Meet Team PEI 2026 Soccer brothers, Khol and Ronan Ward

This August two brothers will be competing as members of Team PEI 2026 Soccer at the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat, Alberta!

Older brother, Khol Ward, joined Special Olympics 4 years. A friend of his mother's mentioned Special Olympics at work, and spoke highly of the benefits. Soon after, Angela Ward signed Khol up for Soccer. 

Khol played on his first soccer team when he was 5 years old, and had been playing around the house long before that. As can be the case with many Special Olympics athletes who are involved in generic sport, Khol grew out of generic soccer when he aged out of available programming. 

Two years ago Khol's younger brother, Ronan, followed in his footsteps and also joined Special Olympics. Like his brother, Ronan enjoys the new friends he has made through Special Olympics. 

Ronan says that Special Olympics has helped him in overcoming his shyness, and has boosted his confidence.  His new found confidence comes from getting to know his teammates, whom he sees as a second family. He says that everyone on the Soccer team has "taken me under their wings."

Looking ahead to the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games, both Khol and Ronan are looking forward to seeing what new competition these Games have to offer. Ronan says he is nervous to be away from family. Both he and Khol will have lots of support from the stands as their mother, Angela, and 3 other family members are travelling to the Games to cheer on the boys. 

Angela Ward is thrilled to have both of her sons on Team PEI 2026 Soccer. She is very much looking forward to watching them play, and them having the opportunity to play some new teams. She says both Khol and Ronan thrive on competition, and always push each other to do better. 

Looking ahead herself, Angela's message to her sons was: