Islanders will be cheering on Team PEI athletes competing in the Special Olympics National Winter Games in Newfoundland next month, says Health and Wellness Minister Robert Henderson.
Minister Henderson wished Team PEI athletes well at their send off celebration on February 24 at UPEI.
“Our athletes are wonderful ambassadors of our province and they will represent Prince Edward Island proudly on the national stage,” said the minister. “Their hard work, dedication and passion for sport led them to this experience of a lifetime.”
Prince Edward Island will be represented by 28 athletes and 14 coaches and mission staff at the games being held March 1 - 5. Island athletes will be competing in Nordic ski, snowshoe, floor hockey, curling and figure skating.
The winter games will host over 650 athletes, 250 coaches, officials and mission staff and 500 volunteers from across Canada. The games are the qualifying event for Team Canada selection for the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria.
Follow Team PEI on Twitter at @SpecialOPEI and visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/specialopei.
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Team PEI Backgrounder
Chef de Mission: Matthew McNally
Team Manager: Genna Phelan
Mission Staff: Judy Gallant, Jodie Harper, Jamie Matheson
Cross Country Skiing
Head Coach: Kathleen MacNearney
Assistant Coach: David MacNearney
Athletes: Amie Sullivan, Ellen MacNearney, Michael Morris, Tommy Ling
Curling
Head Coach: Dick St. John
Assistant Coach: Brad Chugg
Athletes: Phillip Chugg, Monique Gauthier, Chris MacPherson, John Anthony Laybolt, Shane MacPhee
Figure Skating
Head Coach: Sarah Profitt
Athlete: Alyssa Chapman
Floor Hockey
Head Coach: CY Holland
Assistant Coach: Peter Howatt
Assistant Coach: Chris Costain
Athletes: Art Smith, Bradley Ramsay, Cedric Gallant, Charles Beaulieu, Derek McDonald, Eric Coughlin, Evan Costain, Geoffrey Bridges, Jeremy Wall, Jerred Affleck, John Morton, Keegan Waite, Michael MacIsaac, Nathan Irwin, Shawn Mitchell, Tommy MacGuigan
Showshoe
Head coach: Emily Chapman
Athletes: Janet Charchuk, John Rafuse