The Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in St. Albert promises to be a life-altering experience for the athletes, spectators and volunteers involved in the multi-sport competition.
“It’s an athletic event like no other,” said Dan MacLennan, chair of the Games Organizing Committee. “Everything to do with the games is incredibly positive.”
The Feb. 28 to March 3 event will feature more than 650 athletes from all 10 provinces and two territories as they compete for medals in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing and speed skating.
The games are also a qualifier for the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
“These athletes have trained incredibly hard at an elite level to come through their provincial qualification processes. They’re training just as hard as any other athlete for their national games,” MacLennan said. “They will amaze you with their athletic abilities and people performing at their absolute best. The sportsmanship, camaraderie and general feelings of the games are incredible.”
All the sports venues are in St. Albert, except for alpine skiing at Marmot Basin in Jasper.
“In Jasper they’re getting psyched for their portion. They’ve come on board and have been great,” MacLennan said.
In preparation for the games, Team Alberta will stage a training camp in St. Albert from Jan. 13 to 15.
“It will be a great opportunity for everyone involved to get into the spirit of the games,” MacLennan said.
Over the next two months the organizing committee plans to raise the profile of the games.
“There are a lot of things in place to ramp that up,” MacLennan said. “The committees and the volunteers on them are going full bore. They’re doing an amazing amount of work and there is going to be work to do right up to the games.”
St. Albert was awarded the seventh national winter competition on Dec. 1, 2009.
“It’s been an incredible challenge. There are a lot of people who have learned a lot through the process. I know I feel I have,” MacLennan said. “There is certainly a lot of work involved. I know everybody is looking forward to the games but there will be a lot of people looking forward to sleeping in the day after the games.”
The game plan for the organizing committee is to make the event a memorable success while showcasing St. Albert to the rest of Canada.
“One of the things we sat down and kind of blue skied it at the beginning, along with the provincial office and the national office, was that we wanted to make it the best experience possible for the athletes and their teams and coaches,” MacLennan said. “It’s also a national marketing opportunity as well. It will be featured on TSN, like the [Continental Cup] curling event in St. Albert. We’re also finding the media is picking up interest and when these athletes start pouring in with their own stories, the interest in the games is only going to get stronger.”
MacLennan believes the games are in good shape with an army of volunteers leading the way.
“It’s unbelievable the people who come forward. A lot of people who are volunteering in the St. Albert [Special Olympics] chapter are helping us. Those people are going out all the time with the St. Albert athletes. They’re just everyday heroes,” he said.
The biggest challenge during the games is bringing individuals together to cheer on the athletes.
“We want people to consider taking a day or an afternoon off during the games to come out and watch the athletes. We’re hoping employers in St. Albert encourage people to go out and watch some stuff because it’s going to be a challenge with so many events being during the day and most people having regular day jobs,” MacLennan said. “We want to make sure that there are bums in the seats and standing up and cheering out of those seats while enjoying these athletes. It’s time well spent.”
For more information about the games, call 780-458-4564 or visit www.stalbert2012.ca.
