Our BCDSF History

The BC Deaf Sports Federation (BCDSF) was established in February, 1975. However, the inspiration for the creation of BCDSF began eleven years earlier. In 1964, a four-member committee formed to raise funds for the BC teams wanting to participate in the 9th World Summer Games for the Deaf in Washington, DC, in 1965.

Since the Deaf World Games occur every four years, two other committees supporting BC Deaf athletes were formed in 1968 and in 1973.  In 1974, it became obvious that a provincial organization was needed to manage and support BC's deaf athletes. By 1978, BCDSF was officially incorporated and has since been assisting to organize, support, and encourage deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes to participate in competitive and recreational sports on provincial and national levels.

The 1964 four-member committee consisted of:

Ronald Fee
Eric Cardinall
Dr. Lewis Robinson
and the late Alex Brodie

The 1968 committee consisted of:

Ronald Fee
William Bain
Keith Watson

The 1973 committee consisted of:

Ronald Fee
Gail Zimmer

Past Presidents

1975-1978, Ronald Fee
1978-1983, Donald McCarthy
1983-1985, David Stewart
1985-1987, Gerald Zimmer
1987-1989, Robie Scholefield
1989-1991, Ronald Fee
1991-1997, Bradford Bentley
1997-2001, Ronald Fee
2001-2003, Garry Cleeve

	Deaf World Summer Games 1924 -- Paris, France 1928 -- Amsterdam, Netherlands 1931 -- Nuremberg, West Germany 1935 -- London, England 1939 -- Stockholm, Sweden 1949 -- Copenhagen, Denmark 1953 -- Brussels, Belgium 1957 -- Milan, Italy 1961 -- Helinski, Finland 1965 -- Washington, DC, USA 1969 -- Belgrade, Yugoslavia 1973 -- Malmo, Sweden 1977 -- Bucharest, Romania 1981 -- Cologne, West Germany 1985 -- Los Angeles, California, USA 1989 -- Christchurch, New Zealand 1993 -- Sofia, Bulgaria 1997 -- Copenhagen, Denmark May 11, 2001 The IOC granted permission for the Deaf World Games to officially be changed to Deaflympics, hence the first time the title of the world sporting event was used was in Rome, Italy. 2001 -- Rome, Italy 2005 -- Melbourne, Australia Deaf World Winter Games 1949 -- Seefeld, Austria 1953 -- Oslo, Norway 1959 -- Montana-Vermana, Switzerland 1963 -- Are, Sweden 1967 -- Berchtesgaden, West Germany 1971 -- Abelboden, Switzerland 1975 -- Lake Placid, NY, USA 1979 -- Meribel, France 1983 -- Madonna Di Campiglio, Italy 1987 -- Oslo, Norway 1991 -- Banff, Alberta, Canada 1995 -- Yllas/Rovaneimi, Sweden 1999 -- Davos, Switzerland 2003 -- Sundsvall, Sweden