Five Lakeland Olympic athletes are headed to the big leagues.
From July 7 to 9, five local athletes will be taking part in the Special Olympics Provincial Games.
The games are biennial and alternate between spring/summer and winter competitions. They serve as qualifiers for the Canada games, and give athletes a chance to take a shot at representing Team Alberta on a national scale.
Kayla Nash, 26, is one of the Lakeland Olympic athletes taking part in this year's provincials.
Kayla started bowling three years ago after the Lakeland Special Olympics sport was moved from Bonnyville to Cold Lake.
“I just heard so many people talking about it, and it was finally coming to Cold Lake,” Kayla said.
Although she is excited to be participating in the event, she is also nervous to be away from her friends and family. This will be her first time being away from home without them.
“This is my first time going by myself,” expressed Kayla.
To prepare for the event, she is sticking to her regular bowling schedule.
Kayla's mom, Della Nash, said she is thrilled for her daughter.
“It's pretty outstanding to be able to go to the Alberta Provincial Special Olympics,” she noted.
Having a sport that her daughter is interested in is important, she continued.
“It's nice to have her do something that she takes an interest in. It's exciting that she gets to go participate in a provincial event.”
The support Kayla receives from her coaches has helped get her to the provincial stage.
The same goes for Leo Gagne, a Bonnyville resident and Lakeland Special Olympics athlete headed to Medicine Hat for the Special Olympic games.
The 41-year-old has been bowling for about 20 years, and said he loves the sport because it keeps him active and gets him out of the house.
Gagne will be taking part in the five-pin bowling event, same as Kayla.
Athletes are chosen based on their ability and skill.
Coaches and administration for the Lakeland Special Olympics keep score throughout the year. When the Olympics come around they tally up the scores and submit an overall average.
Lakeland Special Olympics chairman Michael Heurkens is thrilled his athletes will be participating this year.
“They're pretty wound-up,” he said, adding so is the head coach of the bowling team Shirley Heurkens.
“People with special needs, they need to be included in any kind of programming in society that we can possible allow them,” Michael expressed. “It's just a big ‘yippee, we can do this for them,' and help them achieve even greater heights.”
Michael has been involved with the Special Olympics for over seven years, but this will be his first year as chair of the local group.
“I've been involved with the athletes for a number of years, I used to drive the bus for them,” he explained.
The athletes and administrative staff are over the moon to be heading to Medicine Hat.
“They've been looking forward to it since they found out about it,” Michael said. “The athletes that have been chosen, they're just so excited. The energy when we talk to them… They're really excited.”
