Big Block Club
Watch the historic first Big Block presentation ever by the UBC Okanagan Heat (April 2012)
The idea for a varsity athletics alumni club has been part of the vision for Okanagan Athletics for more than 20 years. Working with dept. staff, the Heat Athletics Council, Thunderbird Athletics and UBC Athletics Historian Don Wells, we have worked to build on the UBC tradition while creating our own unique identity.
There are three categories of inductee: student athletes, coaches and builders.
The UBCO Big Block tradition has student athletes become eligible for membership in their graduating season, provided they were on a roster for a minimum of two years of varsity competition for UBC Okanagan.
Normally, coaches will have served a minimum of three years. A builder is an administrator, sports medicine provider, manager, or other valuable contributors to Heat Athletics program. Normally, Builders will have served for a minimum of five years. Â
While the Vancouver campus has had a club for more than 80 years, ours began in the spring of 2012.
Inductees in Vancouver are presented with a letterman sweater, inductees in the Okanagan receive a ring. Ultimately, alumni will purchase rings for current players as is the case in Vancouver. However, to get things started the Dept. and donors will provide the initial funding. As an alumni club, future activities will include reunions, homecomings and fundraisers.
At the inaugural presentation in the spring of 2012, the AD challenged Okanagan student athletes to come up with a name for the club. To date, it remains the Big Block Club.
