EW22  The VancouVer courier  wednesday, february 16, 2011

Hon. Ujjal Dosanjh, P.C., Q.C., M.P. Vancouver South

6408 Fraser St. Vancouver, B.C., V5W 3A4

t: 604-775-5323 • f: 604-775-5420email: DosanU1a@parl.gc.ca

GOOD LUCKto all athletes in theChampionships

Good LuckATHLETESRecycling pays!Beer Bottles & cans 10¢ each

Visit www.bcbottledepot.com

South VanBottle Return Depot34 E. 69th, Vancouver604-325-3370 (at 69th Ave & Ontario St)

East VanBottle Return Depot2605 Kaslo St., Vancouver604-255-4243 (at Broadway & Kaslo)

Special OlympicS Bc2011 Floor Hockey championship hits Vancouver

special advertising feature

On Friday and Saturday (Feb. 18 and 19), more than 300 athletes and coaches from all around the province will make their way to the UBC Student Recreation Centre to go for gold. in the 2011 Special Olympics BC (SOBC) Floor Hockey Championships.

These two days of intense floor hock-ey action form the second of three parts of the 2011 SOBC Winter Sport Cham-pionships, a key event in the calendar of Special Olympics sports.

Part of the four-year cycle of Spe-cial Olympics competitions, these win-ter SOBC provincial championships are drawing together athletes with intellectual disabilities from all corners of BC to com-pete in seven sports. At stake is the excit-ing opportunity to compete in nation-al and international Special Olympics Games: athletes strive to earn the right to advance to the 2012 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in Alberta, where they’ll compete for the chance to move on to the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games in South Korea.

This year, the 2011 SOBC Winter Sport Championships are being staged in three different communities. Last week, Coquitlam hosted the SOBC Ice Sport Championships; on Friday and Saturday, the SOBC Floor Hockey

Championship is being held in Vancou-ver; and West Kelowna will welcome the SOBC Snow Sport Championships on March 4 and 5.

In the two days of curling, figure skating and speed skating action in Coquitlam, the on-ice action included many inspirational performances by dedicated and determined athletes. But the interactions off the fields of play was just as important. The athletes cheered each other on, shared high

fives and made and renewed friendships that matter deeply. Many people with intellectual disabilities have felt mar-ginalized by society and relegated to the sidelines in generic sports programs – but new worlds open to them through participation in Special Olympics sports programs and competitions such as the SOBC Winter Sport Championships.

Matthew Williams, an 18-year-old SOBC athlete from Langley, delivered some breathtaking racing in the speed

skating events in Coquitlam and went home with four gold medals and one silver. He says SOBC’s provincial cham-pionships are an inspiring opportunity for athletes to achieve great things, forge friendships with people from around the province and enjoy life-changing expe-riences. For some competitors, their journeys to Special Olympics Games are their first-ever trips away from home.

“It’s a very neat and positive experi-ence for athletes,” Matt said.

Expect the same kind of joy and the same inspirational atmosphere to be part of the 2011 SOBC Floor Hockey Cham-pionship on Friday and Saturday. Specta-tors are welcome to join in the fun free of charge! The games are set to run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday (Feb. 18) and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 19).

Special Olympics BC is dedicated to providing individuals with intellectual disabilities opportunities to enrich their lives and celebrate personal achieve-ment through positive sport experi-ences. In 55 communities around the province, we provide year-round train-ing and competitive opportunities in 18 different sports to more than 3,800 ath-letes of all ages and abilities, thanks to the hard work of over 2,600 volunteers. For more information, please visit spe-cialolympics.bc.ca.