Special Olympics BC – Burnaby coach Peter De Marchi believes in the transformative power of sport. In his 14 years as a coach for SOBC, he has seen the life-changing impact that sport has on athletes with intellectual disabilities.
“Although I’m able to provide the athletes with coaching and counselling, it is the athletes themselves who truly enrich the experience with their determination, dedication, and positivity. This is truly something I would love to continue for a very long time,” he says.
De Marchi was recently the assistant coach for athletics for Special Olympics Team Canada 2023! He joined 21 other B.C. athletes, coaches, and mission staff who competed at the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin. Through his remarkable coaching efforts, he helped SO Team Canada 2023 bring home a total of 46 gold, 20 silver, and 30 bronze medals!
Read more stories on SOBC athletes from SO Team Canada 2023
For De Marchi, being a Special Olympics coach provides many opportunities to gain valuable leadership skills.
“Through my experience with Special Olympics, you gain a lot of skills that you probably won't gain in other areas. One of the things I can highlight is taking on leadership roles – whether that's by coaching a program or getting involved in your Local Committee. That develops your leadership skills in your life, and as you're preparing for a career, that can take you into a lot of places – and that's been the experience for me.”
At Special Olympics BC, volunteers like Peter are given the opportunity to empower athletes with intellectual disabilities in a wide range of roles that suits specific needs and skillsets.
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Learn more about De Marchi’s story by watching the video below!