Nearly 1,000 athletes and volunteers all over our province have signed on for the first-ever Special Olympics BC Provincial Challenge Games! Now through June 18, the athletes are completing daily physical activity and wellness challenges, and earning points to try to help their Region win top spot in the province.

The action is amazing and inspiring! Special Olympics BC athletes are being active at home in many creative ways, and doing a great job of cheering each other on!

Click here to check out photos and videos

We’re so fortunate to have incredible supporters helping the athletes achieve their goals. Volunteers throughout the province have stepped up to serve as Training Group Leaders, providing support and encouragement to help athletes crush their challenges. Local Committee members have also been working hard to spread the word, register participants, and set up training groups. Huge thanks to all!

Celebrity Honorary Coaches

In addition, provincial sport celebrities have generously stepped forward to help cheer for and motivate the SOBC Challenge Games athletes! We’re thrilled and grateful for the support of Challenge Games Honorary Head Coach Rick Campbell of the BC Lions. We’re also delighted to announce the Regional Honorary Coaches:

• Region 1: Vancouver Canucks icon Henrik Sedin
• Region 2: Two-time soccer Olympian Emily Zurrer
• Region 3: Vancouver Canucks legend Darcy Rota
• Region 4: BC Lions wide receiver Lemar Durant
• Region 5: Vancouver Whitecaps FC ambassador and great Carl Valentine
• Region 6: Hall of Fame sports broadcaster Bernie Pascall
• Regions 7 & 8: Vancouver Canucks icon Daniel Sedin

Sincere thanks to these Honorary Coaches who are graciously giving their time to join team pep rallies and share motivational messages!

If you haven’t yet registered, there’s still a bit of time left to accept the challenge and join your Regional team!

Click here to find out how to get involved

We are also tremendously grateful for the vital support of SOBC’s provincial partners, without whom none of this would be possible. 

Super participation by Regions and schools

It’s been exciting to see terrific participation from all Regions throughout our province, as well as from groups in schools around B.C.! Shoutout to the 14 schools who have signed on so far!

“The students participating are absolutely loving everything. The EAs working with them are having fun too," says Zoe Damant, Highlands Elementary teacher and SOBC – Kimberley/Cranbrook Local Coordinator. "We all appreciate how organized and easy it is to make it all happen!”

• Six schools from Surrey have joined the fun! Clayton Heights Secondary has registered 20 terrific students with intellectual disabilities!
• Schools that had signed on to participate in the SOBC Inclusive School Sport Project have now transitioned into the Provincial Challenge Games. Thanks to Oceanside’s Ballenas Secondary and Cranbrook’s Highlands Elementary for leading the way with their inclusive participation! 
• New friends like schools from the Catholic Independent Schools of Vancouver Archdiocese have gotten involved as well. 
• Best of luck to all!

Click here to find the school package and more resources

What’s next

It feels like many of us really needed this opportunity to compete and connect. Huge thanks to all of you who have accepted the challenge! You are an inspiration to everyone!

Competition continues until June 18. At the end, we will celebrate with a virtual Closing Ceremony on June 23, and a virtual Victory Dance on June 24!

Please click here to watch the replay of the Opening Ceremony

All SOBC Challenge Games participants are following provincial health requirements and, when they are in sport programs, SOBC’s Return to Sport safety protocols. It is important for all of us to follow all the provincial requirements and keep each other safe!