GUELPH – Since the early 2000s, the Upper Grand and Wellington Catholic district school boards have come together to host an annual Special Olympics Track and Field Day.
The event includes athletes in kindergarten to Grade 12 who compete in running long jump, softball throw, 50-metre and 10-metre sprints, basketball, T-ball and bowling.
‘A great day’
Nicole Wilson, event media coordinator and social education resource teacher at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Secondary School, told the Advertiser the event is “not about who comes first or who comes last – it’s about showing up and having an awesome day.
“All the kids just have so much fun and absolutely love everything about the day,” she said.
“Regardless of whether they win or lose they just have a great day.”
Event growing
The number of students participating grows each year, to the point that it has outgrown the capacity of the sports fields at St. James Catholic Secondary School where it takes place.
“The event is so large that its getting harder and harder to fit everybody at the sports fields,” Wilson said.
To help alleviate some of the capacity pressures, she said officials have decided to spread the event across two days.
Day one, set for May 14 at St. James, will include all Wellington Catholic District Secondary Schools and Upper Grand District School Board Schools (UGDSB) in Guelph.
Day two, most-likely on May 21 at Orangeville District Secondary School, will include students from UGDSB schools in Wellington and Dufferin counties.
The motto for this year’s events will be “Make every day awesome.”
Students from St. John Catholic Elementary School in Guelph will sing O Canada in English, French and American Sign Language during day one.
Spectators welcome
Wilson encourages people to come out and watch either day, and said the annual Special Olympics Track and Field Day is one of the most joyful experiences she has as an educator.
She said it’s an opportunity to “see the special education kids for all the wonderful things that they are, instead of all the things people maybe say they can’t do.”
