Team Alberta celebrated by winning seven medals at the Special Olympics Winter Games. The Olympics were held March 1-5 in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.
On March 10, Drumheller resident and Alpine Skiing Coach, Martin McSween, spoke with The Mail, “I just returned from coaching, at the Special Olympics Canada National Games. It was quite an event with lots of fun, personal bests, disappointments and great surprises.”
McSween has coached for the Alpine Ski Team since 1993 and then to the Race Program in 1997. He has been to the National’s five times.
Team Alberta consisted of 65 athletes 20 coaches and 11 mission staff. The athletes competed in alpine skiing, cross country skiing, curling, floor hockey, figure skating, snow shoeing and speed skating.
McSween said, “Marble Mountain was a wonderful venue and the hill was groomed well in advance, especially the race runs, and it was minimally impacted by weather. However, we were rained out one day, which turned out for the best, as the team was able to watch Team Alberta compete in speed skating, figure skating and floor hockey.”
McSween continued “Catriona LeMay Doan, double Olympian for speed skating, presented medals for speed skating and she hung around with the athletes for our last race day and met with our group. Jamie Sale, former Olympian, medal presenter for figure skating, was also there and she autographed one of our athletes jacket. The athletes were able to take lots of pictures of the Olympians.
McSween expressed, “Altogether, Team Alberta earned 7 medals, 2 silver and 5 bronze, which was great, for Team Alberta to stand on the podium seven times. On the last day, there was an epic snow storm and the flights were bumped up earlier. We really had to scramble to get all our athletes, luggage and equipment to the airport.” said McSween.
To learn more, go to http://www.specialolympics.ab.ca/team-alberta-2016
