Fifteen Special Olympics Red Deer athletes are set to compete in a massive floor hockey tournament this weekend.
More than 300 players from around Alberta will compete in the annual Special Olympics Floor Hockey Invitational Saturday at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
The athletes from Red Deer are looking forward to playing at the tourney, said Marsha Bredeson, floor hockey coach.
“We spend all year practicing and having mini-games against each other so when we get to go somewhere to play it’s very exciting for them,” she said.
Every athlete who competes at the tournament automatically qualifies for the next provincials, Bredeson said. The 10 Red Deer floor hockey players who won’t attend the invitational have the chance to qualify for provincials when Red Deer hosts a sanctioned mini-tournament in March.
In order to qualify for provincials, a player must play in a sanctioned tournament.
Landyn Brown is the only Red Deer athlete competing in the invitational for the first time.
“He’s super excited,” Bredeson said. “At first he thought he couldn’t do it, but I talked to him about how much he improved and how much he brings to the team.”
Bredeson said working with Special Olympics athletes is a blast.
“I always love being involved, whether it’s practice or going to a tournament,” she said. “I really enjoy being with the athletes … and I love to watch them compete. We’ll have lunch together and I bring games for when there’s down time.”
The Red Deer players will play three games Saturday in the C Division.
One part Bredeson is excited for is the bus ride Saturday morning.
“There’s always a lot of laughs and giggles on the bus trip and that’s always fantastic.
“Last year they felt like they were the Rebels leaving town on their big bus so that was kind of cool,” she said.
Bredeson will be joined by two assistant coaches Saturday to make sure things go smoothly.
“It’s a lot of work. I definitely couldn’t do it on my own,” she said. “But it’s all worth it to see the excitement and the joy the athletes get from being on a road trip.”
The invitational ends Saturday afternoon.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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