Saskatchewan Athlete Overcomes Mental Health Challenges, Finds Belonging in Special Olympics

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

“I grew up in the foster care system,” he continued, “and experienced mental health challenges, and I felt like I was burden on my mom and blamed myself for her alcoholism.”

Open about having Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), Dextyn said he also lives with multiple mental health disorders, including schizophrenia and PTSD. Growing up “in and out of the psych ward”, Dextyn suffered from hallucinations of things that were not truly there, as well as suicidal thoughts. Fortunately, as of today, Dextyn said he is medicated and therefore no longer experiences these harrowing symptoms.

“I used to see delusions,” he recalled, “things would appear and disappear. […] human beings, voices in my head, a lot of different things.”

“It was scary at times, I had to reach out for help and luckily enough I had support around me.”

On top of being accommodated for his FASD, Dextyn said Tyler Kowalksi—head coach of the Special Olympics Prince Albert floor hockey team for as long as Dextyn has been a player—is also aware of his other mental-health related needs.

“Disabilities are part of life,” Dextyn said, “obviously not everyone is going to be normal or okay, but when you have support from your coaches and teammates, it makes for a healthy long career.”

As many Special Olympics teams are across Canada, Dextyn’s floor hockey team is transitioning from its traditional ringette-style game to the new Special Olympics Canada sport of floorball, which includes rubber balls and sticks shaped similarly to those of ice hockey. For the most part, Dextyn said he is excited about the changes.

“I’ll be sad to see it go since I stared out as floor hockey player,” Dextyn said, adding, “floor ball gives us another chance to make it to Team Canada and represent our provinces/regions.”

Describing the “smiles on the coaches and athletes” he sees whenever he walks into the gym, Dextyn made it clear that he’ll be happy to follow his team no matter where their sports take them.

“It’s a close-knit group, but in Prince Albert we have a chance to win any given day.”

Applying the things he learned as a Special Olympics athlete, Dextyn works for the Prince Albert Ball Hockey League as an associate coordinator. A youth league for players under the age of 18, Dextyn said the Prince Albert Ball Hockey Leagues hires him to make sure the games run smoothly and be a “supportive advocate for the youth.” Outside of work, he also enjoys volunteering with the community, acting as Smokey Bear to spread awareness on fire safety, and helping MADD reduce the amount of drunk driving incidents.