Disabled sports coaches to pave the way for peers

17 June 2009

Media Release

Disabled sports coaches set to pave the way for their peers

A simple request from a disabled sportsman keen to become a coach has lead to a groundbreaking and innovative new coaching scheme launched in Thames.

On June 12, four highly committed sportspeople with intellectual disability attended their first coaching session designed to establish them as sports coaches responsible for training athletes participating in the Special Olympics nationals in Palmerston North in December.

Peter Moyes, Paul Rolten, Mark Cobbs and Frances Bevan are the four trailblazers now working with their Tauranga-based New Zealand Indoor Bowls coach Craig Whiteside.

All four are Thames Valley A-grade players who will do themselves proud says Supported Life Style Hauraki Trust CEO Peter Rutherford who championed their cause from the day that Peter Moyes first mooted the idea.

Mr Rutherford says when he looked into it and discovered it was possible he was delighted to find Mr Whiteside would be happy to take on the challenge.

“I’ve coached Special Olympians for some years and have been overwhelmed by the athletes’ commitment and the spirit in which they play the game,” says Mr Whiteside.

“The thrill of taking a team of Special Olympics indoor bowlers to the nationals and seeing them all win medals, has been as thrilling as winning a national title myself.

“The Thames Valley Special Olympians have always competed with pride and enthusiasm at regionals and ribbon days. As an opposition coach I have witnessed their passion so it’s great to now be working with them.”

And it’s a move that Special Olympics New Zealand fully endorses and will watch with interest over the coming months says Special Olympics New Zealand CEO Kathy Gibson.

“Were always keen to find ways for the athletes to stretch themselves and reach their full potential and this coaching scheme is a perfect opportunity for them to do so.”

Following its inception in 1994, the Supported Life Style Hauraki Trust has been closely involved with Special Olympics New Zealand.

“We have two sports participants competing in the golf event at this year’s nationals and two more competing in the athletics event,” Mr Rutherford says.

“Most of our members are involved bocce and indoor bowls (18 in all). Of those, four will compete in the bocce competitions and eight have qualified for the indoor bowls event.

“The athletes take great pride in their Special Olympics uniforms and they relish the companionship they derive from their participation.

“There’s something magic about it all. Supported Life Style ignores any inappropriate behaviour that might happen but praises to the hilt their good behaviour.

“Likewise, Special Olympics views everyone a winner so it’s a win-win for all concerned.”

“As far as our four new coaches go, I expect them all to be on top of their game by the time we attend the nationals in December.”

Once a week the lifestylers as they call themselves, play indoor bowls at Thames Salvation Army Church hall. Further to this they meet once a month as the Special Olympics team playing against athletes within the Thames Valley community.

Mr Rutherford says one challenge they have to cope with is the fact that Thames Valley is quite a long way from the teams they compete with in Rotorua, Hamilton, Tauranga and Auckland but they’re happy to travel the distances and hoping to raise funds to buy a larger vehicle so more can participate.

“All four of our new coaches are very reliable. They’re in their late 20s and 30s and great at getting themselves out of bed, arriving on time and focusing on what they have to achieve.”

Mr Rutherford says he hopes to see Special Olympics New Zealand running the Special Olympics Thames team one day for the simple reason that it would help alleviate their relative isolation from other Special Olympics teams. In the meantime he says they have some great volunteers doing a sterling job.

Frances Bevan is also a pivotal part of the effort. She emails the lifestylers who have their own email accounts to inform them of meeting times and social trips coming up. “She also organises me,” says Mr Rutherford.

ENDS

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