Special Olympics Team BC 2018 Newsletter: Edition 2

5 days until Team BC heads out to the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Bowling Championships!

81 days until Team BC leaves for the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games!

Team BC 2018 Training Squad 5- and 10-pin bowlers have been working hard and are ready to hit the lanes in Prince Edward Island!

The 56 bowlers from across the province are ready to travel from sea to sea to compete in the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Bowling Championships from May 15 to 19.

Read more about how bowlers have been getting prepped and pumped to shine on the national stage.

Stay up to date with Team BC results and stories during the Bowling Championships.

By Chef de Mission Leslie Thornley

To Team BC bowlers:

We are about to embark on your journey. All the extra time at the alley and the extra fitness training will help ensure you have the power to endure travel days, compete for five days, meet new friends, and create wonderful memories. We know you will be brave in the attempt to do the best you can. For those of us lucky enough to travel to P.E.I. with you, we will cheer loudly. The SOBC communications team will ensure your results are posted to our website for those at home to share in the excitement. Prince Edward Island, here we come!

To Team BC members training for Nova Scotia:

We hope you will watch closely to see how your bowling teammates are doing. We leave you behind to continue with your training. This is when it gets tough. Programs are finishing, but you need to keep training so you are ready for your competitions in August. Make sure you are checking in with your coaches and following your plans. Train hard, but allow your body to recover as well.

Your uniform bags will be sent out after June 20, and we are sure this will help inspire you. It will be your time to shine before you know it!

“I like to meet new people, meet different athletes,” Special Olympics BC – Terrace athlete Jess Hansen says. “I like to keep working, keep active.”

A dedicated Team BC 2018 Training Squad swimmer, Hansen has been training in the Sandman Inn Terrace’s pool because the community pool in his area has been closed for renovations.

Check out this Terrace Standard story to learn more.

We’re really impressed by the achievements of all the members of the Team BC 2018 Training Squad. We love hearing about how hard everyone is working, and we’re grateful to everyone who has taken the time to share stories! Share yours with Caitlin by email or by calling 604-737-3042 / 1-888-854-2276 toll-free.

• Check out these CTV Vancouver Island, Mission City Record, Prince George Citizen, Trail Times, and Victoria News stories on Team BC Training Squad 5- and 10-pin bowlers and coaches!
• Watch this video to learn more about the design of the Bowling Championships’ medals, which represents Special Olympics athletes and the unique aspects of beautiful P.E.I.
• Meet SOBC – Salmon Arm bocce player Kathleen Nelson. This fun-loving Team BC 2018 Training Squad member can’t wait to compete with her friends at the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games!
• Sobeys Co. has joined The Michelin Corporate Foundation as co-presenting sponsor of the National Games in Nova Scotia. Read more about their support.

One of the host communities for the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Bowling Championships, Summerside is the second largest city in Prince Edward Island.

This city of more than 14,000 people boasts beautiful beaches, interesting museums, and a historic and vibrant downtown. Summerside is also home to The College of Piping, where performers show off the Island’s Celtic roots with energetic displays of dancing, piping, and drumming.

Ten-pin bowlers will stay in Slemon Park in Summerside. This is a 10-minute drive to Credit Union Place and a 25-minute drive to the bowling alley in Tyne Valley.

Summerside is less than 30 kilometres from Confederation Bridge, which links P.E.I. to New Brunswick, and less than an hour’s drive to Charlottetown.

Area Codes: 902 and 782

Time Zone: Atlantic Standard Time (four hours ahead of Pacific Time)

Learn more about Summerside

Photo by Doug Kerr

Credit Union Place in Summerside is a 10-pin bowling venue for the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Bowling Championships. This multi-purpose facility is one of the most technologically advanced and versatile venues in Canada.

Along with bowling lanes, Credit Union Place contains an aquatics centre, fitness centre, performance venues, and two NHL-sized ice surfaces. The facility is home to the Summerside Western Capitals Hockey Club, Summerside Dolphins Swim Club, Summerside Figure Skating Club, PEI Sports Hall of Fame, several bowling leagues, and the City of Summerside Department of Community Services.

Check out the first edition of our newsletter to learn about Murphy’s Community Centre, the 5-pin bowling venue for the Bowling Championships.

Learn more about Credit Union Place

By Dr. Laura

Dr. Laura Farres is a mental training expert who has attended numerous National Games over the years supporting both SOBC coaches and athletes.

Familiarize yourself with flight sounds.

Here are some examples of common noises you might hear on a flight:

• The sound you hear almost immediately after takeoff is the sound of the landing gear being pulled back into the plane.
• As the plane is continuing to climb the pilots will also pull in the flaps on the wings and this action will make a similar kind of noise. The flaps are what help the plane lift of the ground. You will also hear the same sounds on landing.
• During the flight you may hear a few “dings” go throughout the cabin. These sounds are used to get the attention of the passengers before and after takeoff or at other times to pass along a message to another flight attendant. They are NOT emergency sounds so you don’t need to worry about them.
• Turbulence (or little bumps during travel) is probably one of the most common (yet harmless) things that make travelers nervous. A helpful way to think of them is like little potholes in the sky and just a natural part of any flight.

>> Read more travel tips from Dr. Laura