By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle

“I’m very happy” says Sascha Bayliss over winning the bronze medal in the individual contest at the games from Feb. 27 to Mar. 2. Her favourite part of the event was “spending my time with the team.”  This included a trip up the Calgary Tower with the team, which all agreed was a lot of fun. 

Likewise for Assistant Team Captain, Ryan Richter who walked away with a silver medal for his individual performance. Both he and Bayliss say they were surprised to come out with medals. 

Particularly for Bayliss as she injured herself during the competition. “I was really surprised because I hurt myself while I was there and I didn’t think I was going to play that well,” she says.

For Richter, spending time with the team and seeing the tower were highlights, aside from winning the silver medal of course. 

For Bobby Brimacombe it was also a great experience and he also enjoyed the sight seeing. He’s also happy with the team’s effort which placed them as the 6th best team in Canada, no small feat given the nearly 50 teams at the event. 

“I’m proud of my team. We brought home some medals so I’m happy for my team,” said Travis Block, Team Captain of “The Brats” bowling team. 

“I’m looking forward to going and bowling the next round with my team and my beautiful Coach Pat [Krieger]. She did a good job with us in Calgary. 

“And my team, I’m so happy and proud of them, they did amazing. We came in sixth but you know next time we will come in first.

Sixth in Canada is pretty good. We tried, we tried our best and also a few of us got injured when we’re there but we got through it and we got through the pain.” 

And on a personal note, Block said he was surprised because he came in just a bit over his average, “which is awesome!” 

Meanwhile, the clear highlight for Angela Flannigan was to hold the Olympic Torch at the opening ceremonies which she adds, was “very hot!” She said there were “lots of high-fives” from the police officers present. 

This included one particular RCMP officer and his police dog “Mike”, who happened to be a friend of Oliver RCMP Sgt. Don Wrigglesworth who works with the special olympics athletes in the weight room. 

“I liked the party,” she adds in reference to the opening ceremonies as the team agrees with much laughter.

As  for the competition the bowlers were kept busy with a total of nine games as well as three individual games each day. 

“We thought we would do a little bit better, but you know, we have our ups and downs,” which includes being injured. Block is also quick to add that on the injury front “we also had an amazing nurse, I gotta put that out there,” he says. 

Pat Krieger the Team Coach said it was a tiring few days, getting up at five in the morning and having to be back by noon at which point they could generally do as they pleased as a team. 

“They did well for being a team of mostly first timers,” she says, with the exception of Brimacombe who’s been once before. 

She also notes that “the team didn’t do too bad because there wasn’t that many points between sixth place and third place for the bronze,” she adds.

Block adds that next time “we want to bring Lee Chic [South Okanagan coordinator for Special Olympics BC] along with us. She keeps us onboard really well and I appreciate her time with us, she does an amazing job for Special Olympics.” Chic is looking to retire after volunteering in the role for nearly 20 years. 

The team now has two years before they start competing again at the regionals and provincials and then Special Olympics four years from now. Bowling is the only sport at the Special Olympics that has no “Worlds” competition to follow because it is a sport only played in Canada.