"Let me win. But if I cannot, win let me be brave in the attempt."
It is a theme that often seems to have slipped from athletics, but it is the Special Olympics athlete oath.
Squamish has a branch of the B.C. Special Olympics. Approximately 20 athletes ranging in age from eight to 60 train in five pin bowling and swimming. The athletes train for meets - and the 2005 Special Olympics.
On Saturday (Oct. 16), some of the athletes, who have various disabilities, participated in a walkathon to raise money for uniforms and the two training programs, raising $3,000 in the process.
"We don't want the two sports we have to fold," said Margaret Casey, who organized the fundraiser, and whose son Adam has cerebral palsy.
When her family moved to Squamish she found out about the bowling program, and she got involved.
The physical activity has benefited Adam physically, social and emotionally. The doctors told Margaret her son would be in a wheelchair, but he is active and energetic.
"He's walking and bowling," she said.
Training for the even also gives athletes an opportunity to socialize."Without Special Olympics he doesn't really have a social life," she said.
Margaret has seen the emotional support the athletes give each other as well.
She was at an event and one of the Squamish swimmers froze in the pool. But the audience and other athletes forced him to snap out of it.
"They were cheering and chanting to get him going again," she said. "The love they give each other no matter what - it's quite neat.
"They teach us more than we teach them."
Deanna Byers, who coaches the five-pin bowlers and swimmers, started off teaching paralympics in Edmonton. When she moved to Squamish she got involved with Special Olympics.
"I got hooked and that was it," she said. "It give everybody a chance to participate and compete."And that participation can really impact an athlete.
"Some of it's personal growth, some of it's growth in their sport," she said.
"My favourite sport is bowling and basketball," said Dallas Gilchrist, 17. "It's my favourite because of my coach."
Jesse Bauer, 19, likes bowling the most.
"It's fun. You get medals," he said.
The athletes really love participating in tournaments as well.
"It's all I get asked about all year," Byers said.
"The athletes have a sense of pride and accomplishment in their life," said Adelle Fassler from Sea to Sky Community Services, which supports the Special Olympics. "They get to participate in the Olympics in their own way."
And she sees the positive impact the sporting events have on athletes who she said sometimes get frustrated by the things they can't do.
"I just find it rewarding to see them have such a good time," Fassler said.
There has been a Squamish branch of the B.C. Special Olympics for around 11 years. The 2005 B.C. Summer Olympics games are going to be held in Comox, and two Squamish athletes have qualified for events.
