SOBC athletes and coaches for the Kamloops 2018 BC Winter Games

We are excited to announce the Special Olympics BC basketball and figure skating athletes and coaches who will take part in the Kamloops 2018 BC Winter Games being held February 22 to 25.

More than 1,700 participants and another 1,600 volunteers will be in Kamloops as the BC Games celebrate their 40th anniversary.

We’re excited to cheer on the SOBC athletes as they hit the hardwood and the ice competing in Special Olympics events!

 

Basketball:

Name

Hometown

Zone

Role

Melissa Andrews

Penticton

2

athlete

Anton Evans

Penticton

2

athlete

Troy Schattenkirk

Penticton

2

athlete

Kent Plettl

Kamloops

2

athlete

Aaron Lansdowne-Sorenson

Kamloops

2

athlete

Josh Trudell

Kamloops

2

athlete

Robert Varcoe

Kelowna

2

athlete

Ethan Sun

Kelowna

2

athlete

Aaron Dixon

Kelowna

2

athlete

Braeden Powley

Kelowna

2

athlete

Jordynn Denness

Kamloops

2

Head Coach

Clem Andrews

Penticton

2

Assistant Coach

Patrick Wilson

Kelowna

2

Assistant Coach

 

Name

Hometown

Zone

Role

Evan Curr

Langley

3

athlete

Julia Wood

Langley

3

athlete

Tyler Page

Langley

3

athlete

Rafi Thiele

Langley

3

athlete

Krista Sanders

Langley

3

athlete

Kailyn Potomak

Langley

3

athlete

Trevin Martel

Langley

3

athlete

Alexander Singh

Langley

3

athlete

Jaykob Low

Langley

3

athlete

Andrea Zonneveld

Langley

3

athlete

Randy Curr

Langley

3

Head Coach

Lorraine Griffith

Langley

3

Assistant Coach

Liz Wood

Langley

3

Adult Supervisor

 

Name

Hometown

Zone

Role

Kayla Polege

Surrey

4

athlete

Jotham Polege

Surrey

4

athlete

Nitesh Bushnam

Surrey

4

athlete

Bryce Condon

Surrey

4

athlete

Nathan McManamna

Port Moody

4

athlete

Devon Marsland

Coquitlam

4

athlete

Ben Felling

Coquitlam

4

athlete

Reid Demelo

Port Moody

4

athlete

Mandy Manzardo

Coquitlam

4

athlete

Evan MacNamara

Surrey

4

athlete

Terralyn Polege

Surrey

4

Head Coach

David Tellier

Surrey

4

Assistant Coach

Jenessa Howe

Langley

4

Assistant Coach

 

Name

Hometown

Zone

Role

David Swann

Richmond

5

athlete

Vincent Li

Richmond

5

athlete

Cullen Yee

Richmond

5

athlete

Harjot Deol

Vancouver

5

athlete

Michael Fraser

Vancouver

5

athlete

Quintin Martin

Vancouver

5

athlete

Casey Cochran

Vancouver

5

athlete

DJ Gilbert

North Vancouver

5

athlete

Sangeon Yoo

North Vancouver

5

athlete

Nick Kellof

North Vancouver

5

athlete

Zak Klein

North Vancouver

5

Head Coach

Will Moon

North Vancouver

5

Assistant Coach

Hamid Khatami

North Vancouver

5

Assistant Coach

 

Name

Hometown

Zone

Role

Jeff Hayes

Delta

5 wildcard

athlete

Brayden Pawer

Richmond

5 wildcard

athlete

Andrew Weale

Richmond

5 wildcard

athlete

Nicky Chow

Richmond

5 wildcard

athlete

Alexander Pang

Vancouver

5 wildcard

athlete

Rahim Adatia

Vancouver

5 wildcard

athlete

Ethan Yeung

Vancouver

5 wildcard

athlete

Stephan Schoeller

North Vancouver

5 wildcard

athlete

Pierce Burns

North Vancouver

5 wildcard

athlete

Daniel Gawenda

North Vancouver

5 wildcard

athlete

Donny Gillanders

Richmond

5 wildcard

Head Coach

Kristien Benko

North Vancouver

5 wildcard

Assistant Coach

Keir Martyn

Vancouver

5 wildcard

Assistant Coach

 

Name

Hometown

Zone

Role

Clayton Juliette

Prince George

8

athlete

Chris Zorn

Prince George

8

athlete

Samuel Russell

Prince George

8

athlete

Riley Foster

Quesnel

8

athlete

Brock Terlesky

Quesnel

8

athlete

Scott Jonasson

Quesnel

8

athlete

Elizabeth Sherwood

Quesnel

8

athlete

Josh Tilsner

Quesnel

8

athlete

Matthew Hender

Quesnel

8

athlete

Travis Burt

Quesnel

8

athlete

Brian Cullinane

Quesnel

8

Head Coach

Kyle Terlesky

Quesnel

8

Assistant Coach

 

Figure skating:

Name

Hometown

Zone

Role

Stephanie Divin

Surrey

4

athlete

Jennifer Utendale

White Rock

4

athlete

Kailee Bowman

Victoria

4

Head Coach

 

Name

Hometown

Zone

Role

Jeff Leung

Vancouver

5

athlete

Eric Pahima

Vancouver

5

athlete

Tin Yee Ho

Vancouver

5

athlete

Matthew Lai

Richmond

5

athlete

Jessica Chapelski Souza

Vancouver

5

Head Coach

 

Name

Hometown

Zone

Role

Emily Walzak

View Royal

6

athlete

Desiree Grubell

Victoria

6

athlete

Tess van Straaten

Victoria

6

Head Coach

 

The BC Winter Games provide a competitive multi-sport environment that supports the development of athletes, coaches, and officials as they move on to higher levels of competition.

These BC Games are distinct from Special Olympics BC Games, which are our Provincial Games hosted by SOBC solely for SOBC athletes.

SOBC athletes have been showcasing their skills in the generic BC Games for 16 years, competing in Special Olympics divisions. Prior to 2014, SOBC athletes at BC Games competed in athletics and swimming. Their expansion into BC Winter Games began in 2014 with basketball and continued in 2016 with the addition of figure skating.

These integrated competitive opportunities give SOBC athletes chance to shine in front of their peers from generic sports, says Competition and Youth Coordinator Joanie Hayes.

“The BC Games offer an excellent platform for SOBC athletes and coaches to compete and gain valuable experience on a bigger stage,” says Hayes. “It’s a great place to showcase their skills as they participate alongside the mainstream athletes. The atmosphere at the BC Games is one of inclusion, something we strive for every day with our year-round programs.”

When Special Olympics figure skating made its BC Winter Games debut in 2016, SOBC – Victoria’s Emily Walzak captured a gold medal in the Special Olympics Women Level 3 event.

“The biggest thing is just getting the chance to compete and show your program to the world and getting a chance to just do what you love,” Walzak said in an interview.

Be sure to check results at BC Winter Games and check in to our social media for coverage of our athletes.