Every one is busy practicing their routines for the Provincial Games next weekend. Why? Because next weekend’s competition is the qualifiers for Team Manitoba. Through a dislocated knee cap, I’m still going to fight through it and try my best at competition. If I succeed, I will qualify to go to Vancouver to compete against other rhythmic gymnasts from across Canada.

This is my second time participating in the Provincial Games. I’m really excited about this, and I’m hoping to do even better than I did four years ago. Though I have done this before, this will be the first time I will be competing without my mother sitting in the stands, but I know she will be watching, cheering me and my sisters on.

All of the athletes are very excited, and have been working very hard to learn their routines, practise team games, and improve their techniques, but no matter what happens at competition, everyone will be cheering their team mates on.

I hope that I will represent the St. James Streamers well, with a goal of representing Manitoba in Vancouver, and then Canada in Los Angeles. I’m ready for qualifiers. I got a new competition outfit, and I’m ready to show it off next week.

Written by Ashley Wilwand

The SOM Spring Games started with a team breakfast at the hotel, soon after breakfast buses picked up all the athletes and coaches to drop everyone off at the competition venues. There were four venues across Winnipeg that hosted four different sports.

Swimming – Pan Am Pool

Pan Am Pool

10 Pin Bowling - Laverendrye Bowling Lanes

Strike!

5 Pin Bowling – Academy Bowling Lanes

Basketball – Kelvin High School

Elijah Wood dribbling the ball vs Adam Lloyd

Special Olympics Manitoba clubs have been playing basketball for six years now, but it was never included into a SOM Provincial Games. With basketball added to the 2014 Special Olympics Canada National Summer Games in Vancouver, SOM added basketball to our Games as well. The SOM Spring Games competition was the deciding competition for who would take the trip to Vancouver to represent Manitoba at the National Games basketball competition.

Basketball was included in a SOM Provincial Games for the first time!

Each of the four Spring Games sports held an opening ceremony. The basketball opening ceremony was highlighted by Razorbacks basketball player, Kim Ricard singing O’Canada! Kim has an awesome voice and did a fantastic job singing the anthem in front of gym full of people. The energy in the Kelvin High School gym was electric all day! D’Bears fought hard against the Razorbacks playing a three game series to decide the winning team. D’Bears won the first two games 24-11 and 32-21 to clinch the win of the SOM Spring Games competition! Winning the Spring Games competition clinched (Division A) D’Bears as Special Olympics Manitoba’s representative at the 2014 Special Olympics Canada National Summer Games in Vancouver.

Razorbacks basketball coach Natalie Bjornas was extremely proud of her team after the SOM Spring Games. “Our team motto is to do the best you can do and I feel the Razorbacks did just that! We improved our skills individually and as a team,” said Bjornas.

Coach, Joanne Zahaiko gives pep talk to her team.

Having a new sport included in the National and Provincial Games is a huge positive for Special Olympics and SOM is very excited to send D’Bears to Vancouver!

Good luck in Vancouver D’Bears!

To see more photos from the 2013 SOM Spring Games go to our photo gallery: http://specialolympics.mb.ca/photogallery/

Special Olympics Manitoba is very proud to announce that five people who are involved with our organization have been honoured with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Track athlete, Cody Calcutt is been recognized for his participation with many fundraising events with Special Olympics Manitoba and the Wish Foundation.

Snowshoeing athlete, Adam Wakemen was recognized for his true passion, competing for his country. Twenty eight year old Adam has now competed for Special Olympics Team Canada at three different world games.

Accolades were given to SOM Chair of Sport Program Committee, Bernie Crisp for   his overall involvement in sport and the community of Brandon.

Westman Regional Team Leader, Joanne Bell, is being noted for her 16 years of volunteering with Special Olympics Manitoba.

SOM President & CEO, Simon Mundey, who has been involved in Special Olympics for twenty five years, is being acknowledged for his commitment to athletes with an intellectual disability in Manitoba, Canada and Internationally.

Congratulations Cody, Adam, Bernie, Joanne and Simon! Your hard work and dedication is something that every Canadian can look to as an example of good citizenship.

Special Olympics Manitoba athlete, Adam Wakeman received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal from Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger.

The citation read: “Adam Wakeman is a Special Olympian and a role model of determination and commitment.   Adam has overcome what to most of us might be insurmountable odds to walk and talk and was on the Manitoba snowshoeing team for the 2012 National Winter Games in St. Albert, Alberta.   Next year Adam will compete for Canada at the World Games in Korea.”

Special Olympics is more than the sports we participate in. The idea that “Enriching the lives of Manitobans with an intellectual disability through active participation in sport,” is so much bigger than we can know. The opportunities given to our athletes is wide ranging and allows the community to see Special Olympians in ways other than just the activities of the pool or gym. We never dreamt that Adam would receive such recognition for his lengthy career with Special Olympics. It is a testament to all that the organization is doing to raise awareness in the community that our athletes are achieving great things. Adam was proud to stand with other great leaders from Manitoba who were recognized for their contributions to the country, as well.

People that know Adam know that his favourite song is “O, Canada!” He has decorated his room with flags of all the provinces he’s been to and, of course, several Canadian flags as well as his medals and ribbons from competitions. This very special honour is a thrill for Adam and will take a special place in his display and certainly in our hearts.

On the day that Adam received his letter informing him of his medal, Mom was at a workshop where they were reminded that not long ago special needs people were not even allowed in our schools. Adam was accepted in the crowd of dignitaries as an equally deserving recipient. We’ve come a long way!

Keith Taggert holds Special Olympics Manitoba close to his heart. He dedicates long hours and a ton of effort into being a coach. Recently Keith was named Special Olympics Manitoba, Male Coach of the Year!

“Special Olympics Manitoba is so fortunate to have a coach like Keith Taggert contributing to our organization,” said Manager of Winter Sports and Spring Sports, Susan Lamboo, “He truly cares for the athletes he coaches.”

Keith has been volunteering with Special Olympics for 15 years.  He is the Co-Head Coach of the Westman Thunderbirds 10 Pin.  Keith’s commitment is second to none and his encouragement and dedication to coaching fuels athletes to reach and attain higher goals.  Most recently, two of the Brandon Thunderbirds 10 Pin Bowling represented Canada at the 2011 SOI World Summer games, testimony to the exceptional coaching skills of Keith and his coaches.  Keith is always looking for volunteers or coaches to join the Special Olympics team.  His communications with caregivers and volunteers is clear, concise and highly positive.  Keith is also an active member on the region leadership team and participates in all Special Olympics fundraising events.  Keith is a true ambassador for Special Olympics.

Special Olympics athlete Rory Kinane is practicing hard in preparation for the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games in PyeongChang.

People who see 16-year-old Rory Kinane at the skating rink think he’s a natural on the ice – but it didn’t start out that way. His coach remembers how Rory would try to run on the ice, like he was running a regular road race. There were slips and falls, but Rory didn’t give up. He’d practice and practice — until he got it right. Now he pushes on the ice, glides and gets some serious speed behind him. “Rory likes to go fast,” says coach Tappie Dellinger. And that’s a good thing, because that speed and dedication have gotten Rory a spot on Special Olympics’ Team USA for the upcoming World Winter Games. In a few months, he’ll be racing against athletes from all around the world in PyeongChang, South Korea. It’ll be Rory’s first Special Olympics World Games competition and he says he’s “pretty excited.”
Rory’s intellectual disability can make it hard for him to accomplish some things. He learns differently than some people; sometimes it takes him a little longer to figure things out. But Special Olympics has helped him learn discipline and find success, which has also been helping him off the ice. “The skills that he’s learned on the ice help him function in the outside world,” says Tappie, who’s been coaching Rory for 8 years. “He’s been gaining confidence, and an ability to adapt to different situations. Rory realizes the Special Olympics oath and is always ‘brave in the attempt.’ ” Rory has been doing better in his studies and recently received a “most improved” award at school, among other honors.

A Shining Light

It was Rory’s dad – a former high school hockey player — who got him involved in Special Olympics. Father and son were close hockey buddies and did everything together, including working on cars and watching NHL hockey games. Rory’s father passed away just over a year ago and the loss has hit Rory hard.
Rory’s older brother, Zach, is also a Special Olympics athlete and their mom says the program has been a real blessing during this difficult year. “They’ve been distracted in a positive way, gaining skills and self-confidence,” says their mom, Stephany Kinane. “It also keeps them busy – there’s so much going on!” Now a single parent of two children with disabilities, Stephany says Special Olympics has also been a comfort to her, knowing that Rory and Zach are among friends and doing something they love.
Rory has been especially motivated since finding out he’ll be competing at World Winter Games in PyeongChang. The teen knows he’ll be up against older and more experienced skaters, but that just makes him want to practice even more. “I know how much he misses his dad, so this has been a great way to channel his energy,” says Stephany. Rory is dedicating his performance at World Winter Games to his father.
His mom says, “Rory was inspired by his dad in so many things. But with all that Rory has been doing, all his hard work and dedication, he’s really inspiring us.”

Written by Kerri

From the pictures in this post, one might assume that I’m a natural athlete. This could not be farther from the truth. In reality, I legitimately hated all forms of physical activity and exercise until after my diagnosis with moderate asthma four-and-a-half years ago. I played basketball when I was in junior high because my friends were out there; I played goofy games of hockey with my friends in high school because one time I told my super-athletic friend Dan I could beat him (we didn’t keep score, so I say I did!); I climb walls because they are fun, and I walk 10K’s to prove to myself that I can.  I had little sport experience before basketball. I took gymnastics in kindergarten until the point at which my orthopedic anomalies (my right arm doesn’t extend all the way, and my right hip is less than fully mobile) and lack of adapted physical activity programs in the mid-‘90s produced a barrier. I was the kid who ran slowly, whose lungs burned on the track (even in the pre-asthma days) and the one who was picked last.  All of the above lead to my perceptions of sport on the whole being less than positive until the last year or two.

Long story short, I went from completely inactive to attempting to get 45 minutes of exercise 5 days a week—and ended up as a Kinesiology and Applied Health major at the University of Winnipeg! (Two things that, five years ago, I would have declared as never happening). Academically, I have special interest in exercise and chronic disease and adapted physical activity, which continues to help me, progress further and do more good things than I had ever imagined!

Two years ago, I started doing respite and inclusion for a girl from my church. Earlier this year when planning a project for my Principles of Coaching class, I found out that she was a Special Olympics athlete! We met on Friday nights and I saw her on Sunday mornings. Fridays, I would ask if she was excited about bowling—sometimes it takes awhile to get her out of her shell, but always when I asked about bowling, she would get amped. On Sundays, I’d ask her how it was and if she had fun—the answer was always a ‘good’ followed by a ‘yes’!

I then hooked up with her coach for an observation project on coaching. Because of the past two years hanging out with “my” athlete, I definitely had a piqued interest in observing a SOM team. Seeing the athletes in action (and one lane of young men who were having the best time out there—honestly, I was about to abandon my paper right then and there and go join them!) and realizing the true effect sport was having on their lives filled me with a new enthusiasm and sparked me towards a new adventure!

So I filled out the forms. I realized that all those National Coaching Certification Program credits I had acquired over the last year in school were totally useful beyond the classes just being super fun (Run, Jump, Throw and Fundamental Movement Skills are where it is at, people!). I got my friend Sam on board, we met with Ian and Lesley at SOM, and the adventure began!

I don’t want any kids to have the same early sport-related experience I did (that’s why we no longer only play hockey and soccer in the mornings at the daycare I work at, and play a lot of tag games and “Air Soccer”—which is like beach volleyball with few rules). I want to help athletes thrive in the sport environment I didn’t have—an environment that shows them they ARE capable, they CAN do this, and that they WILL be awesome—and have fun at the same time! At work, I’ve seen our kids go from “I can’t” to “Watch me! I CAN!”, and seeing that happen is an amazing process.  Every day I walk into work and see a sign that reads “GOOD THINGS happen to people who try!”. Funny enough, thanks to one of my profs, Jay, and his use of the phrase “Good things!” It has been something that I have applied to my own life, and in turn, to those around me. Growing . . . is a serious good thing!

I start coaching FUNdamentals in the Fall. I am so excited to be a part of the lives of these young athletes, some new and some returning, and journeying with them as they begin developing or refine their skills that will form a foundation for active, healthy lives in the future—whether through sport or remaining physically active. It is my hope that the team atmosphere, friendship and feelings of competence in these athletes helps them grow and thrive—through developing confidence and enthusiasm for everything they take on in their futures!

Alongside my athletes, I’m excited to learn new things, meet new people, and have fun! I’ll be at the SOM Provincial Conference in a few weeks, so if you see me, come say hi! I’m excited for the journey to begin (is it October yet?) in my first season coaching with SOM, and to watch the growing happen—in others and in myself.

Good things!