When and how did you get involved with Special Olympics?
I started when I was just a kid going out to cheer on my uncle who is a Special Olympics athlete in Saskatchewan!
Will this be your first Special Olympics Canada Games? If not, which other National Games were you part of and in what role(s)?
I had the pleasure of attending the 2018 National Bowling Championships in PEI & the 2018 National Summer Games in Nova Scotia as a Team Manager.
What does it mean to you to be part of Special Olympics Team BC 2020?
This is a dream come true for me; I love sport and I love to see our athletes work hard to improve and do their best in competition. Being a part of a team is special in itself so I am looking forward to this journey and learning so much from everyone!
What is/are your goal(s) for these National Games?
My goal is to make sure everyone arrives there safely, competes and makes it home safely - then I know I did my job! LOL! I hope to see our athletes, individual and teams, achieve personal bests, prove that Team BC is top-notch in the sportsmanship department and at the end of the day always have a smile on their face because we are having one of the best Games experiences :)
What is your favourite Special Olympics experience to date?
Of course watching all of our athletes compete at the Games; but my highlight thus far was at the Nova Scotia Games and getting to meet Dr. Frank Hayden and his wife Marion - we took a selfie!
What does competing at National Games mean to your athletes? (or, if this is your first National Games, competition in general)
I hope that they understand it is a privilege and that they appreciate the work they have put into their training and competing to get themselves this far. I hope they believe they deserve to be here and they prove that to everyone watching them when they take to the ice, slopes, tracks, lanes, and gymnasiums!
What storylines are you excited to see develop in your Team BC sport team leading up to the National Games?
I hope that we see positive stories about athlete, coaches and mission staff having a great experience and achieving the goals they set for themselves and their team!
What would you say about Special Olympics to encourage someone to get involved?
If you want to be a part of something that is so moving, so embracing, so humbling....and so much fun, then Special Olympics is for you!