Meet Team PEI 2026 Bocce
This August, Team PEI will be represented by 46 athletes and 25 coaches and mission staff at the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Athletes will be competing in 8 sports - Athletics, Basketball, Bocce, Golf, Powerlifting, Soccer, Softball and Swimming. Team PEI 2026 Bocce, comprised of 4 athletes and 1 coach, are gearing up to represent PEI on the National stage!
Back Row: Lynda Hontscharowicz (Head Coach), Ryan MacNeil, and Tommy Ling
Front Row: Rolanda Bridges and Michelle O'Hanley
Team PEI 2026 Bocce is lead by long time Special Olympics volunteer, Lynda Hontscharowicz. Lynda, who has attended two Special Olympics Canada Games previously, is excited to step into the role of Head Coach for these Games.
Lynda has volunteered with Special Olympics PEI for 15 years. She recalls first becoming involved with Special Olympics when her brother Tommy Ling (Team PEI 2026 Bocce athlete) first joined in 2010.
Team PEI 2026 Bocce has a good mix of newer and more experienced athletes. While half of the team, Ryan MacNeil and Michelle O'Hanley, are attending their first Special Olympics Canada Games, the other half, Tommy Ling and Rolanda Bridges, have a wealth of experience.
Ryan MacNeill has been involved with Special Olympics for 5 years. He first joined when a friend invited him. He credits Special Olympics with helping him to become active.
He says a challenge Special Olympics has helped him to overcome is becoming more social by meeting new people.
Michelle O'Hanley, by contrast, has been involved with Special Olympics for over 45 years. Through Special Olympics Michelle has build confidence. She really enjoys Special Olympics, and has made many lifelong friends through her involvement. Ahead of her first Special Olympics Canada Games, Michelle says "it's a dream come true".
Rolanda Bridges has been an athlete for 20 years. In addition to Bocce, Rolanda is also an avid 5-Pin Bowler. Rolanda still recalls her favourite Special Olympics moment of winning her first medal at a Special Olympics Canada Summer Games back in 2010 in London, Ontario. She says being part of Team PEI 2026 "means making our small little province of PEI proud!"
Tommy Ling first got involved with Special Olympics to be more active and to meet new friends. Similar to Rolanda, Tommy also participates in 5-Pin Bowling. Additionally, Tommy is an experienced Cross Country Ski athlete. Following a tremendous Special Olympics Canada Winter Games 2024 in Calgary, when he achieved his goal of not falling when going down hill in his race, Tommy was named to Special Olympics Team Canada, and competed at the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025 in Turin.
If you would like to support Team PEI 2026 Bocce, please consider Drafting an Athlete. The Team PEI Draft an Athlete program allows supporters of the Special Olympics movement to fund a Team PEI athlete’s journey to National Games.