Special Olympians an inspiration to us all

Kings County Special Olympics held its first-ever appreciation night and awards banquet April 12.

The event was sponsored by the local chapter of the Knights of Columbus, which has entered into a sponsorship agreement with Special Olympics locally. It’s a partnership that should be beneficial to both sides.

I have been a supporter of the Special Olympics movement since I had the opportunity to watch my first provincial competition in Wolfville in 1994. The provincials have been held in Wolfville twice since - including last year - and, I have to admit, I’m still blown away by the unique combination of competition, friendship and goodwill a Special Olympics event is all about. The Special Olympics motto pretty much says it all: “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

Special Olympics Nova Scotia serves more than 1,200 athletes in 15 regions throughout the province, with the goal of helping improve the lives of Nova Scotians with intellectual disabilities through sport.

The people involved in organizing Special Olympics are all “special” in their own right, but any of them will tell you all the time and hard work is more than worth it.

Special Olympics predates my time as a journalist by a bit – the first Special Olympics was held in Chicago in 1968; the first Canadian competition was in 1969 in Toronto.

Special Olympics in Kings County recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Our area has produced some pretty fair athletes over the years, including a talented soccer team that has won at least twice in national competition. In fact, the Kings-West Hants soccer teams deserve special mention because they have combined all that is positive about Special Olympics with a real spirit of teamwork.

At the provincial Special Olympics held here in Kings County in 2003, Kings-West Hants was prepared to compete in soccer when the competition was cancelled at short notice due to a shortage of teams and replaced with softball. Undaunted, the Kings-West Hants team switched sports and, without prior practice (and a whole lot of softball experience), not only competed but won gold in their division.

I would be remiss in a column about Special Olympics locally if I didn’t make mention of two individuals, both of whom were recognized April 12.

Philip Brown of Kentville is arguably the finest Special Olympian ever to represent our area, if not the entire province. He has competed in Special Olympics for close to 20 years, and has represented Nova Scotia numerous times in national competition. At last count, he had more than 70 medals and trophies won in Special Olympic competition, many of which were won in national events, including four speedskating medals at the Winter Games this past February. He has competed as a powerlifter (once successfully lifting three times his weight), a soccer player, floor hockey player and speedskater - to name only a few. He probably deserves a spot in the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame. Not only is Philip a fine athlete, he fully embodies the spirit of Special Olympics, having been chosen on several occasions to recite the Athlete’s Oath prior to competitions and serving as a capable spokesman for Special Olympics Nova Scotia.

Allan Fredericks of Kentville, who recently “retired” after 20 years of dedicated volunteer service to Special Olympics in Kings-West Hants, has a “day job” at the Bank of Montreal in Kentville, but you’d never know it from the hours he has devoted to Special Olympics over the years, mostly as a coach. To me, and with no slight intended to any of the other local volunteers, more than any other individual, Al’s has been the face of Special Olympics over the years. A talented coach with the unique ability to manage and inspire Special Olympic athletes, Al was head coach of those provincial and national champion soccer teams, and literally lived and breathed Special Olympics for the past 20 years. Arguably the finest tribute to his abilities is the respect of his athletes, who speak of him almost in reverential terms.