COACHES NEWSLETTER

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This is the May edition of the Coaches Newsletter that is shared with coaches, educators and volunteers. Be sure to follow Special Olympics Ontario on social media for continued updates or visit www.specialolympicsontario.com for additional information.

Meet Duane Carson

Duane Carson has been a coach and volunteer for the Newmarket and Area Special Olympics for over 35 years. He is an active participant in both Powerlifting and Swimming and is dedicated to supporting the athletes in their sports journeys.

What Duane looks forward to most about Special Olympics is the camaraderie he experiences with the athletes "They are so accepting and open-minded, I enjoy creating a comfortable environment that is free from judgment" says Duane. Coaching allows Duane to be his true self, he finds joy in helping athletes grow and develop their skills and not just in sports but in life as well.

Support Your SOO Athletes By Visiting Your Local Store!

Calling all the Special Olympics Ontario community!

Each year, Empire Company (Sobeys Inc), the movement’s largest corporate partner, runs an in-store campaign to raise funds in support of Special Olympics in Canada. Last year's campaign raised an incredible $1.2M to fund local Special Olympics community sport programs, supporting thousands of athletes with an intellectual disability across Canada.

Please mark off June 1st - 8th in your calendar to make a visit to your local Sobeys banner stores (Safeway, Sobeys and Foodland) to help make this our most successful campaign ever. With a shorter campaign duration this year, we encourage you to invite at least five friends and family to join you!

Don't forget to take a picture and tag Special Olympics Ontario, Safeway, Sobeys or Foodland after your visit!

Virtual Meet and Greet: Nutrition Services with Jackie Silver

We will be hosting a virtual meet and greet opportunity for nutrition and healthy eating services on Tuesday, May 30th, 7-8 pm.

Jackie is a Registered Dietician who provides virtual nutrition counseling, consulting services, and educational blog content tailored to the neurodivergent community through a weight-inclusive lens. Her private practice, Jackie Silver Nutrition, serves kids, teens, and adults with autism, ADHD, or intellectual/developmental disabilities.

Provincial Qualifier/Squat Conference Success!

We are thrilled to share the exciting highlights from the recent Provincial Qualifier for Powerlifting, known as the Squat Conference! This exhilarating event took place in Kingston, Ontario. Competitors from various clubs gathered to showcase their strength and determination, aiming to secure a spot in the upcoming championships.

Among the dedicated powerlifters, one remarkable figure caught our attention - Michael Douglas, coach of Downtown Muscle, a renowned club based in Toronto. The picture captures a moment of triumph as Michael motivates and guides his team towards achieving their powerlifting goals. Stay tuned for more updates on this thrilling powerlifting journey.

Hometown Games 

More Hometown Games are happening across the province!

HAPPENING THIS MONTH

MAY 27

Sarina Powerlifting (PQ) 

MAY 28

Guelph Tenpin Bowling (PQ) 



Don't see an upcoming Hometown Games near you? Stay tuned to your emails and our social media channels for more dates and locations coming soon! We can't wait to see you back on the playing field!

2023 Provincial Sport Award Nominations Now Open!

It’s time to nominate and select the 2023 Special Olympics Ontario Provincial Awards winners! (for the period of July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023). We are once again looking for deserving athletes, coaches, and volunteers in various categories, so please nominate any deserving candidates. 

To nominate athletes and volunteers please visit our Provincial Awards Site and submit your nomination on the online forms provided. Please note that the deadline date is Friday, June 16, 2023.

There is a helpful checklist on the main page of the awards site detailing some of the key information you will need when submitting a nomination. 

If you require assistance with any of the required information or would like some help putting together the nomination (including access to a particular nominees’ previous application to use in re-submission), please reach out to us and we’ll be happy to help. 

We also ask that you please share this information within your community. We aim to have a wide variety of nominees from all over the province. This is a great way to recognize people in your community who make a significant difference.

Special Olympics Ontario is home to an incredible group of athletes, coaches, and volunteers, and we aim to spotlight some of the very deserving individuals and teams that represent SOO. 

Please note that we will not be accepting nominations from family members. 

For further information / concerns, please contact the SOO Awards Team at SOOAwards@specialolympicsontario.ca. 

2024 Provincial Spring Games Update

Games Advancement Process 



Final quota numbers and advancement processes for the 2024 Provincial Spring Games have been finalized. For a full breakdown, please visit the SOO’s Games website. 

Results Submissions Open 

Results submissions for all returning 2020 Provincial Games athletes are now open. The submission form can be found on the Games site. 

Register for an SOC Competition Course!

SOO will be hosting a number of SOC Competition Coach Courses this spring. The goals of the Competition Course are preparation for local, district, or provincial competition with the primary focus on safety, fun, fitness, fundamentals, and performance as well as basic skills of the sport. The course is a prerequisite for any coaches hoping to attend Provincial, National or World level Games. 

MAY 27- North Bay [SPOTS OPEN]

Share Your Story 

For the chance to have your athletes' Special Olympics stories featured in a future newsletter, social media post, or campaign, submit your information on our Athlete Profile Form!

Fill out your information, tell us your story, and submit a photo of you participating in Special Olympics, or include a headshot.

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