Special Olympians converging on the Valley for provincial Winter Games
Kings County will be hosting the Special Olympics Nova Scotia provincial winter games Feb. 20-22, with the home base at Camp Aldershot near Kentville.
Several hundred athletes, coaches and mission staff from throughout Nova Scotia will take part in the provincial event, competing in sports including floor hockey, cross- countr y skiing, curling, snowshoeing and figure skating.
According to Kings Special Olympics chef de mission Marty Arsenault, “this is also a qualifying year for nationals, which happens every four years.”
The 2016 Special Olympics national winter games will take place in Corner Brook, NL.
The Kings contingent will consist of 32 athletes, seven coaches and two mission staff, including Arsenault and Judy Knox.
Kings athletes will compete in floor hockey (16 athletes, three coaches), curling (13 athletes, three coaches) and showshoeing (three athletes, one coach).
Venues for the games will include Camp Aldershot, Aldershot Elementary School, the Glooscap Curling Club in Kentville, Ski Martock and the Kings Mutual Century Centre (AppleDome) in Berwick.
“The nice thing about hosting is that we’re able to include some athletes who might not otherwise be able to travel, or stay way overnight,” she said.
Overall, she said, there will be some 450 individuals taking part in the games – “a smaller number than for the Summer Games.”
This total includes 350 athletes 100 coaches and mission staff.
“The usual ratio we like to maintain is one coach for four athletes,” Arsenault explained.
Local competitors looking forward to event
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Floor hockey coach Cody Arsenault said his team is a mix of new and experienced players.
“For a couple of them, this will only be their second time competing,” he said.
“The goal is to win, and to have fun while winning. I’m sure they’re going to have fun. All 16 of them will be staying in the same room.”
The snowshoeing team is small – just three athletes – but according to Arsenault, “two of them have past experience at nationals the last qualifying year.”
Don Sanford, one of the curling coaches, said the three Kings County teams – two of four curlers and one of five – have some experience.
“A few of them,” including all three skips, “have been to nationals in the past. The rest are all eager to compete. They’re a great bunch, and they get along well together. It’s all about them.”
John Robicheau of Kentville, one of the curling skips, said he has been curling for about 12 years. He has competed at nationals, and won silver in St. Albert, AB.
“I’m looking forward to competing at home. I’m hoping some of my family will be able to come and watch,” he added.
All the curling teams, and especially the one he will skip, “are looking good,” and are “quietly confident” of success in the competition.
With the games being hosted here, “we’re gotten to practice at the rink” where the games will be played, he explained.
“We’ve curled two or three times a week as a team,” and Robicheau himself is also part of a league at Glooscap.
Kevin Thompson is one of three snowshoers competing for Kings. Along with teammate Annette McCann and coach Janice Turnbull, he was out to practice recently.
The snowshoers are glad for all the snow recently, which has allowed them to practice outdoors in conditions like they will experience next week.
Thompson also plays floor hockey, but he is “doing snowshoeing this time.”
Floor hockey player Jack Williams is a Special Olympics veteran.
“I’ve been at it since 1979,” he said. “It’s always been my friend.” Special Olympics, he added, “is all about having fun, and doing the best you can.”
From the perspective of his many years in the organization, Williams paid tribute to the Special Olympic coaches, all of whom are volunteers.
“We have great coaches looking after us,” he said. “It’s up to us to return the favour.”
Action starts Feb. 20
Action at the Special Olympics Winter Games gets underway Feb. 20 when the athletes, coaches and mission staff arrive and sign in starting at noon. The opening ceremonies are set for Camp Aldershot at 5 p.m. Feb. 20.
The actual competition in curling and floor hockey gets underway at 7 p.m. that evening and continues all day Feb. 21 and until 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 22.
The snowshoe competition runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 21 and 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Feb. 22.
The cross-country skiing takes place at Ski Martock, and the figure skating at the AppleDome in Berwick.
“The idea is to have fun, make new friends and renew old acquaintances. As long as everyone enjoys themselves, that’s what matters – and if we win besides, that’s a bonus,” added Arsenault.
The full schedule for the Feb. 20-22 games is viewable on the Special Olympics Nova Scotia website at www.sons.ca.