From the soccer pitch to the pool, Tessa Scates has gained confidence and made new friends by participating in sports in Peterborough.
Scates, 27, along with 19 other athletes, are warming up for the Special Olympics Ontario Spring Games, which run from May 23 to 26 in Waterloo at Wildred Laurier University.
Peterborough will be sending three teams from 10-pin bowling, basketball, and swimming to the upcoming games, which have been long awaited for athletes after the 2020 Spring Games in Waterloo were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The athletes are pumped to participate in their respective events, Jenn Scates, Tessa’s mom and manager of the Peterborough swim team, told kawarthaNOW.
“Our goal for the athletes is to (number one) have fun and (number two) do their best,” Scates said. “Our hope is they enjoy the experience and understand that hard work pays off.”
As the swim team manager, Scates takes care of team expenses, organizes pool rentals, and helps organize the team’s connection to the community by participating in different events.
Tessa is a distance swimmer and specializes in 200-metre freestyle, 100-metre freestyle, and the 50-metre backstroke. She made her debut with Special Olympics about 10 years playing soccer.
“The coach on the soccer team asked Tessa what she was doing in the winter and invited Tessa to swim on the Thursday swim team. Tessa has been a swimmer ever since,” Scates said.
For her daughter, the Special Olympics experience has had a positive impact.
“Special Olympics has helped Tessa with her confidence and has helped her develop friendships. She is driven to try as hard as she can. She has learned to be a teammate,” Scates added.
Wilfrid Laurier University welcomes athletes, coaches, staff, volunteers and spectators to the Waterloo campus for the event. Hosted by Waterloo Region Police Services, the Spring Games celebrate the achievements of Special Olympics athletes in Ontario.
Laurier is an official Games partner. Laurier residences will serve as the athletes’ village, while the athletic complex will host select basketball and swimming events. More than 750 athletes will be competing in five sports, including basketball, swimming, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, and 10-pin bowling.
“We are thrilled to host the exceptional athletes of the Special Olympics Ontario Spring Games on our Waterloo campus,” said Deborah MacLatchy, Laurier president and vice-chancellor, in a media release. “Laurier is proud to be a part of supporting an inclusive and thriving community.”
Scates said the Peterborough team members have been training all winter in anticipation of the Spring Games.
Here are the Peterborough athletes headed to the games:
- 10-pin bowling: Michael Biroux, Crystal Cochrane
- Basketball: Kacee Quinlan, Candiance Bushie, Jesse Campbell, Mark Crowder, Hannah Goode, Kristin Lackey, Max Lagrous, Cotton Nancarrow
- Swimming: Jasmine Davis, Miriam McHugh, Gillian McHugh, Merecedes Laking, Lisa Butler, Steve Caban (nominee for the Peterborough Hall of Fame), Breanne MacKenzie, Dominic Wickham, Tessa Scates, Nick Gardner.
