Bringing the Canada Games action to audiences, one image at a time

by Nash Alonto

March 7, 2023

Kellie Ring (in red, sitting front row, 7th from left) with the 2023 Canada Games volunteer photographers. She worked with the Canada Games since the 2022 edition in the Niagara Region of Ontario, where she coordinates with photographers and social media content creators. (Photo by Matthew Murnaghan/Canada Games Council)

Kellie Ring sat at the backmost table inside the Main Media Centre at the Delta Prince Edward Hotel in Charlottetown, going through the hundreds of photos submitted by photographers. She was choosing the best ones to be promoted on social media.

Ring is a digital marketing consultant based in Ottawa, Ont. She was the photography and social media team leader for the 2023 Canada Games in P.E.I. She coordinates and trains volunteers in creating photos and videos for their social media accounts, as well as creating a database of photos that can be accessed by media and fans.

Ring got involved at the Canada Games as an athlete, representing Team Ontario in women’s basketball at the 2009 Games in P.E.I. She also volunteered at the 2013 Games in Sherbrooke, Que., alongside her two brothers, as a way of giving back to the community.

“It has always been a part of, kind of, who I am just growing up, (with) my mom working within the Canada Games movement,” she said.

In 2019, Ring applied as the social media team leader for the 2022 Games in Ontario’s Niagara Region. She eventually got the job and even moved there, where she worked for three years.

Ring took on the job because she has a passion for photography. Part of the role encompasses photographers who create content for social media.

She also coordinated with another 70 photographers. She felt that hearing their stories made it special for her, as well as building these relationships with them.

“Just seeing them love it and be passionate about it and wanted to do it again is something that I truly hold close to my heart,” she said.

However, taking on the role also has its challenges. With a huge number of volunteers on her end, 70 photographers and 15 social media content creators in total, Ring always made sure that everyone is on the same page, as well as getting their schedules arranged properly.

Ring even had to deal with a real-life crisis while preparing for the games. The summer games in Niagara, which were supposed to be held in 2021, got pushed to the following year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She and her team had to create an extra year’s worth of promotional content in the lead-up to the games.

“Overall, I think it was smooth sailing,” she said.

Ring hopes the Canada Games continues to move forward and inspire future generations of athletes representing their respective provinces and territories, which is something extremely special not a lot of people get to do.

“It inspires so many youths. This could be the steppingstone of their career. It could also be the pinnacle of their careers. You have athletes here who could go on and be future Olympians or Paralympians, and then some who this will be the biggest memory of their biggest games,” she said.