Meet Bocce Athlete, Brooklyn Arsenault

June 28, 2025

Brooklyn Arsenault from Summerside has been involved with Special Olympics on and off since the age of 6. Ahead of the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games 2026, Brooklyn is one of 16 Team PEI hopefuls who are competing this weekend at Special Olympics PEI's Bocce Provincials.

Turning 21 years old this coming week, Brooklyn started in Special Olympics with the FUNdamentals program in Summerside. Brooklyn’s coach back then, Fran Gillis, remains her coach today with the Summerside Bocce program.

Brooklyn’s mom, Nicole Gosse, says that Brooklyn isn’t really competitive by nature.

She’s getting there. She knows that in order to get further in sport, and to get medals, she has to pay a little bit more attention, and that’s a goal for her. She has competed at Provincials before, with 5-Pin Bowling, and wasn’t won a medal yet. It’s slightly disappointing for her, but she knows that she just has to keep tying – practice makes perfect.

Nicole Gosse

Even while she works towards her first Provincial Games medal, Brooklyn still finds lots of joy in Special Olympics. She especially loves the opportunity to compete away from home, with Bowling Provincials in Charlottetown being a highlight of Special Olympics for her. While the Bowling was memorable, it was the dance that stands out for Brooklyn as a favourite memory from this past year’s Bowling Provincials.

Pictured at Special Olympics PEI’s Bocce Provincials with Brooklyn Arsenault, centre, are Brooklyn’s mom and dad, John and Nicole Gosse (left and second from left) and Brooklyn’s Aunt and Uncle, Jodi and Matt Sentner (second from right and right).

Brooklyn Arsenault competes at Special Olympics PEI's Bocce Provincials

The opportunity to potential represent PEI at a National Games in the future is a goal for Brooklyn. Like many athletes, Special Olympics is Brooklyn’s thing. While her sisters has opportunities like going on school trips and getting her driver’s license, Brooklyn has Special Olympics.

She sees her siblings having all the experiences and getting to do all the things. Brooklyn has not always been able to reach for those same things. Special Olympics is a place where she’s accomplished as well.

Nicole Gosse