Sunshine Games coming to North Bay

An exciting new event is coming to North Bay.  Volleyball Canada and Canada Basketball are pleased to announce the creation of the Sunshine Games in partnership with Nipissing University Athletics, Vision Sports & Entertainment and the City of North Bay.
Showcasing the CANOR Molson Sand Centre in downtown North Bay, the Sunshine Games will take place on August 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature athletes participating in the Volleyball Canada Senior Nationals and a Canada Basketball 3x3 tournament.

The newly developed partnership between Volleyball Canada and Basketball Canada is hoping to introduce new fans and participants to the exciting disciplines of beach volleyball and 3x3 basketball. 

“Lakers Basketball is proud to be part of the first ever Sunshine Games in North Bay. We have been working closely with Canada Basketball to organize the 3x3 basketball portion of the event. The 3x3 basketball tournament at the Sunshine games will feature six divisions of play; Men's and Wome?n's Open, U19 and U16. Our Laker athletes will be volunteering their time with the event set up, the on-site admin and officiating at the event,” said Marg Jones, head coach of the Nipissing women’s team. "It's going to be an exciting two days of 3x3 basketball in North Bay and we hope to attract players from all over the province, especially those playing in the men's and women's open division.  3x3 basketball is huge in Canada and is a growing phenomenon around the world and we are excited to be a part of that growth. This will coincide with the Beach Volleyball component of the event which will make for an awesome weekend of outdoor activity in the downtown core." 

Canada Basketball’s senior director, operations, Bryan Crawford believes events like the Sunshine Games are a great way to continue the growth of sport in Canada. 

“This new partnership between Canada Basketball and Volleyball Canada is a great opportunity to bring together two exciting sports as part of one event.  For Canada Basketball specifically it is a fantastic way to provide participation opportunities to Canadians while continuing to grow the 3x3 game of basketball.”

Sandra de Graaff, director, Domestic Competitions said; “2016 will be a very fun and exciting year for the VC Senior Beach Nationals. Participants will enjoy playing in the sand from the Toronto 2015 PanAm Games as they compete for a large cash prize, while spectators will enjoy access to various forms of entertainment offered by our partners, VSE, Basketball Canada, and Lululemon.”

For the city, it’s another way to showcase new facilities, such as the CANOR Molson Sand Centre and the tourism opportunities North Bay has to offer.

“The City of North Bay is very excited to host the Sunshine Games in our community.  We are looking forward to our new partnership with Volleyball Canada, Basketball Canada, Nipissing University and Vision Sports and Entertainment,” Melinda Fry, manager of sports and event said.

The president of Vision Sports and Entertainment, Amedeo Bernardi, believes that events like this will continue to improve the notoriety of not only North Bay, but also the specific facilities that will be on display throughout the weekend.

“VSE Canada (Vision Sports & Entertainment) is thrilled to be part of this joint venture.  As the organizer of the Senior Nationals beach volleyball tournament, we are proud to be a partner in the inaugural Sunshine Games. North Bay continues to grow as one of the country’s premiere summer sports cities,” Bernardi said.

The Sunshine Games will follow in the footsteps of the NORCECA Volleyball Tour, which came to North Bay last summer and will return during the Canada Day long weekend again this summer.