Grade 12 student Elise Dube is giving Burns Lake another reason to be proud. Dube will be representing B.C. at the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George this February.
"I am very excited, but pretty nervous," she said.
While training in Whistler earlier this year with the B.C. Snowboard Team, Dube fractured her wrist. She is now in a cast but hopes to have it off in a couple of weeks. Dube hopes to be in her best shape for the busy month ahead of her.
Dube will compete in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, from Jan. 24 to 31; then Cooper, Colorado, from Feb. 1 to 6; Big White, B.C., from Feb. 7 to 15; and the Canada Winter Games from Feb. 16 to 28. Dube was scheduled to compete at Cooper Mountain on Jan. 2, 2015 but the competition had to be postponed due to lack of snow.
Even with her busy schedule and many days spent away from home, the Lakes District Secondary School student still manages to follow up with her school assignments.
"I keep on top of it, and I do it when I'm away, I correspond by e-mail with my teachers," she said.
Dube joined the B.C. Snowboard Team in May 2014. Last November, the talented teenager trained alongside top athletes from around the world in a training camp in Austria.
Competing at the 2015 Canada Winter Games will be a big step for Dube. For many sports, these games are an integral step for athletes to reach international competition.
Dane Kaechele, head coach for the B.C. Snowboard Team said in a press release, "Our athletes are looking forward to representing B.C. at the Canada Winter Games and they will all be training hard in the next month to be in top form with the support of on and off snow training, medical and physical testing, strength and conditioning."
Even with all the expectation, Dube humbly said she only hopes to "represent the province properly."
"I just hope I do well and make my parents proud," she said