Saturday, June 04, 2005

Special O

Saturday I had the privelage of volunteering my professional services at the Manitoba Special Olympic games here in Brandon. I have never been involved with the Special Olympics and wasn't sure what to expect. I am now a business owner in Brandon, and have become a little more motivated to give my time to community events, so when I was asked to help on the medical team I said yes. I was thinking about the event earlier this week after hearing yet more useless talk about the NHL lockout, and it dawned on me that this is perhaps the purest of all sporting events. No steroids (I hope), no agents, no million dollar contracts, just the pure love of competition and the company of friends.
So, I was actually excited to go volunteer today and be a part of what I had determined to be the purest of sporting events. Let me share a few highlights:

In the men's 1500 meter race I witnessed a competitor (who was in second last place from start to finish) break into a smile at the sound of the pistol and maintained it for every awkward step of the race until its completion, at which time he threw up his arms in celebration as if he had won.... Priceless !

An athlete with an ankle injury while in transport on a stretcher to the medical tent was rather distraught, not about exiting the event, but rather about the possibility of not being able to party at the banquet later that evening. In his fragile state he asked that we get his parents because he wanted them to come and be with him....Priceless !!

While enroute to the longjump pit, a team passed in front of us and suddenly were laughing uncontrolably after one team member suddenly stopped, realizing his shoes were on the wrong feet ...Priceless !

I am sure the day was filled with many more moments such as these that I did not see. I came home with the sense that I had been part of something really special...hummm "Special" Olympics....

I must say I am looking forward to next year when the Canadian Special Olympics are in Brandon. I have a new found respect and interest in these games and feel that they have and will maintain a sense of purity that has been lost in the corporate world of pro sports.