Spectacular Performance by Team BC at Special Olympics Canada 2014 Summer Games
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Special Olympics BC British Columbia Winter 2014 Spectacular performance by Team BC at Special Olympics Canada 2014 Summer Games When B.C.’s largest-ever provincial team competed at the Special Olympics Canada 2014 Summer Games in their home province, the 275 athletes displayed outstanding achievements and sportsmanship while earning 288 medals and delivering so many personal bests and outstanding team performances that thrilled their coaches, fans, families, and team staff. Held in Vancouver July 8 to 12, the Special Olympics Canada 2014 Summer Games brought together 1,700 athletes with intellectual disabilities and their dedicated volunteer coaches and mission staff from across the country to compete in 11 sports. These were the first Special Olympics Canada Games held in B.C. since 1990, and the largest-ever Special Olympics Canada Games. The competitions were held in fantastic facilities, with the University of British Columbia Vancouver campus serving as the continued on next page Special Olympics BC — An Accredited Chapter of Special Olympics Canada continued from previous page basketball teams and three bocce squads all earned medals—two gold and two bronze for How to reach us host venue, the University Golf Club hosting basketball; one of each colour in bocce. They Dan Howe, President & CEO the golf competition, and The Zone Bowling enter the history books as B.C.’s first-ever Direct line: 604-737-3079 Centre in Richmond welcoming the 5- and 10- National Games medallists in these sports, E-mail: [email protected] pin bowling action. alongside the seven B.C. golfers who medalled Christina Hadley, Vice President, Fund “Throughout the week, the athletes inspired in the first Special Olympics Canada Games golf Development & Communications all of us with their dedication, competitive event. Direct line: 604-737-3073 E-mail: [email protected] spirit and sportsmanship,” said Cathy Priestner “We raised expectations to a whole new Allinger, Chair of the Games Organizing level, and these guys met them,” Team BC Chef Lois McNary, Vice President, Sport Direct line: 604-737-3117 Committee. “We saw records broken, personal de Mission Shawn Fevens said. “We left our E-mail: [email protected] bests achieved and indomitable spirit.” mark on Vancouver 2014.” Rachel Borer, Manager, Community Among the exciting results for the home- Development (Regions 3, 4, & 5) province team, Team BC squads topped the A Direct line: 604-737-3125 division in all team sports and excelled in the Softball E-mail: [email protected] three sports being contested at the National BC Grizzlies gold Michelle Cruickshank, Manager, Community Games level for the first time: basketball, BC Dynamite silver Development (Region 6) bocce, and golf. Special Olympics BC’s four Cell phone: 250-208-5402 “That was so exciting!” E-mail: mcruickshank@specialolympics. bc.ca SOBC – Kelowna coach Dennis Richardson right after Shawn Fevens, Manager, Sport the BC Grizzlies won gold and Direct line: 604-737-3055 closed out their undefeated E-mail: [email protected] run in the tournament Megan Grittani-Livingston, Manager, Communications “In Special Olympics, everyone has Direct line: 604-737-3077 an opportunity, and everyone is E-mail: [email protected] taken as equals.” BC Dynamite athlete Jill Harris, Manager, Community Development Jeff Martin of SOBC – Victoria (Region 1) Cell phone: 250-919-0757 E-mail: [email protected] Cari Henri, Manager, Sport Soccer Direct line: 604-737-3082 E-mail: [email protected] Gold Morgan Hunter, Manager, Health and Sport “Special Olympics has gotten me Science doing sports I’ve always wanted Direct line: 604-737-3081 to do. It gets me to try new things. E-mail: [email protected] There’s lots of opportunities, Eliot James, Communications Coordinator and I’ve had lots of great new Direct line: 604-737-3042 E-mail: [email protected] experiences out of it.” Carolyn McCarthy, Manager, Fund Development Athlete Tony Carter of SOBC – Mission & LETR Liaison Direct line: 604-737-3056 E-mail: [email protected] Lauren Openshaw, Office Administrator Direct line: 604-737-3078 E-mail: [email protected] Josh Pasnak, Manager, Finance & Administration Direct line: 604-737-3180 E-mail: [email protected] Charlotte Taylor, Manager, Fund Development Direct line: 604-737-3059 E-mail: [email protected] Leslie Thornley, Manager, Community Development (Region 2) Cell phone: 250-317-1272 E-mail: [email protected] Kristin Webster, Manager, Community Development (Regions 7 & 8) Cell phone: 250-570-1455 E-mail: [email protected] Find Special Olympics BC online www.specialolympics.bc.ca Facebook: specialolympicsbc Twitter: @sobcsociety 2 Special Olympics BC Bulletin Golf Basketball 3 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze BC Grizzlies gold “Outstanding. Ecstatic. My first BC Warriors gold Nationals, I never expected to do as BC Adanacs bronze well as I did. I’m flabbergasted. … I BC Eagles bronze never thought I would win. I knew I did my ultimate, but I didn’t think I “I wanted to play in school but didn’t would win.” have the chance. I believed I could Golfer Nellie-Jo Kurta of SOBC – Vancouver be a good player on the right team. expressing her feelings after capturing gold Now I am a good player on a great team. Basketball gives me and my team a chance to show people what we are capable of.” SOBC – Langley athlete Carson Buzdegan of the BC Warriors Rhythmic gymnastics 10 gold, 13 silver, 18 bronze Athletics “It is an opportunity to compete in different sports with my friends. 20 gold, 19 silver, 21 bronze + relay It gives me confidence and new medals and tons of PBs friendships. I feel like I am part of a “I was just—boom. I was fired up. team and my teammates feel like my When I was seated [marshalling family. When I win medals I get very for the race], my legs were excited and happy.” twitching. After the race, SOBC – Surrey athlete Krista Milne [coach Tom Norton] had to help me—I could not walk. It was full adrenaline from the get-go.” “They stuck everything, they listened SOBC – North Shore athlete to all the instructions, and they kept Stephan Schoeller after his explosive getting better.” 200-metre race that ended in a four-person photo finish Rhythmic gymnastics mission staff Barb Tull “[I feel] so proud of those three nice Powerlifting medals.” SOBC – Comox Valley athlete 15 gold, 3 silver Robert Burns “I felt great, I really did. I felt proud and did my hardest for my coach and myself and the rest of British Columbia, to prove to B.C. that we’re all one together.” Powerlifter Will Richardson of SOBC – Kelowna, who deadlifted a personal best of more than 400 pounds Aquatics 45 gold, 38 silver, 34 bronze + Bocce waves of PBs BC High Rollers gold “It’s like a dream come true. I never BC Ball Busters silver thought I would make it this far. … I overcame a lot of things before BC Bocce Pirates bronze National Games so I could get here, “I really feel excited. My parents are and it’s just, wow. I’m pumped, I’m going to be so proud!” so excited, I’m very appreciative. I’m SOBC – Penticton athlete Ariel Eastland blown away.” of the Bocce Pirates SOBC – Trail athlete Sherry Altrogge Special Olympics BC Bulletin 3 5-pin bowling 13 gold, 5 silver, 6 bronze “She has learned so much for this, it’s been amazing.” SOBC – Elk Valley Local Coordinator Georgina McIntosh on the training and hard work of Team BC 5-pin bowler Kathy Sheppard 10-pin bowling 4 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze Special Olympics means “doing my best in whatever sport I am in. It makes me happy we have Special Olympics in Prince George.” SOBC – Prince George bowler Linda Renner “[Competing in National Games] is a great experience if it is their first or fifth time. It is a challenge to make it this far and everyone should be glad they made it and most importantly have fun and do your best.” Athlete and Team BC 2014 flagbearer Jake Huff of SOBC – Penticton More Special Olympics Team BC stories and photos: specialolympics.bc.ca/team-bc-2014 4 Special Olympics BC Bulletin Special Olympics Canada 2014 Summer Games Special Olympics BC Bulletin 5 Vancouver 2014 Games sponsors Inspiring Gold Sponsors Sport Sponsors celebrity Goldcorp AltaGas Government of British Columbia Eldorado Gold support for Government of Canada Bronze Sponsors 2014 National Backbone Technology Host Venue Blake, Cassels, & Graydon LLP Games and University of British Columbia City of Vancouver Team BC New Car Dealers Association of BC Silver Sponsors Rockdoc Consulting Inc. Many celebrity supporters from the sport world and sponsors of Special Signature Authentics Silver Wheaton Olympics and the Vancouver 2014 Teck Games showed their respect for Media Partner Special Olympics athletes by taking Global part in the 2014 Games Opening Ceremony. Among the participants Team BC and 2014 National Games were: Draft an Athlete sponsors BC Lions Travis Lulay, Wally Buono, Adele Shein David Budd Jennifer Traub Rick Clark Adam Bighill, Marco Iannuzzi, and Anna Tudela Don Towers Jill Davies Robert L. Conconi alumnus Angus Reid; BC Insulators Local Doug and Marie Jim Finkbeiner Foundation Vancouver Whitecaps Jay DeMerit, 118 Holtby Jim Pattison Group Ron and Shelley Mayert Bob Lenarduzzi, and Nigel Reo- Bruce and Nada Drew Stotesbury John Tortorella Hodge Ronald Thiessen Coker; Dueck Auto Group Keith Brown Canadian Progress Feldman & Russell Ball Club Lindsay Hall Associates Scotiabank Vancouver Canucks Bo Horvat and Marcus Chalk Canfor George Brack Securiguard Hunter Shinkaruk; Mark Bennett Cathy Brown Grant Longhurst Ted and Patti Hirst Michael Coyle Charlene Ripley Great Panther Silver Terry Neill Olympic medallist swimmers Brent Michael Kenyon Chris Higgins Ltd.