Off to Kamloops for Provincial Games

By the time you read this, 22 athletes and coaches will be on our way to the Provincial Games in Kamloops, but for the past month we have continued to train.

On June 12, our local RCMP, officers Kevin Sheppard, Ed Harrison, Kyle Hrguyk, Sherry Robinson and Greg Horning took to the Chatelech soccer field with our soccer teams for a final invitational game and played their hearts out. Thanks to the coordinator, Lisa Harrison, and coaches Richard Hoath, Mike Gojevic and Heather O’Donnell for organizing.

Coach Tania Flynn and athletes Bruce Stuart and Amber Maher travelled to Burnaby on June 17 for a pre-provincial track meet. Both athletes placed well in multiple events, Amber with 1st in the 100 metre and Bruce with a 1st in the 5,000 metre.

A half dozen Special Olympics coaches were honoured with service pins at the organization’s AGM June 26. From the left, Samantha Giampa, Ann Simonet, Bill Climie, Helen Halet, Shelly McKinnon and Richard Hoath. Robert Wotton photo

June 24 saw four softball teams at a tourney in Hackett Park. The Sunshine Coast Ravens, North Shore Shockers, Vancouver Go Go’s and Coquitlam Tigers enjoyed friendly competition and making new friends while munching on hot dogs and burgers cooked by The Sunshine Coast Rotary Club.  The Vancouver team included our two local athletes Amanda Boghean and Chris Walker who had a second chance to play with the team they will be with at the Games. They thought Vancouver was an awesome team and had a strong feeling of sportsmanship. Thanks to umpires Chuck Bertrand, Dave Diether and Samantha Mills for a great afternoon.

The provincial bocce team, Wes Harrison, Candice Garret, Amber Fenton, Darlene Nelson and coach Pat Stuart had a final opportunity to hone their skills on June 25 in Vancouver and came home tied for 1st place.

Next day, the final soccer game of the season took place at Shirley Macey Park. Sechelt and Gibsons athletes and their coaches enjoyed a vigorous run around the field. New athlete, Sam Fitzgerald, in his first year with the Gibsons team, scored the first three goals of the game. His three years of playing soccer before joining Special O obviously helped. He is also part of the basketball team where I’m sure he is an asset.

Sechelt Coach Richard Hoath, who played alongside the same athletes he coaches, said it was “super fun” yet “challenging” as he had to both play and watch his athletes from a coaching perspective.

After the game, the SOSC AGM was held in Eric Cardinal Hall, attended by the executive, athletes and volunteers who applauded when service pins were awarded to a number of coaches who have been part of this fabulous program for several years.

Bill Climie and Samantha Giampa were honoured for their decade of service in their respective sports and Ann Simonet, Richard Hoath, Helen Halet and Shelly McKinnon received recognition for their five years of volunteering. Way to go all.

Next month, I’ll have the Kamloops lowdown!