2009-10 NEWS RELEASES

UOIT Ridgebacks Media Release
Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Durham College/UOIT Athletic Therapist heading to the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics

OSHAWA, Ont. – A member of the Durham College and UOIT community will be taking part in the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics as Jessica Salt (athletic therapist) has been selected as a member of the medical staff for the games.
 
“It is a great honour to be selected for the medical staff at the Paralympics,” said Salt. “I am excited to take part in such a large event where all of the top athletes in the world come together.”

The Paralympics are elite sport events for athletes with a disability. They emphasize, however, the participants' athletic achievements rather than their disability. It is expected the over 1,300 athletes and officials from over 40 countries will be taking part in the 2010 games. The games will take place in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia from March 12 to March 21, 2010; following the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The Opening Ceremony will be held in BC Place.

As a member of the medical staff, Salt’s role will be mainly working at the sledge hockey competition, which will feature twenty games over seven days.

“I am looking forward to be working with such great athletes at the games,” said Salt. “I have watched sledge hockey on TV and I am always amazed at their athletic ability.”

“Out of the thousands of applicants the Paralympics received from all over Canada, to chose Jessica Salt, reinforces the knowledge we already knew that we have an expert in athletic therapy within our midst,” said Kathy Lazenby, Director of Health Services. “Jessica’s sense of citizenship and love for her profession is now repeating itself, as it did during the past Spring Special Olympics, when she also was a volunteer for the games. Jessica has an outstanding reputation in the athletic field and we are very proud and privileged to have her as part of the medical staff in the Paralympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.”

This is not the first major event Salt has had the chance to work with as she has attended the CIS men’s soccer championship in 2003, CIS men’s hockey championship in 2001 and Rugby Nationals every year from 2003-2009 as an athletic therapist. She has also been at Durham College and UOIT for the past three years working at several provincial and national competitions.

“Experiencing the games will be a great opportunity for Jessica,” said Durham College and UOIT athletic director Ken Babcock. “Being selected as a member of the medical staff is a great honour and it demonstrates the high-caliber athletic therapy staff we have at Durham College and UOIT.”

For complete information on the 2010 Paralympics, please visit the official website at http://www.vancouver2010.com/paralympic-games/.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Scott Dennis
Sports Information and Marketing Coordinator
Durham College and UOIT Athletics
905.721.2000 Ext. 2784 (P)
905.721.3117 (F)

With files from www.paralympic.org