Athletes with the Huronia Huskies Special Olympics track and field team were running and jumping with all their heart at the recent provincial qualifier held at their home field at St. Theresa's Catholic High School in Midland.
"They were always at the top of their heats and they felt like they were winning the whole way through," says volunteer coach Suneel Saini.
Huronia Special Olympics hosted the recent meet, attracting approximately 100 athletes from Peterborough, Barrie, Orillia, Kincardine, Saugeen Shores, South Saugeen and Huronia.
The Huronia Huskies fielded 14 athletes in running, long jump, shot put and (modified) javelin events.
"It was a beautiful, sunny day. We got a lot of firsts. They did amazing,” said volunteer coach Mary Mitchell, who founded the track group with her husband Jim Middaugh in 2019.
This is the second full season for the new team.
"Everybody stayed in their lanes, so there was no disqualifications," said Mitchell.
Miel (the team has requested that last names be withheld due to safety reasons) is a 31-year-old mother of two boys, who loves running and took part in the meet.
“I ran the 200 and the 400 and I took first in both. It was a little intimidating at the start line but once the clapper goes, you run," she says.
Miel said she hopes she makes Team Ontario.
The athletes who make the team will be announced at a later date. Track times and field distances are factored into the equation along with calculations to level the playing field among athletes with varying levels of intellectual impairment.
The Summer Provincial Games will be held in Brantford next July.
Belle ran and won the 100-metre race. She also competed in the 200-metre run, shot put, javelin and long jump.
"I like all of it," she says, meaning spending time with her friends and her coaches, competing and being fit.
Saini and Mitchell were on the field Tuesday night running the athletes through 50-, 100- and 200- metre races. A few do the 400-metre too as they are preparing for one last meet of the season on Monday against the Barrie Trackers team at Barrie North Collegiate.
Saini is a first-year coach. He works at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health.
"Mary told me about so I came out. I love it. I have a passion for track and field and then this group - their love is unconditional. I don't know how you cannot like that," he says.
Huronia Special Olympics is a local chapter of a worldwide, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing sports training and competition for people with an intellectual disability, says Leni Johnston, community coordinator.
"Having fun, developing important skills and building self-esteem through sport training and competition is the life of a Special Olympics athlete," Johnston says.
In Huronia, there is year-round athletic programs for more than 100 athletes in sports including curling, softball, bocce, five-pin bowling, snowshoeing, athletics (track and field), T-ball and pickleball.
Many athletes play multiple sports. Belle competed at the last nationals in five-pin bowling and she plays softball. Miel also plays softball and pickleball.
"Our qualified coaches and volunteers give their time to help athletes achieve their potential and have fun," he says.
At the recent meet, close to 50 people donated their time to run the event from registering athletes, to timing events and tracking distances.
"It couldn't have happened without them," says volunteer coordinator Helen Robertson.
Local service clubs and businesses also supported the event. The Midland Civitan Club supplied a BBQ lunch and Midland Home Hardware provided all the materials needed to mark the field events.
For more information about Special Olympics Ontario, visit its website: www1.specialolympicsontario.com. For more information about Special Olympics Huronia, email: [email protected].
