Cheer on the Special Olympians
This weekend, approximately 450 athletes and coaches from all parts of the province will head to Kings County to compete, foster friendships and enjoy winter sports as Special Olympics Nova Scotia holds its winter games.
Athletes will compete in floor hockey, cross-country skiing, curling, snowshoeing and figure skating. More than 32 Kings County competitors will show their skills in three of those sports – floor hockey, curling and snowshoeing – and play hosts to their counterparts from across the province.
It’s a smaller contingent than the summer games, but the event – which gets underway on Feb. 20 and wrap up on Feb. 22 - will feature a very full weekend of fun for the athletes.
Bringing all those athletes, coaches and spectators into Kings County is clearly a bonus for the community. It will mean visitors to the area who come to cheer on the athletes purchasing meals, shopping and filling up gas tanks locally, all good news, especially during a time of year that isn’t peak tourism season. It will also mean showcasing local venues like the Glooscap Curling Club and the Apple Dome on a provincial level, which could lead to hosting more provincial tournaments.
The athletes have put in countless hours training in their respective sports with the help of their equally dedicated coaches.
Make no mistake, these Special Olympians train just as hard as their counterparts who are currently competing at the Canada Winter Games this week and next in British Columbia.
In fact, these games will end up meaning a lot to the Special Olympians, as they represent a qualifier to attend the nationals, which are held every four years. The 2016 national winter games will be held in Corner Brook, NL and many Special Olympians are already dreaming about the once-in-a-lifetime experience.
As Don Sanford, one of the Kings County curling coaches said, a few of his contingent of 13 curlers, 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.”
These athletes are truly a joy to watch. No one can quite explain the expression of joy that comes across their faces as they accomplish their tasks, whether they place first or fifteenth. The sense of true camaraderie among Special Olympians is second to none.
Take time to head out and cheer them on during the weekend of action. It will be well worth every moment.