Les Andrykew

Local / Community 

Kamloops

When and how did you get involved with Special Olympics? 

I started volunteering nine years ago as an assistant coach for soccer and basketball. I had spare time on my hands when I moved to this community and I felt that I wanted to get involved as a volunteer.

Will this be your first Special Olympics Canada Games? If not, what other National Games were you part of and in what role(s)? 

Yes, this will be my first Special Olympics National Games.

What does being part of Special Olympics Team BC 2026 mean to you? 

I get to mentor and help athletes be the best possible athlete they can be.

What is/are your goal(s) for National Games? 

To win of course. But also to help supply and nurture an unforgettable experience for our athletes.

What is your favourite Special Olympics experience to date? 

My favourite experience has been the World Games 2023 in Berlin, Germany. Two of my players from Kamloops on the Team Canada Female Basketball team competed in Berlin and won Silver. I was there as the Volunteer Family Liaison for the team.

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 time competing at Nationals.

What developments are you excited to see in your Team BC sport team leading up to National Games? 

We have a blended team of athletes and coaches from three separate communities, so we have several challenges ahead of us. Getting the team to get to know each other and become one will be a challenge with very limited practice times available to us.

What would you say about Special Olympics to encourage someone to get involved? 

Everything that you give to the athletes, you get back in the smiles on athletes' faces, being called coach when ever you are seen on the street or out in public, being asked to help with anything any athletes are having trouble with, and in so many more moments.