Join Special Olympics BC for National Coaches Week as we spotlight athletics coach Calli Charlton and other coaches across the province who make a difference in the lives of athletes with intellectual disabilities, their families and other volunteers every single day.
Charlton was introduced to SOBC – Burnaby athletics during her undergraduate degree when she was a varsity track athlete for Simon Fraser University. Alumni, other teammates and her brother were all involved in the Burnaby athletics program. “I thought it sounded like something I wanted to be involved in as well,” she says.
Now, Charlton has been a part of SOBC – Burnaby athletics for eight years. “The Special Olympics community is like no other. The athletes, families, and volunteers, within a team and across other locals, are all connected,” she says. “You can feel that connection from the moment you get involved.”
She explains she loves watching athletes develop goals throughout a season and beyond. Charlton recalls a recent memory at an end-of-season competition, where she watched an athlete run significantly faster than they did at the beginning of the season.
“They got to the finish line looking for us in the crowd, pumping their arms in the air and celebrating with such a huge smile,” she says. “It was such a great moment to hold onto and to see them being so proud of their hard work and dedication throughout the season and celebrating their own progress!”
Charlton says many athletes have goals of competing to qualify for teams. “I've really enjoyed supporting their dedication and hard work to try and achieve that,” she says. “We have a fabulous crew of very experienced athletes as well who are great mentors for our newer or younger athletes, and I really appreciate how supportive our athletes are of each other.”
She has learned a lot about patience, flexibility and leadership while coaching with Special Olympics. “Coaching SOBC athletes has also highlighted their dedication and hard work,” says Charlton. “[I’m] consistently challenging myself to learn as a coach to make sure I am providing the best possible chance to improve on their goals during practices.”
Thank you for the tremendous positive impact you have on your community!