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275:. With her physical disability, she finds ways to overcome teaching obstacles, by using student demonstrators and having the children safely set up simple equipment. Her main focus is in physical activity, and would devote an allotted time daily for activities, even teaching them to cross country ski.
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Bourgonje was initially introduced to Para Sport by
Saskatchewan Wheelchair Sports Association (SWSA) shortly after her accident, and joined the association in 1987. She had to train herself at first, as very few coaches knew how to train athletes with disabilities. She used her knowledge from school
60:
She is a part-time physical education substitute teacher, and currently resides in Prince Albert. To honour
Colette, an elementary school and a street have been named after her in Saskatoon. In 1997, a sign was placed Porcupine Plain, promoting it as Bourgonje's and distinguishing her as a successful
287:
The "Inaugural
Saskatchewan Para Sport Tour Dream Relay" was thought of when Bourgonje saw a need for raising awareness for Para Sport activities for Saskatchewan citizens. The relay was held in June 2016, touring Saskatchewan and it included 14 Parathletes in a 10 day, 363 kilometre course. Another
100:
time, 40-50 vehicles in
Porcupine Plain shone their headlights on the plane strip landing so the air ambulance could land. The accident punctured her lungs, broke her sternum and back. 98% of her spine was severed and two Harrington rods were placed in her back to maintain the curvature of her back.
99:
Her brother needed to be dropped off in Hudson Bay, so
Colette and her boyfriend at the time took him in her brother's new car. On the way back, she let her boyfriend drive, and he lost control on the slippery road, and Colette was ejected from the car. To get Colette to the hospital in Saskatoon in
294:
Along with her friend and president, Pat
Prokopchuk, Colette is part of SASKI-Skiing for Disabled, which gives funds to those who are struggling in the sit ski community. The organization helps with costs of equipment, travelling, memberships and the loaning of sit skis to facilities which have sit
266:
She was the first to graduate from the
University of Saskatchewan's Physical Education program in a wheelchair, as well as the first woman to graduate from this program in Canada. The program made accommodations for her, including a $ 200,000 ramp. She stayed with two professors, Dorsey and Lawson
252:
Her friend and president of SASKI, Pat
Prokopchuk and others created Colette's first sit ski in 1993. It was remodelled from one from Denmark, which was weak and broke after short use. The Saskatchewan Abilities Council was able to mould the sit ski to Colette's body, while making the model out of
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Bourgonje is an advocate for physical activity and sport participation, and does this by hosting various events, coaching cross country skiers with disabilities and working with the In Motion program in
Saskatchewan, which works to help people increase their physical activity levels.
315:. Bourgonje trained her to ski and she went on to win three gold medals at the 2015 Jeux du Canada Hames in Prince George, British Columbia. Her gold medal events were the 1.2 kilometre standing classic sprint, 2.5 kilometre classic sprint and the 5 kilometre standing free event.
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Her father was an electrician and had a business but was not able to keep it due to his alcoholism. Bourgonje's mother Sheila and grandmother comforted the children through the difficult times. He left the family in 1984 during
Colette's undergraduate degree.
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Bourgonje places great emphasis on coaching and often looks for future Paralympians. She mentors many successful athletes and understands the dynamics between those she coaches and herself. One of the mentees she oversees is
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Her first job out of her university education was as an after school recreational coordinator in Saskatoon. She began teaching physical education part-time to continue training from 1989 to 2010, with her first position in
233:
When her age was questioned after participating in the Olympics in Vancouver in 2010, and receiving the first medal on Canadian turf, she responded with "age is nothing, attitude is everything and I live by that today".
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Bourgonje is one of few Canadians to receive medals in both the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. She has competed in six winter Paralympic Games in sit skiing and three summer Paralympic Games as a wheelchair racer.
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visited Bourgonje in the hospital and encouraged her to continue considering attending, regardless of the accident. She agreed that as long as Colette was able to finish twelfth grade, the university would accept her.
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made Colette a special sit ski which was much lighter but more difficult to balance. She later traded hand control model equipment for cars with the Russian team for their sit ski, which was made of titanium.
253:
fibreglass and clamping the skis to the chair. After the 1994 World Cup Championships, the German team shared their sit ski prototype which Colette liked, with the bucket attached to the skis. In 2002, the
96:
Bourgonje was left paralyzed after a car accident in 1980, two months away from graduating high school. She had been a cross country runner, with many athletic scholarship offers to many universities.
291:
Bourgonje spoke at the 11th annual "Training for Life Power Breakfast" in 2016, which is an event that raises money for the Special Olympics of Saskatchewan and Prince Albert Raiders Education Fund.
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Program in 2010, which supports 30 individual athletes globally to prepare for the Olympics and Paralympics. They do this by providing valuable marketing, long term financial support and mentorship.
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reason for the establishment for the relay was to find those with disabilities looking to be physically active, and to connect them with volunteer equipment if that was a barrier for them.
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She often speaks encouraging messages at hospitals and rehabilitation centres for people recently immobilized. Her talks inspires others to face their new reality and to move forward.
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She was introduced to Para Sport by the Saskatchewan Wheelchair Sports Association (SWSA) shortly after the accident because she had previously been a cross country runner.
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SASKI-Skiing for Disabled began in the early 1990s, with skiing for the blind and were looking for other disabled persons to become physically active.
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She gave one of her silver medals from the 1998 Games to Pat Prokopchuk, as she brought and initiated the remodelling of the sit ski in Saskatchewan.
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In 1996, received the Breakthrough Award presented by the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS).
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470:
770:"Legendary Paralympic Cross-Country Skier Colette Bourgonje Calls it a Career —Dual winter and summer athlete retires with 10 Paralympic medals"
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Bourgonje participated in many sports as a child and young teenager, and was successful in hockey, football and various track and field events.
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She spent the summer of 1980 rehabilitating and wrote an advert in the local paper, thanking her community for their continuous support.
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Pruden, J.G. (February 22, 2010). ""This is an amazing woman"; book tells story of enduring, decorated Sask. athlete".
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857:"Team Visa athletes Brian McKeever and Colette Bourgonje triumph at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic winter games".
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Bourgonje is a Dutch last name, but her Indigenous background on her mother's side leads back to a leader named
1047:
Zary, D. (September 30, 2014). "Bourgonje moves from medallist to mentor; Sask star takes Hudak under wing".
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Bourgonje admitted her immobilization to her uncle Don, who was instructed by Colette to tell everyone else.
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Zary, D. (September 30, 2014). "Bourgonje moves from medallist to mentor; Sask. star Hudak under wing".
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Karstens-Smith, G. (March 5, 2014). "Canada's best looking to add to country's Sochi medal haul".
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343:, which is awarded to one male and female athlete with a disability, for overcoming adversities.
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In 2002, the Canadian Paraplegic Association (CPA) awarded her the Female Athlete of Year award.
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and her training prior to her accident to train, and was cautious to not overwork herself.
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615:"Sask. Paralympian Colette Bourgonje among Canada's Sports Hall of Fame 2019 inductees"
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Robinson, A (May 5, 2002). "Four residents honoured for work with paraplegics".
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Adam, Betty Ann (April 20, 1999). "Posthumous award goes to long-time trustee".
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Adam, Betty Ann (April 20, 1999). "Posthumous award goes to long-time trustee".
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Mitchell, K. (April 8, 2011). "Bourgonje, Van der Wal Top Sask. Sport Awards".
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Hill, A. (August 24, 2018). "Prokopchuk leads the pack in sit ski innovation".
1024:
Hill, A. (July 6, 2018). "Small glove, big dreams: Athlete eyes Paralympics".
638:
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Bramham, D. (March 22, 2010). "Closing ceremonies end months of excitement".
238:
31:
385:
The Girl and the Game: A History of Women's Sport in Canada, Second Edition
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In 2021, Bourgonje became an inductee in Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame.
81:, who set up a Métis government at Batoche in the Northwest Territories.
106:
Barbara Dorsey, a professor at the College of Physical Education at the
69:
in 2019, and a 2021 inductee in the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame.
23:
Colette Bourgonje at the 64th Annual Order of Sport Awards in 2019.
588:
Moving Forward : The Journey of Paralympian Colette Bourgonje
18:
927:
Parker, James (October 31, 1998). "Quitting is never an option".
38:
and athlete of Métis heritage. She has won four bronze medals in
1001:
Jacobson, J. (March 23, 2016). "Changing lives through sport".
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In 1999, received one of the YWCA Women of Distinction awards
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2021 Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame Induction Announcement
311:, who is missing part of her left arm and the two met in a
200:
5 km freestyle and 10 km classic Para-Nordic ski
326:
In 1998, inducted into the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame.
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Shoemaker, Neil (February 8, 1997). "Colette Bourgonje".
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Shoemaker, Neil (February 8, 1997). "Colette Bourgonje".
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Kerr, J. (June 8, 2016). "Dream relay becomes reality".
387:. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. p. 288.
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Cross-country skiers at the 2006 Winter Paralympics
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Cross-country skiers at the 1998 Winter Paralympics
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Cross-country skiers at the 2010 Winter Paralympics
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Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons
187:2.5 km and 5 km Para-Nordic sit ski
1070:"Notable presence, success at Winter games".
8:
1333:Paralympic medalists in cross-country skiing
213:5 km and 10 km Par-Nordic sit ski
30:(ber-gon-yah) (born January 17, 1962) is a
1283:Paralympic cross-country skiers for Canada
904:"Cross Country Canada - Colette Bourgonje"
810:"Game finishes 100 metres in Moose Jaw".
346:In 2010, Bourgonje was inducted into the
1313:Medalists at the 1998 Winter Paralympics
1308:Medalists at the 2010 Winter Paralympics
1303:Medalists at the 2006 Winter Paralympics
353:The 2011 SaskSport Athlete of the Year.
375:
1268:Paralympic bronze medalists for Canada
1263:Paralympic silver medalists for Canada
237:Bourgonje was also a part of the Team
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617:. Saskatoon StarPhoenix. 2019-05-27
255:Memorial University of Newfoundland
14:
1210:"Previous Hall of Fame Inductees"
1121:www.saskatoonsportshalloffame.com
61:Paralympian. She was awarded the
53:in the 10 km sit-ski at the
1328:Canadian Disability Hall of Fame
348:Canadian Disability Hall of Fame
341:Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award
768:Dornan, Chris (June 13, 2014).
647:from the original on 2021-12-15
443:"Today in History - March 14".
834:"Danielle Chartier - Speeches"
586:Harelkin Bishop, Mary (2010).
174:100m and 200m wheelchair race
161:100m and 800m wheelchair race
1:
1190:. June 24, 1998. p. A1.
360:, marking her induction into
356:In 2019, she was awarded the
339:, she was presented with the
273:Silverwood Heights, Saskatoon
65:, marking her induction into
1186:"And the award goes to...".
362:Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
67:Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
57:was Canada's first at home.
787:"And the awards go to...".
16:Canadian Paralympic athlete
1349:
1072:Prince Albert Daily Herald
1003:Prince Albert Daily Herald
975:Prince Albert Daily Herald
812:Prince Albert Daily Herald
108:University of Saskatchewan
503:Colette Bourgonje School
467:"Vancouver 2010 Profile"
413:Indigenous Sport History
838:www.daniellechartier.ca
217:2010 Winter Paralympics
204:2006 Winter Paralympics
191:1998 Winter Paralympics
178:1996 Summer Paralympics
165:1992 Summer Paralympics
152:1990 Commonwealth Games
55:2010 Winter Paralympics
24:
383:Hall, M. Ann (2016).
279:Community Involvement
148:800m wheelchair race
22:
337:2010 Winter Olympics
590:. Driverworks Inc.
409:"Colette Bourgonje"
267:during her degree.
130:
36:cross-country skier
1293:Métis sportspeople
1117:"SSHoF - Inductee"
861:. March 16, 2010.
499:"About our school"
445:The Canadian Press
319:Awards and honours
129:
44:Winter Paralympics
40:Summer Paralympics
25:
1074:. March 7, 2015.
814:. June 10, 2014.
791:. June 24, 1998.
447:. March 1, 2013.
394:978-1-4426-3412-1
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28:Colette Bourgonje
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79:Gabriel Dumont
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63:Order of Sport
42:and medals in
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1167:. p. 2.
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51:silver medal
49:Bourgonje's
48:
46:for skiing.
27:
26:
1273:1962 births
1219:20 November
34:Paralympic
1257:Categories
1126:2022-09-20
1080:1999832176
1057:1566722819
1034:2065370867
1011:1999331995
983:1999455794
960:1504221933
913:2018-11-14
890:1635074313
843:2018-11-14
820:2000911722
726:1566722819
651:2021-05-20
621:2019-05-30
477:2010-03-14
453:1314339580
418:2019-05-16
371:References
245:Sit Skiing
73:Early life
1244:861187292
1196:348472786
1173:359472531
1150:348444928
1103:348384595
937:348639324
867:455084362
797:348472786
752:348384595
703:349093712
677:356496581
526:348444928
302:Mentoring
239:Visa Inc.
1240:ProQuest
1192:ProQuest
1169:ProQuest
1146:ProQuest
1099:ProQuest
1076:ProQuest
1053:ProQuest
1030:ProQuest
1007:ProQuest
979:ProQuest
956:ProQuest
933:ProQuest
886:ProQuest
863:ProQuest
816:ProQuest
793:ProQuest
748:ProQuest
722:ProQuest
699:ProQuest
673:ProQuest
645:archived
522:ProQuest
449:ProQuest
432:Newswire
92:Accident
32:Canadian
335:At the
210:Silver
197:Bronze
184:Silver
171:Bronze
158:Bronze
134:Medals
1242:
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524:
451:
391:
140:Games
145:Gold
137:Race
1221:2017
774:SIRC
592:ISBN
389:ISBN
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