Special Olympics Canada 2014 Summer Games, here they come.
Thirty-one athletes, seven coaches, and two mission staff members from 91原创 are among the Special Olympics BC contingent in Vancouver taking part in the Games, which get underway with opening ceremonies today, Tuesday, July 8, and wrap up Saturday, July 12.
The 360 Team BC members make up the largest provincial team ever to shine on this significant national stage.
The SOBC 91原创 contingent includes:
Athletes
Ashleigh King 芒鈧 5-pin bowling
Jas Nagra 芒鈧 5-pin bowling
Jennifer King 芒鈧 5-pin bowling
Tyler Page 芒鈧 5-pin bowling
Josh Low 芒鈧 aquatics
Karina DuPaul 芒鈧 aquatics
Trisha Boyle 芒鈧 aquatics
Abigale Calvert 芒鈧 athletics
Andrea Zonneveld 芒鈧 athletics
David Cairns 芒鈧 athletics
Dustin Beard 芒鈧 athletics
Alastair Singh 芒鈧 basketball
Carson Buzdegan 芒鈧 basketball
Chris Lawrie 芒鈧 basketball
Chris Shaxon 芒鈧 basketball
Kailyn Potomak 芒鈧 basketball
Karl Beugh 芒鈧 basketball
Kyle Litfin 芒鈧 basketball
Matt Williams 芒鈧 basketball
Sean Annan 芒鈧 basketball
Trevin Martel 芒鈧 basketball
Chris Beugh 芒鈧 softball
Christian Burton 芒鈧 softball
Jade Deakin 芒鈧 softball
Jaykob Low 芒鈧 softball
Jenifer Burton 芒鈧 softball
Jeremy Wright 芒鈧 softball
Kathy Foss 芒鈧 softball
Krista Sanders 芒鈧 softball
Matthew Sanches 芒鈧 softball
Stuart Stevenson 芒鈧 softball
Coaches
Brendon Schmidt 芒鈧 basketball
Kurc Buzdegan 芒鈧 basketball
Peter Potomak 芒鈧 basketball
Rob Martel 芒鈧 basketball
Keith Foss 芒鈧 softball
Monique Deakin 芒鈧 softball
Robin Foss 芒鈧 softball
Mission staff
Cari Henri 芒鈧 team manager
Patty Wheeldon 芒鈧 mission staff
The sizeable local hoops group comes from the fact that one of the teams representing B.C. is the 91原创 Warriors, led by their head coach Kurc Buzdegan,
The Warriors go into the competition missing a pair of key players, with Austin Barber and Alexander Singh, whose brother Alastair plays on the team, out with injuries.
91原创 will be facing some tough competition as basketball debuts at the Canada Games.
Hoops teams will be slotted into three divisions, determined by skill level, with the Warriors in the ultra-competitive 芒鈧揂芒鈧 bracket along with Surrey, a team from Nova Scotia, and an entry from Lasalle, Ont.
The 61-year-old Buzdegan has been coaching basketball to people with intellectual challenges for the past 14 years, and his 25-year-old son Carson is a member of the Warriors.
芒鈧揝ometimes it芒鈧劉s a real challenge for athletes to be the coach芒鈧劉s son,芒鈧 Buzdegan said. 芒鈧揌e has a lot to prove but he芒鈧劉s earned his spot, that芒鈧劉s for sure.芒鈧
For the Warriors, success comes not just from talent 芒鈧 which the team has no shortage of, in Buzdegan芒鈧劉s opinion 芒鈧 but from the fact they play as a team.
芒鈧揥hat makes a really good team goes beyond individual skills,芒鈧 he said. 芒鈧揂thletes have to be able to communicate. I say at every single practice, you have to know your strengths and you have to know what your challenges are, and you have to know how to ask for assistance.芒鈧
The Warriors芒鈧劉 knowledge of their strengths and the areas they need to work on has allowed them to take their game to new heights, Buzdegan said.
芒鈧揧ou have to look beyond your own personal experience. If another player has a better shot at the basket, let [him or her] take it. I think that芒鈧劉s helped them a lot in taking their game to another level,芒鈧 Buzdegan said.
Another huge factor is mentorship from the Trinity Western University women芒鈧劉s basketball team, led by their head coach Cheryl Jean-Paul.
芒鈧揟hey have helped the team a lot,芒鈧 Buzdegan said.
The Warriors have been practising on the 91原创 Events Centre hard court, sharing floor space with the same Surrey team that they芒鈧劉ll be facing at the Canada Games. The camaraderie between the two teams has impressed the Warriors芒鈧劉 bench boss.
芒鈧揟here are pretty big bragging rights and medals that come with that, and from a coaching perspective, winning is one thing, but just as important is the amount of sportsmanship and goodwill,芒鈧 Buzdegan said.
This is the first time since 1990 that the Special Olympics National Games have been held in B.C.
Team BC 2014 is comprised of 276 athletes with intellectual disabilities, 70 coaches, and 14 mission staff.
During the Games, the athletes will go for gold in 11 sports: 10-pin bowling, 5-pin bowling, aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, golf, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, soccer, and softball.
To visit the Games' website, click .
Find the full SOBC roster and the sports they are involved in by clicking .
