Meet Coach Daria Ungurean
Daria Ungurean has been a passionate Special Olympics BC – Coquitlam swim coach since 2019. She enjoys helping athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities find friendship, confidence, and new skills and passions through sport.
Daria Ungurean has been a passionate Special Olympics BC – Coquitlam swim coach since 2019. She enjoys helping athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities find friendship, confidence, and new skills and passions through sport.
Ungurean loves training at the pool with Special Olympics athletes.
“Coming here is super fun for me. It doesn’t feel like work or anything, it doesn’t feel like volunteering even, it just feels like I'm coming to hang out with my friends.”
Over the years, Ungurean has supported the growth of athletes on her swim team like Matthew Chen.
“When I met Matthew, he was pretty shy, pretty reserved. Now he’s not, he’s very excited to be here. He’s made his friends and he’s found his place.”
Together, with other dedicated coaches and enthusiastic volunteers, Ungurean helps create the right environment for athletes of all abilities.
“Athletes enjoy our swim program because of the coaches and the environment they create where athletes feel comfortable to be themselves while learning how to swim,” says Ungurean’s fellow coach Melinda Markser.
“Daria is a very committed coach. She's very positive on deck and she's full of energy,” Markser says.
In July, Ungurean proudly volunteered with her Regional team competing at the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games. Her athletes earned medals and achieved personal bests, celebrating not only competition but also personal growth.
Special Olympics BC welcomes new coaches and volunteers to get involved in rewarding roles.
“Special Olympics has been such a great big part of my life and I think it could be for other people as well."