletes reaching for their best," she said. "And when an athlete or their parent tells me I've made a difference in their lives, I'm proud."
