STEPHENVILLE, N.L. — It’s 3:30 p.m. on a cool Wednesday afternoon in Kippens and Joshua Harper, with snowshoes strapped to his feet, is raring to go for a run.
He’s not alone. Fifteen other members of the Bay St. George Special Olympics also have their snowshoes on and are joining in a regular practice.
What singles Harper out is that he’s the only snowshoe athlete from Bay St. George who will be representing Team Newfoundland and Labrador at the 2020 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Feb. 25-29 in Thunder Bay, Ont.
Harper, 26, started snowshoeing when the Bay St. George Special Olympics was formed 15 years ago. But this is his first time going to the nationals.
The quiet-spoken young man's favourite part of the sport is sprinting short distances. That’s why he’s competing in the 100- and 200-metre events.
While he’s the only snowshoe competitor from Bay St. George, he will be joined by Philip Beales of Corner Brook and eight others from across the province in that sport.
Harper is excited to be leaving Feb. 23 and returning after the competition March 1.
Harper has earned lots of medals during his years in snowshoeing, track and his favourite sport, which is swimming.
Now he's hoping to come home with a Canada Games medal but, more importantly for him, he wants to make more new friends.
He’s also happy Rosemary Ryan of the Bay St. George Special Olympics is going to be the head coach for snowshoeing at the games he’s attending. Ryan, who was instrumental in starting up the Bay St. George Special Olympics, said of all the sports groups she has coached during the years — and there have been a lot of them — Special Olympics is the closest to her heart.
She’s been coaching provincial teams at the national level for 30 years, and has attended nationals with Special Olympics for the past 10. But Ryan said the latter never gets tiring and this upcoming national event is another opportunity to enjoy moments with amazing Special Olympics athletes as they compete at a higher level.
“It’s invigorating to see what their capabilities are and the determination to succeed,” she said. “They’re amazing kids, exceptional, a good group to travel with and they’re like family.”
She has been a Special Olympics coach for snowshoeing, skiing, athletics, bowling and curling for more than 12 years. She represented Canada as an associate coach at the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi.
Ryan was named Special Olympics Canada’s Female Coach of the Year in 2018.
The Special Olympics Canada National Awards recognize athletes, coaches and volunteers who have exemplified the spirit and essence of the Special Olympics movement in 2018, which was its 50th anniversary.
