Special Olympics Trail (SOT) is ready to roll into season and is looking for athletes, volunteers, and coaches to make it another successful year.
Organizers are holding a registration night and barbecue at Gyro Park Thursday at 5 p.m. with a coaches meeting at 5:30 p.m. and registration at 6 p.m.
Snowshoeing will be added to a growing list of sports that includes golf, swimming, bowling, soccer, bocce, alpine skiing, club fit, and floor hockey.
The exciting year will be highlighted by Vancouver hosting the 2014 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games for the first time in 24 years.
“(We are) Coming off a very successful year, culminating with our success at the B.C. Summer Games where we had a record medal haul,” said organizer and coach Ben Postmus. “We have athletes moving to national games next July in Vancouver, and one golfer heading to the National Golf championships this October in Vancouver at the University of B.C. course,”
The Region 1 contingent from the Kootenays joined over 1,000 athletes and coaches at the B.C. Summer Games in Langley in July winning a total of 62 medals: 11 gold, 16 silver, and 35 bronze.
Three Greater Trail swimmers led the way with Sherry Altrogge and Alyssa Berdusco each claiming six medals. Altrogge took home an incredible five gold and one silver, and Berdusco capturing one gold and five silver medals, while Stuart Hawton picked up two silver and three bronze medals.
Al Cummings also won silver in golf, and will compete in the SOC National Golf championship at UBC next month.