WOLFPACK SOCCER PLAYERS (CURRENT AND ALUMNI) TO RUN PROGRAM FOR SPECIAL OLYMPIANS March 3, 2010
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Sport Start Soccer Participants
Cassie Drummond of WolfPack Women's soccer with a Sports Start Participant.
Helping promote their sport while working with children with an intellectual disability. That’s two of the rewards a number of current and former members of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack soccer teams are getting as they attempt to start a new soccer program in Kamloops.
It is called Sports Start. It’s one of three Youth Development Programs developed by Special Olympics BC. Kelly MacDonald, Manager of Youth Programs, developed the program and decided to pilot it in Kamloops this winter. She played soccer at TRU (then UCC from 1998-2001). “I was approached last summer to begin working on the program, “ she said “ I had just finished my Masters degree on equity issues in amateur sport programs and jumped at the chance to put into practice what I had been studying and writing about.”
Sport Start is a sport-specific training program for children with intellectual disabilities between the ages of 12-18 years. The program currently has coaching manuals for Basketball, Athletics, Snowshoeing and Soccer, though the hope is to have a Sport Start program for every SOBC sport in the future (there’s 18!).
With the help of Kamloops Special Olympics Local Coordinator Marilyn McLean, MacDonald coordinated a 4-week trial program at the Kamloops Soccer Dome in January and February and enlisted the coaching help of former TRU players Wendy Cooluris (1999-2002) and Kelsi Butner (2002,2004,2006, 2008) along with current WolfPack players Cassie Drummond and Seb Gardner.
“It was wonderful working with young athletes,” said Butner “Many people helped me partake in organized teams and events and it only feels right to return the deed.”
“They were some of the happiest, most energetic youngsters I’ve ever worked with,” said Drummond. “ Hands down, the most rewarding part of the coaching experience was to see their faces light up with sheer pride and happiness when they did something great. It was so fulfilling to see that and to be able to reinforce what they did was amazing by giving them enthusiastic praise.”
12 youngsters took part in the initial pilot program. It was so popular that MacDonald and Special Olympics BC is planning an official session beginning this spring. TRU WolfPack Women’s head coach Tom McManus has become involved and will help run the program along with Butner and former TRU Basketball player Elizabeth DeVries.
“The goal of the program is to give young athletes a place to learn, practise and compete in organized sport,” MacDonald says. “ Sport Start also offers them a space of their own to develop and hone their skills. It’s an opportunity to compete with and against other athletes with intellectual disabilities, build friendships and get active.”
“I hope it becomes a leading example of how much a program can influence young players lives,” states Butner “ I hope we have enough success that we could introduce other sports for young athletes with disabilities and be able to give them options.”
MacDonald was happy to utilize the talents of TRU/UCC players and alumni. “ I was exceedingly happy to have them as coaches for the pilot program and for the upcoming program this spring. Aside from the fact that these players are among the best in the city, they are also terrific role models and excellent coaches. I think Wendy, Kelsi, Seb and Cassie all understand how important sport is and made it a priority to give young people with disabilities the opportunity to play the sport they love so much. Their involvement and that of Tom and Elizabeth makes me so proud to be a UCC Alumni.”
The sign up for Sport Start will be April 23rd at the Henry Grube Centre starting at 4:30 pm . The cost is $35.00. For more information they can contact Local Coordinator Marilyn McLean at mmclan@sd73.bc.ca
TRU WOLFPACK ATHLETICS: PROUD HOSTS OF THE 2010 CIS MENS NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS-MARCH 12-14 TH TOURNAMENT CAPITAL CENTER, KAMLOOPS BC.
WEBSITE: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mvball/index http://francais.cis-sic.ca/championships/mvball/index
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