Ben Whiles
Local / Community
Kelowna
When and how did you get involved with Special Olympics?
I was at a networking event in Kelowna with other healthcare professionals about 4 or 5 years ago, and unsurprisingly was blabbering about golf. The person I was talking to happened to be one of the local Special Olympics swimming coaches, and they asked if I’d ever be interested in volunteering to help the golf program. Of course, I said that I would love to help the program in whatever capacity they needed – thinking an assistant coach role would be ideal. About a week or so later, I was email introduced to the group as the new Head Coach for the golf program, and the rest is history! While I am still the head coach in Kelowna, I also sit on the Local Committee as the fundraising coordinator, and I continue to look for more opportunities to be involved with SOC and SOBC.
Will this be your first Special Olympics Canada Games? If not, what other National Games were you part of and in what role(s)?
This will be my first National Games!
What does being part of Special Olympics Team BC 2026 mean to you?
Being part of Special Olympics Team BC 2026 means that, not only do I personally get to be inspired by fellow coaches and athletes, I get to be part of one collective group that is focused on providing the best opportunity for our athletes to compete, socialize and grow.
What is/are your goal(s) for National Games?
My primary goal for National Games is to ensure that my coaches and athletes are supported in every way that they may need, so that they can all have the best experience at the Games as possible.
What is your favourite Special Olympics experience to date?
My favourite Special Olympics experience to date by far is seeing one of my local golf athletes, Ryan, win a Gold medal in golf at Aspen Grove golf course in Prince George for the Provincial Games. He has been working so hard to get back to the National Games with the hopes of making it to Worlds, and I was so proud to see his hard work and determination turn into a great result.
What does competing at National Games mean to your athletes? (Or, if this is your first National Games, competition in general)
This is my first National Games, but competition for the athletes in general means an opportunity to experience the “good and the bad” of sport, while being included amongst their peers without discrimination. Not only that, it’s an opportunity to form new bonds and friendships that will last a lifetime.
What developments are you excited to see in your Team BC sport team leading up to National Games?
I am excited to watch Team BC Golf come together as a group to work collectively within a sport that is very much individualized.
What would you say about Special Olympics to encourage someone to get involved?
What makes getting involved with Special Olympics better than anything else – in my opinion – is that your volunteer efforts translate directly into an impact made on a person or community that you know. It’s not raising money to a foundation with no understanding of where that goes. Everything you put in translates directly to real support for real individuals in need, in real communities that need it.