PHOTOS: Annual Pull for Parkinson’s tournament held in Surrey
Published 5:00 pm Thursday, April 30, 2026
What began as a small student-led fundraiser has since grown into a spirited sporting event.
More than a decade after its launch, the annual Pull for Parkinson’s Ultimate Tournament continues to bring together hundreds of student-athletes at Surrey’s Newton Athletic Park – raising thousands of dollars while growing the sport along the way.
Dozens of secondary school teams across the Lower Mainland gathered on April 15 and April 22 to participate in the annual Pull for Parkinson’s Ultimate Tournament.
Now in its 13th year, the co-ed event has evolved from a small, student-run fundraiser into a major fixture on the local school sports calendar.
“It’s amazing to see the growth in the sport — that’s my favourite part,” said organizer Chris Wakelin, a teacher and coach at Queen Elizabeth Secondary.
Pull for Parkinson’s was first launched in 2013 by Wakelin’s former students, who were inspired by personal connections to the disease.
Wakelin shared that one student’s father had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and he himself had a personal attachment to the situation, with his Nana previously having the disease and passing away in 2015.
“They came to me with the idea, and it was like, you know what? Yeah, I would love to do this, whatever I can do to help,” said Wakelin.
Wakelin explained that years ago in Richmond there was a tournament called Hawkins for Hearts where all proceeds went to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. This is where the idea of Pull for Parkinson’s originated.
Wakelin told Peace Arch News that the tournament was run specifically by these students for about four years, with Wakelin helping where they needed, before fully handing it over to Wakelin in 2018.
Since then, participation and fundraising efforts have steadily increased.
What began with just 12 teams has now grown into a two-day event featuring as many as 60 teams across junior and senior divisions.
Over the years, the event has raised around $65,000 for Parkinson’s research and support initiatives, including partnerships with organizations such as the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
According to Wakelin, last year the tournament raised $11,000.
Beyond fundraising, the tournament is also about building community and introducing more students to ultimate, a fast-growing sport in Wakelin’s point of view.
Wakelin also emphasized how respectful and sportsmanlike these athletes are when participating in this event.
“It’s a big spirited tournament. There’s rankings and competition, but it’s also just good fun,” shared Wakelin.
The spirit was on full display as players cheered on their teammates and competed in a sport that continues gaining momentum across B.C. schools.
“All the players who finish playing will come back and they will coach. It’s sort of like they are giving back to their teams,” Wakelin added.
The tournament also serves as a key checkpoint in the secondary school ultimate season, giving teams a chance to size up the competition ahead of provincial championships, set to return to Newton Athletic Park at the end of May.
In this year’s senior final, Wakelin shared that Guildford Park Secondary delivered a dominant performance, defeating Burnaby South 11-1 and taking home the Pull for Parkinson’s 2026 trophy.
As the tournament continues to grow, Wakelin hopes to see even more schools get involved — and more students discover opportunities to play beyond the classroom.
“There’s a lot of opportunities to play the sport, and we’d love to see it grow,” he said.
Wakelin encourages students to not only join their school’s team but also consider club play as well, something he also coaches outside of the school team with Vortex Ultimate Club.