Special Olympics launches summer programming

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This article was published 16/06/2022 (1348 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For the first time in 18 months, Special Olympics Manitoba is offering in-person programming for the 2021-22 summer season.

One of the flagship programs of the Westman region, the Buccaneers, returned to the court in mid-May. Head coach Cindy Price said their first practice felt like a reunion and was filled with the sounds of laughter as athletes returned to the court.

“We always have fun. It was just good for people to see each other’s faces without the inhibition of a mask and to laugh,” Price said. “They were just excited to say ‘hey’ to their friends.”

The team’s recent get-together on June 6 saw about 20 athletes in attendance. Before the pandemic, workouts could see more than 30 people participate.

The goal of the Buccaneers is to get athletes moving and active while having fun, said coach Janelle Boyd.

The majority of athletes all know each other and have been training together for years, but the 2022 season has seen some new faces join the team.

Price and Boyd work with the athletes each session along with coaches Jess Hutcheson and Kathleen Martin.

It was a difficult situation for the team when COVID-19 hit as it created an abrupt end to the season, Price said. They were unable to congregate and all activities came to a quick end without notice, leaving them with a sense of no closure in terms of the goals they had been working toward.

This made it imperative for them to get back on the field when sports once again became a safe activity, Price said.

Buccaneers practices are open to all ages and skill levels. Meetups will be running in the basketball courts outside George Fitton School for the duration of the summer.

“Everybody is welcome,” Price said. “It’s just getting active we all need to do that for our physical and mental health.”

The move outside is a new experience for the crew, she added, as in the past activities have taken place inside.

The Buccaneers have been running for at least 15 years as a multi-sport program. Each Monday athletes get to engage in different activities from basketball to soccer, to bocce ball and all combinations of sport-based actions.

She added while it is great they can play outside, the outdoors will be a barrier for some athletes that typically attend the program. The hope is to move inside once the summer is over.

The through-line of games is that they can be adapted to all abilities, Boyd said. Those in attendance can help decide what activities to play based on the mobility and age of athletes.

“We spend half our time laughing, you know that’s where we get half our workout from,” Boyd said with a chuckle. “It’s fun, laughter and exercise.”

The goal is to encourage people to play together, co-mingle and develop new friendships.

This is more important than ever given the isolation many have experienced during COVID-19, Price said.

The team continues to grow each week, often seeing new athletes attend based on word-of-mouth.

“Everybody is comfortable in every situation,” Price said. “There’s so much laughter it’s so good.”

The Westman Cougar Soccer youth program has also relaunched for the summer season, Price said, and the team is as tight as ever.

The 2022 season will be focused on helping athletes build their skills and confidence back on the field.

“It’s a little bit of running and figuring out how to put your foot on the ball and move it around, and then we do a scrimmage,” Price said.

“It’s about your body getting out and running.”

Many athletes were grateful to return to the team, she added, as they had felt the effects of being less active during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Athletes are highly motivated to get on the pitch because they know they are going to get better each practise playing together, Price said.

Boyd is in her first season with the soccer team, she said, and finds each practice she is learning from athletes as much as she is teaching them.

The goal is to have a soccer jamboree in the late summer that can include players from across the community in three-on-three scrimmages.

Special Olympics Westman is hoping to keep growing the program but needs space and coaches, Price said.

“Soccer is back, it’s just getting into it again and looking towards competitive play,” she said. “They’ve had a taste and they want more.”

Leanne Miskulin and her son Jack, 15, attended their first Buccaneers practice in two years on June 6. Jack first began playing with the Buccaneers when he was 11, hitting the court with athletes that were his age up to others in their 70s.

Jack returns each Monday because of the bonds he has developed with his coaches and fellow athletes. In the past, the crew would meet inside at Earl Oxford School, making playing outside a fun new experience.

“It’s so much fun. They run around and play games. It’s great for all ages — there’s lots of smiles,” Leanne said.

Each Monday there is a contagious feeling of joy, she said, and those in attendance are compelled to jump in and have some fun playing games. An important aspect is the games can be adapted for all abilities because they are focused on including everyone.

Jack’s favourite activity is basketball, he said, but he enjoys the new games they play each practice.

He encourages others to come to try out Buccaneers because he always has a great time and gets to hang out with his “good buddies.”

“I think it will be fun and it will be a great time for everybody,” Jack said.

For more information on Special Olympics summer programming visit specialolympics.mb.ca/who-we-are/regions/westman-region or the organization’s social media page Special Olympics Westman.

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