Five Comox Valley residents are among 71 members of Team B.C. that will trek across the country for the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Bowling Championships, May 15-19 in Prince Edward Island.
Linda Careless, Trevor Carter, Randy Bates and Nicholas Mitchell will compete in five-pin bowling, while Courtenay resident Debbie McCooey is part of the coaching staff. They qualified for the provincial squad after strong performances last year at the Special Olympics BC Summer Games in Kamloops.
“Team B.C. 2018 bowlers are ready to hit the lanes and represent their province with pride,” says Leslie Thornley, Chef de Mission. “These athletes have been training very hard to elevate their performance, and this will be an excellent opportunity for them to show their skills and sportsmanship on the national stage.”
After nationals, the team will prepare for the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games July 31-Aug. 4 in Antigonish, N.S.
The national competition includes 10-pin bowling, from which the top athletes will represent Canada at the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi.
The nationals will mark a big change for five-pin bowling, which will move into the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games cycle.
Special Olympics BC is dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities through sport. It provides year-round training and competitions in 18 sports to more than 4,600 athletes in 55 communities, with help from nearly 4,000 volunteers.
www.specialolympics.bc.ca
