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Wetaskiwin Warlords
Special Olympics Slo-Pitch Team
1998 Special Olympics Provincial Slo-Pitch Champions
1998 Alberta Team at the Canada Cup - Special Olympics
Friendship Division
The Wetaskiwin
Warlords were a Special Olympics team that was organized for
a couple of years in order to play ball in the St. Paul
Alberta’s Special Olympics Annual Tournament. Teams from
all over the province and even other provinces competed at
this tournament. After the first year of participating in
St Paul and realizing how much fun it was, two teams from
Wetaskiwin attended the tournament the second year, an “A”
team and a “B” team. It was in the second year that the “A”
team garnered success with some rather accomplished
athletes. The “A” team won the tournament and both teams
had a great, fun-filled experience. A couple of weeks after
the tournament Special Olympics Alberta informed the
Warlords that because of their win they were chosen to be
Team Alberta at a national tournament in Surrey BC.
What Began
As Fun Turns into Competition for Team Canada
Then the fun
began! The coach, team manager, President of Wetaskiwin
Special Olympics Organization, team members and all those
connected with the team had no idea what they were getting
into and didn’t really find out the scope of the competition
until they arrived in Surrey. However, it was time to “get
ready” to represent Alberta at the tournament. First of
all, the team had to have “real” uniforms, t-shirts wouldn’t
cut it. Special Olympics Alberta helped by covering the
cost of the uniforms as well as transportation and
registration fees. The coach at Instant Replay in
Wetaskiwin helped out with choosing and ordering the
uniforms and the team looked sharp in their new teal and
grey uniforms. Secondly, the team had to prepare for the
competition. Practices were held twice a week and players
were brought up from the “B” team to bolster the roster.
A First on
Many Levels - Leads to Unbeatable
Experience Representing Alberta
Eventually, it
was time to travel to the competition. The trip was really
exciting for everyone and for many of the team members, it
was their first airplane trip. The team was housed at
Trinity University in Langley BC with other teams from
across Canada. Once in Surrey the scope of the competition
became apparent. It turned out the Special Olympics event
in Surrey was being held in conjunction with the Women’s
Canada Cup Ladies International Softball Championship.
National ladies softball teams from all over the world were
competing against one another to prepare for Olympic
Qualifying. The Special Olympics Friendship Division that
the Wetaskiwin Warriors were competing in was the Special
Olympics competition to choose Team Canada. Wow, it was
more important than anticipated! Opening ceremonies were
held before the start of the tournament however, sadly half
of the Warlords team missed the ceremonies as the bus driver
forgot them.
The Wetaskiwin
Warlords represented Alberta admirably and the event was a
once in a lifetime experience for all. To compete and
celebrate along with such gifted world class athletes was
beyond awesome for everyone concerned. New friendships were
made, fears were faced and individual confidence grew. It
was a life-changing event for some of those involved and
many wonderful memories were made. This was one of Alberta’s
Special Olympics athletes first participation in an
“inclusive” competition.
Warlords
Face Fears - Make History
The next year
half of the team moved either to get married, go to school
or life took them in another direction. Special Olympics in
Wetaskiwin had ball teams for a couple of years after 1998
but there has never been another Wetaskiwin team able to
reach the heights of the 1998 Warlords. Congratulations to
all of the 1998 team members, coaches and the manager for
their well deserved induction into the Wetaskiwin and County
Sports Hall of Fame. You are a credit to our community!
Team Members
include Richard Arcand, Ken Ford, Trevor Ford, Andrew
Garvey, Nathan Gibson, Charlene McDermott, Cameron McNainy,
Tim Miller, Jackie Phall, Keith Russell, Joey Schwaier,
Darcy Smith, Chester Stone, Anna Turnquist and Calvin
Webster along with head coach Blain Fuller, assistant coach
Gary Ford, Manager Sheana McDermott and assistant coach
Theresa Fuller.
Team Members
Team Members in Action
Read
the presentation speech by
Don McMillan
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