From the Stands to the Sidelines: A Mother’s Special Olympics Story

Written by Callum Denault, Special Olympics Canada athlete and staff member

Like many parents, Annie Côté wanted to provider her son—Olivier Martel—with somewhere he belonged. Despite Olivier’s interest in sports like soccer, they had a hard time finding coaches and other athletes who made him feel accepted.

Also like many parents, Annie turned to Special Olympics as a place where her son would not be excluded due to his disability. After hearing about a soccer team in Olympiques Speciaux Quebec, Annie signed Olivier up immediately.

“It was a blessing for us,” she said.

Special Olympics proved more valuable to Olivier, than even just as a place he could play soccer, and later other sports like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, bowling, and athletics. It is somewhere Olivier learned to be “comfortable in his own skin,” as Annie said.

Through the years, Olivier—with his renewed confidence—has gone on to graduate high school,  and complete his vocational studies in accounting. Recently, he started a full-time job as an accounting clerk for an electrical design company.

Annie started volunteering as a way of paying things forward.

“I received a lot of help from several organizations,” she said, recalling when Olivier was first diagnosed, “the help I received was so meaningful to me that I decided to help others in need. Since then, I have been volunteering in all kinds of ways.”

Within Special Olympics Quebec, Annie has a variety of important roles. She supports the head coach of various teams, sits on the local council, and does the logistical planning for events such as tournaments. A new retiree, Annie believes her past work experience will translate well into our extensive volunteering within Special Olympics. 

“Olivier never stops telling us and anyone who will listen”, she said, “that Special Olympics changed his life.

Thank you Special Olympics, from a happy boy, and a happy mother.”