From Athlete to Community Leader: How Special Olympics Shaped Dextyn Harty's Journey

For Dextyn Paul Harty of Prince Albert, Special Olympics has never been just about sport.

What began as a seven-year-old's introduction to floor hockey has grown into a 14-year journey of athletic achievement, personal growth, friendship, and community service. Today, at age 21, Dextyn continues to compete in floorball while also giving back to his community through volunteer work that reflects the values he has learned through Special Olympics Saskatchewan and Special Olympics Prince Albert.

"It's about much more than sports," says Dextyn. "Special Olympics helped me become the person I am today."

A Journey That Started on the Playing Field
Dextyn joined Special Olympics Prince Albert as an underage floor hockey player when he was just seven years old. Fourteen years later, he continues his athletic career in floorball, carrying with him the lessons and experiences gained through years of competition and teamwork.

Throughout those years, Special Olympics provided opportunities to develop athletic skills, build lasting friendships, work alongside dedicated coaches, and overcome challenges both on and off the playing surface.

Looking back on his journey, Dextyn sees much more than games and tournaments.

"I see growth, friendships, perseverance, opportunities, and a community that helped shape who I am," he says.

Like many athletes, Dextyn found a sense of belonging through sport. Being part of a team taught him commitment, responsibility, and the importance of supporting others. Those lessons would eventually extend far beyond athletics.

Taking Special Olympics Values into the Community

One of the accomplishments Dextyn is most proud of is how he has been able to take the values he learned through Special Olympics and apply them in service to others.

Today, he is actively involved in volunteer work across Prince Albert.

As a volunteer with MADD Prince Albert, Dextyn helps support impaired driving prevention initiatives at community events. Whether distributing awareness ribbons, handing out educational materials, or engaging with the public, he plays an active role in promoting road safety and helping raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving.

He also volunteers as Smokey Bear, helping educate families and community members about wildfire prevention and the importance of protecting Saskatchewan's forests.

These volunteer roles may be very different from athletic competition, but Dextyn sees a clear connection between them.

"The values are the same," he explains. "Teamwork, commitment, perseverance, responsibility, inclusion, and community spirit. Those are things I learned through Special Olympics, and now I use those values to give back to my community."

More Than an Athlete

Dextyn believes his story demonstrates the broader impact Special Olympics can have on a person's life.

While sport provided the foundation, the confidence, leadership skills, and life experiences he gained through Special Olympics encouraged him to seek opportunities beyond competition.

His involvement as both an athlete and volunteer highlights how Special Olympics can help individuals develop the confidence to become leaders, advocates, and active community members.

"My journey started with floor hockey and continues today through floorball," says Dextyn. "But the impact of Special Olympics has reached far beyond sport. It helped give me the confidence to become involved in my community and contribute to causes that matter to me."

The 2025-2026 Special Olympics Saskatchewan Awards Gala saw Dextyn and the Special Olympics Prince Albert Wolfpack finish as the runner-up for Team of the Year. Dextyn left Regina feeling proud of his team and grateful for the opportunity to be recognized as nominees. He would also like to thank Moxies Regina for the professional customer service, food and drinks they provided to the Prince Albert WolfPack before the 2026 Special Olympics Saskatchewan Awards Gala. The evening gave the team another great memory to take home.

A Message for Other Athletes

If there is one message Dextyn hopes other athletes take from his story, it is that every journey matters.

"You don't have to be the biggest, fastest, or most decorated athlete for your story to have value," he says. "Showing up matters. Trying matters. Supporting your teammates matters. Giving back matters."

For Dextyn, success is not measured solely by wins and losses. It is measured by personal growth, relationships, and the positive impact an individual can have on others.

"Who you become through your journey matters just as much as what happens on the scoreboard," he says.

A Community Journey

Fourteen years after first stepping onto the playing surface as a young floor hockey player, Dextyn's story continues to evolve.

Today, he remains committed to his athletic journey through Special Olympics Prince Albert while dedicating his time to volunteerism and community service. His experience shows how Special Olympics can open doors to confidence, leadership, inclusion, and meaningful community involvement.

For Dextyn Paul Harty, what began as an athletic journey became something much bigger.

It became a community journey.

And that is a story worth sharing.