Alberta Golfers Representing Home Province at Special Olympics Canada Summer Games

Written By: Callum Denault, Special Olympics Canada Athlete and Staff Member

When asked why she chose to participate in Special Olympics for over 20 years, Alberta golfer Jennifer Gushta gave a quick and firm answer.

To qualify for the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Jennifer won a gold medal last year at the Summer Provincial Games held in Grand Prairie. She recalled feeling "surprised, and proud", but a knowing look from her golf coach Mary-Ann Stewart-Lind made it clear that Jennifer had more than enough skill to make herself strong on the greens.

Even though Mary-Ann usually caddies for Jennifer on their local Edmonton golf team, during the National Games she is taking on a bigger role as a member of Special Olympics Alberta’s mission staff, managing their provincial golf and swim teams.

Mary-Ann said. “[Jennifer’s] caddy is actually my husband,” she added, while laughing, “and he’s a better golfer than I am so he’s better suited to get Jennifer to where she wants.”

Alongside Jennifer were several other athletes who also said their favourite part of Special Olympics—in spite of all the glitz and glam of national competitions—was the community they found themselves in.

Said Grand Prairie athlete Doug Edey, who has been in Special Olympics for at least 46 years.

Talking about the Provincial Qualifiers he competed at to make it into the National Games, Doug said he brought bottles of water and soda pop to give to his fellow athletes. He said his favourite part of over four decades of playing in Special Olympics was “meeting all the athletes [and] learning how to do the different sports.”

Another member of Doug and Jennifer’s team said being part of Special Olympics made him a “local celebrity” at his day-job. An employee of over 15 years at Silver Springs—a private golf club just outside of Calgary—Josh Engel said he spends time before and after his shifts practicing golf on the greens.

Shane Stewart—a seasoned golfer and skier who has been to at least three previous Special Olympics World Games—said he also enjoys all the travelling opportunities being an athlete has given him. Interviewed alongside his coach Howard Buckle, the two reminisced about the time they both got to ride elephants during the Games held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

“You know how to ride a horse?” Shane asked, while talking about the once-in-a-lifetime experience they shared. “It’s like that, but someone has to boost you up onto the elephant. And you have to give commands like, ‘right ear to left butt.’”

“The elephants spoke Korean,” coach Buckle added, “they were rescues from Thailand. I still have the bamboo stick we used to steer them!”

Looking at her team, Mary-Ann said her Special Olympics journey started eight years ago, when she and her husband opened up their gym to athletes training for National and World Games. Since COVID, the gym business has sadly not remained open, but she made it clear that the two of them are more than happy to remain volunteering with Special Olympics.

With her husband being a retired member of Canadian military (still working for his branch as a civilian), and Mary-Ann working as an educational assistant helping young students with intellectual or developmental disabilities in Edmonton, Special Olympics felt like a natural place for the two of them to combine inclusivity with physical activity. Mary-Ann said she has a “wonderful student with cerebral palsy” at her school, who she helped get involved with a Special Olympics bowling program that accommodates young children.