For Jill Voros, participation in sports is an integral part of a child’s education process and personal growth as individuals.
It is why for the past 27 years, she has been a fixture on the organization and coaching side of athletics in the Central Okanagan School District.
For Voros, the vice-principal of North Glenmore Elementary School, that dedication has led to her receiving the B.C. School Sports Honour Award in June.
It is an award that comes with a large framed certificate, special Honour Award pin, gold card invitation to attend any B.C. school sports provincial championship and her name engraved on a permanent plaque on display at the B.C. School Sports office.
“It was a special honour for me to receive this award. There is an achievement award for coaches and this honour award is also for coaches and others who work behind the scenes giving service to school athletics across the province,” said Voros.
Voros has served on the executive of the BCSS, Okanagan Valley Sport Athletic Association and Okanagan Central School Athletics Association. She has worked at every level of school volleyball as a coach.
She has served as president of both the OVSAA and OCSAA, and currently serves as the OCSAA administrative rep for the 10th consecutive year and was a rep for the OVSAA for six years.
Besides volleyball, Voros has been involved as a coach in cross country running, track and field, field hockey, basketball, golf, tennis, rugby and badminton.
Currently, Voros is coaching a community soccer team and is at the helm of two volleyball squads, and is involved in the organization of the B.C. track and field championships being hosted by Kelowna next spring.
Voros says she see sports as a valuable component of a child’s education, sometimes even being the driving factor that keeps a student from dropping out.
“The skills you learn from sports—leadership, work ethic, teamwork—become lifelong skills that students take with them as they go on to become adults,” she said.
“And nowadays with the pressure that kids face that can led to anxiety, depression and stress, it offers something of a relief valve to help reduce that pressure.”
In her time in the Okanagan, Voros as built relationships with students that have carried on in the years since, where those students are now passing on their sports knowledge and learned life skills to the next generation.
“It’s pretty rewarding to see some of the amazing student athletes I have known turn around and pay it forward, to become educators and give their time to coaching youth in their communities,” she said.
The Central Okanagan Board of Education recognized Voros for receiving the Honour Award at their board meeting Wednesday, as school district superintendent/CEO Kevin Kaardal said her commitment to youth sports has helped shaped the lives of many young athletes both in the classroom and life skills they’ve had the opportunity to learn and carry with them into adulthood.
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