Coaches and athletes after soccer Thursday night. (submitted photograph/Jocelyn Schrader)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

Special Olympics

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May 10, 2019 | 5:10 PM

Special Olympics Prince Albert is offering athletes another sporting option.

On Thursday evening the organization hosted the first night of their soccer season. Jocelyn Schrader, an administrator for Special Olympics P.A., said organization staff hope by offering another sport they’ll be able to get more people with special needs involved.

“What we realized in our other three programs, golf, floor hockey and bowling is that our athlete base is changing and it’s an older athlete base,” she said.

Another factor which helped drive this decision was that Schrader, who has a son with special needs and other members of the organization’s board realized there is a general lack of extracurricular programming for people with cognitive issues.

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Schrader said the organization decided on soccer because they felt it would be the most accessible sport for people regardless of their personal circumstances.

“We knew that based on a wide variety of abilities, people could do it,” she said.

The soccer season will run for six weeks and is open to everyone five and up. Ultimately, Schrader said they hope to grow the soccer program so that in the future those involved can take part with people closer to their age.

Schrader said taking part in sport is not only physically rewarding for those who do it, but also is nice because kids with special needs tend to be excluded.

“All you need to do is see the smiles and the engagement of the athletes last night,” she said.

According to Schrader, those taking part in the sport are not the only ones who enjoy the experience.

“As a parent, it’s having the ability to go out and watch your kid at a sport,” she said.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn