Angela Klein
Local Community
Penticton
When and how did you get involved with Special Olympics?
I was about 18 years old when Bob Braaten (past Coordinator) had asked whether or not I'd ever heard of Special Olympics, and if I would consider giving it a shot. I said I would give it a try for one year, and if I didn't like it, I wouldn't do it. 26 years later, I'm still involved! I'm grateful for the friends and incredible people I have met and the incredible confidence Special Olympics has brought to life in me.
Will this be your first Special Olympics Canada Games? If not, what other National Games did you compete in, and in what sports?
I was part of the Special Olympics softball team for the 2006 Summer National Games in Brandon, Manitoba. It was a very exciting experience, except for coming home with a shiner! That was my first National Games experience.
My second was the Summer Games in Vancouver in 2014. What an amazing experience that was. All of the coaches were and still are absolutely amazing. One of our coaches, Collin Berdusco (he will always be missed), said if we got 15 personal best times, he would shave his head. That day, the team really showed up and we ALL got personal best times in our races, and I got to be the one to shave his head. I was heartbroken to hear he had passed. Collin, I'm dedicating my races to you. You still inspire me to keep going, no matter what.
What were your results in the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games? How did you feel about your performance?
I feel like I did my best. When I realized I earned medals in all of my events, I cried. During the last Provincial games in Kamloops, I didn't medal at all. This time around, I was determined to do my best. I lost my mother when I was only 15 years old, and my older sister when I was 29, so this time when I realized that I earned medals in all my events, I immediately started to cry and thought, "Mommy, can you see me? Can you see what your baby did? Sissy, are you proud of me, I DID IT" and I knew they were happy for me. My teammate, Tiffany, high-fived me and said "YOU DID IT, I'm so proud of you (and I her as well).
What does being part of Special Olympics Team BC 2026 mean to you?
New experiences, new friends, new memories to make, as well as seeing old friends (my best friend Amanda lives in Alberta, and I'm SO stoked to see her again). It also means teamwork, cheering your teammates on, in and out of the pool, hard work, laughter, and incredible memories for life.
What is your goal for these National Games?
To do the best that I can, and to know that, no matter what, I AM A WINNER AND I CAN DO IT, in and out of the pool.
What is your favourite Special Olympics experience to date?
SHAVING COLLINS HEAD IN VANCOUVER IN 2014.
Also, stressing out because Tiffany was racing in the race ahead of me, and it was so close between her and this one other swimmer. I was screaming at the top of my lungs, "GO TIGGER GO, PULL, PULL!" When I was done my race, I told her after, "Tig, I love you a lot, but don't ever stress me out like that again, ok?" We just burst out laughing.
Also, getting off the bus after the games in Prince George, I started playing We are the champions by Queen. My brother came to pick me up and as soon as he saw all my medals, he teared up right away and gave me a big welcome home hug. My caregivers ordered pizza that night and we had an impromptu pizza party.
What do you like most about the sport you will compete in at National Games?
Racing my heart out, giving it my all, doing my best, and meeting new people.
What would you say about Special Olympics to encourage someone to get involved?
It will change your life, believe me, I know. I USED to be one of the shyest, most introverted people around. But NOW? You can't make me be quiet, unless I'm underwater!
Please tell us a little bit more about yourself! What else would you like people to know about you?
I am a proud Indigenous athlete. I am Kwakiutl and Cree. I love to socialize with people but I also like my downtime. My favourite arts and crafts are Halloween Paint by numbers. In the summertime, I love to crochet. I am also seriously obsessed with Nightmare Before Christmas. I love to swim; I train 6 days a week in the pool. Halloween is my favourite time of the year, and for me, the spookier and scarier, the better. I also love to cheer my local hockey team on. Quite often at Vees games, you'll hear someone yelling, "HAAAAAAAAAAARVEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAARVEEEE HARVEE HARVEE HARVEE" (he's our local team mascot and he loves it when we yell out his name), or yelling out "GO VEES GO." That would be me you are hearing!