Special Olympics Canada is proud to announce the athletes, coaches, mission staff and team leadership who have been named to the Special Olympics Team Canada 2025 Training Squad. This marks the beginning of their journey to the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy, and Grenoble, France, from March 8-17, 2025.

After a hiatus since the Special Olympics World Winter Games Austria 2017, the 2025 Games signify the return of winter sport competition on the world stage. Special Olympics Team Canada will compete in five winter sports: short track speed skating, figure skating, cross country skiing, alpine skiing and snowshoe. The Games will be hosted in two locations: Turin for snow sports and Grenoble for ice sports, with both cities collaborating to provide top-tier competition facilities and accommodations. 

Special Olympics Team Canada will consist of 135 members, including 91 athletes, 24 coaches, 5 mission staff, 14 team leadership members and an honorary coach. Additionally, over 70 local training coaches from across Canada will support the team from their hometowns.

Special Olympics Canada is thrilled to share the appointment of Charity Sheehan as Chef de Mission and Juli Prokopchuk Brattan as Assistant Chef de Mission for the 2025 team. This dynamic duo previously led Special Olympics Team Canada 2022, demonstrating exceptional leadership despite the challenges posed by the global pandemic and geopolitical uncertainties that ultimately led to the cancellation of those Games. Their resilience and commitment make them ideal leaders for the Canadian delegation.

"It's an honour to lead Special Olympics Team Canada once again. While the circumstances of 2022 were beyond our control, we are incredibly proud of what our team accomplished. We are eager to bring the same passion, dedication, and positive energy to Turin and Grenoble in 2025,” shared Charity Sheehan, Chef de Mission. “Our goal is to create an empowering and inclusive environment for our team – where we foster a collective spirit, shape a culture of resilience, and champion the unwavering commitment of our athletes as they showcase their abilities on the world stage."

Juli Prokopchuk Brattan, Assistant Chef de Mission, added, "The journey with Special Olympics Team Canada has been incredibly rewarding, despite the challenges. We have learned, grown and formed a strong partnership as Chef and Assistant Chef. As we look ahead to the Games in 2025, we are excited to continue this journey and provide our athletes with the support they need to shine."

Special Olympics Canada is also thrilled to announce that Olympic Curler, SOC Champions Network member and Co-Chair of the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Calgary 2024, Cheryl Bernard, will serve as Honorary Coach for Special Olympics Team Canada 2025. She will travel to Turin and Grenoble with the team, offering inspiration, insight and enthusiastic support. 

Cheryl Bernard shared, "It's an absolute privilege to wear the maple leaf for my third time alongside this remarkable group of athletes, coaches, mission staff and team leadership. Having co-chaired the qualifying National Games in Calgary earlier this year, I had the opportunity to watch many of the athletes compete and was in awe at their dedication, spirit and talent. To continue the journey with them to the finish line on the world stage is incredibly special to me. I will be cheering my heart out for them, and I can’t wait for more Canadians to witness what Special Olympics Team Canada is capable of.”

Please join us in congratulating our esteemed team of athletes, coaches, mission staff and leadership of the Special Olympics Team Canada Training Squad 2025!

Special Olympics Team Canada 2025 Training Squad:

Leadership & Support Team

Charity Sheehan, Chef de Mission, Prince Edward Island

Juli Prokopchuk Brattan, Assistant Chef de Mission, British Columbia

Karen Dommett, Team Manager, Alberta

Kirsten Bobbie, Team Manager, Ontario

Marion Cornish, Team Medical Lead, Nova Scotia

Neil Cheeseman, Team Medical, Newfoundland & Labrador

Krissy Krnasty, Team Medical, British Columbia

Natascha Wesch, Mental Performance Lead, Ontario

Frank Van Den Berg, Mental Performance, Alberta

Allie Wiebe, Communications Liaison, Ontario

Nicole Bonnell, Alternate Mission Staff, Northwest Territories

ALPINE SKIING

Athletes

Ben So, Ontario

Brett Garth, Alberta

Brock Whiteway, Manitoba

Carter Simpson, Ontario

Cory Duhaime, British Columbia

Dylan Collins, Manitoba

Eric Smiley, Alberta

Erin Thom, British Columbia

Erin Wright, Ontario

Fiona Hall, British Columbia

Jesse Jensen, British Columbia

Jessica Larivée, Quebec

Josephine Kinoshita, Alberta

Julian Hudson, Ontario

Kailyn Potomak, British Columbia

Kirsten Haden, British Columbia

Madison Cyr, Alberta

Matthew Fields, Ontario

Michael Qing, Saskatchewan

Ron Greenhorn, British Columbia

Ryan Sorley, Ontario

Shelby St-Hilaire, Quebec

Taylor Barth, Saskatchewan

Victor Siu, Alberta

Wyatt Oostendorp, Alberta

Yorke Parkin, British Columbia

Coaches and Mission Staff

Jodi Flanagan, Mission Staff, Alberta

Mark Schnurr, Head Coach, British Columbia

Corey Fester, Assistant Coach, Alberta

Misty Pagliario, Assistant Coach, British Columbia

Nicola Przeczek, Assistant Coach, Alberta

Ron Struch, Assistant Coach, Manitoba

Saige Beaumont, Assistant Coach, British Columbia

Susan Diggins, Assistant Coach, Ontario

Melvin Lavoie, Alternative Coach, Ontario

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING

Athletes

Brita Hall, Manitoba

Chanelle Corbiel, Ontario

Chantal Chan, British Columbia

Chloe Stoddart, Nova Scotia

Colin Rumbolt, Newfoundland

Cory Beardy, Manitoba

Darby McIntyre, Yukon

Ellen MacNearney, Prince Edward Island

Elouise Stewart, Alberta

Francis Stanley, British Columbia

John O’Neill, Ontario

Kelsey Wyse, British Columbia

Layne Benoit, British Columbia

Marley Gayler, Ontario

Noah Filice, Ontario

Owen Munroe, Yukon

Sebastian Gylander, British Columbia

Sarah McCarthy, Alberta

Tommy Ling, Prince Edward Island

Tracey Malesko, British Columbia

Coaches and Mission Staff

Court Roy, Mission Staff, Alberta

Annabel Stanley, Head Coach, British Columbia

Ann Sully, Assistant Coach, Ontario

Les Sigal, Assistant Coach, British Columbia

Shawn Jesse, Assistant Coach, Alberta

Ty Wilkinson, Assistant Coach, British Columbia

Cindy Blake, Alternate Coach, Ontario

FIGURE SKATING

Athletes

Alexander Pang, British Columbia

Bree-anna Williams, Ontario

Brianna Dilipkumar, Ontario

Brooke Thomas, Ontario

Callum McEwan, Prince Edward Island

Jessica Cranton, Nova Scotia

Katie Xu, Ontario

Marc Theriault, British Columbia

Matthew Lai, British Columbia

Michael Raytchev, Ontario

Moriah Van’t Land, Alberta

Océane Rajotte, Quebec

Coaches and Mission Staff

Samantha Damiani, Mission Staff, Ontario

Tracey Zwiers, Head Coach, Ontario

Jessica Chapelski, Assistant Coach, British Columbia

Mario Richard, Assistant Coach, New Brunswick

Francoise Doyon-Morin, Alternate Coach, Quebec

SNOWSHOE

Athletes

Alec Baldwin, Manitoba

Andrew Johnston, Ontario

Annick Leger, Ontario

Ariel Taylor, British Columia

Audrey Lorose-Rapin, Quebec

Brian Waring, Nova Scotia

Catherine Partlow, Ontario

Christopher LeBlanc, Quebec

Cory Melnychuk, British Columbia

Danielle Pechet, British Columbia

Gaerrisen Freeland, Ontario

Harry Burns, Manitoba

Janell Brown, Manitoba

Jenny Noonan, Manitoba

Jennifer Riddell, Alberta

Jessica McLean, Alberta

Johnny Philpott, Newfoundland

Kevin Dooks, Ontario

Meghan Josling, Ontario

Michael Harris, Newfoundland

Nicholas Skoreyko, Nova Scotia

Rachel Nickel, Manitoba

Rachelle Parent, Quebec

Rebecca Delaney, Nova Scotia

Susan Miko, Alberta

Tony Wilkinson, British Columbia

William Middleton, Manitoba

Coaches and Mission Staff

Ashley Filadelfi, Mission Staff, Quebec

Rachel Mathews, Head Coach, Ontario

Amy Cruickshank, Assistant Coach, Ontario

Christina Giesbrecht, Assistant Coach, British Columbia

David Wilkinson, Assistant Coach, British Columbia 

Eric Lautsch, Assistant Coach, Saskatchewan

Marueen Hunter, Assistant Coach, British Columbia

Serge Gagnon, Assistant Coach, Quebec

Susan Inglis, Alternate Coach, Nova Scotia

SPEED SKATING

Athletes

Ella Robinson, Ontario

Ewen Barclay, Ontario

Jonathan Henry, New Brunswick

Jordan Stevenson, Saskatchewan

Joshua Boudreau, Northwest Territories

Thomasina Payne, Alberta

Coaches and Mission Staff

Genna Phelan, Mission Staff, Prince Edward Island

Donna Bilous, Head Coach, British Columbia

Benton McNicol, Assistant Coach, Ontario

Patricia Swan, Alternate Coach, Nova Scotia

Supporting Training Coaches: 

Cathy Buttler, Alpine Skiing Training Coach, Ontario

Carole Metron, Alpine Skiing Training Coach, Ontario

Edward Tai, Alpine Skiing Training Coach, British Columbia

Isabelle Schnurr, Alpine Skiing Training Coach, British Columbia

Jeff Walker, Alpine Skiing Training Coach, Ontario

Geoff Lowe, Alpine Skiing Training Coach, British Columbia

Michael Duhaime, Alpine Skiing Training Coach, British Columbia

Rick Sanden, Alpine Skiing Training Coach, Saskatchewan

Theresa Garagan, Alpine Skiing Training Coach, Alberta

Chris Roe, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, Manitoba

Darlene Broome, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, Nova Scotia

Darren Chan, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, Alberta

Ellen Libertini, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, Ontario

Kathleen MacNearney, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, Prince Edward Island

Kevin Phillips, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, British Columbia

Kurt Sjolund, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, Ontario

Kim Sjolund, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, Ontario

Leeland Hawkings, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, Yukon

Marlene  Enberg, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, Manitoba

Natasha Rumbolt, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, Newfoundland

Rachelle Arsenault, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, Yukon

Seth Conlin, Cross Country Skiing Training Coach, British Columbia

Brenda Hill McIntosh, Figure Skating Training Coach, Ontario

Cathy Skinner, Figure Skating Training Coach, Ontario

Charleen Cameron, Figure Skating Training Coach, Nova Scotia

Cindy Stavert, Figure Skating Training Coach, Prince Edward Island

Janice Chan, Figure Skating Training Coach, British Columbia

Julie Houle, Figure Skating Training Coach, Quebec

Kathy Pickard, Figure Skating Training Coach, Ontario

Laurie Klassen Horne, Figure Skating Training Coach, Ontario

Olea Taboulchanas, Figure Skating Training Coach, Quebec

Tannis Marshall, Figure Skating Training Coach, British Columbia

Amanda Trenchard, Snowshoe Training Coach, Alberta

Bill Chapman, Snowshoe Training Coach, Ontario

Bingo Riveria, Snowshoe Training Coach, Ontario

Carmel Casey, Snowshoe Training Coach, Newfoundland

Clive Foster, Snowshoe Training Coach, Ontario

Donna Campbell, Snowshoe Training Coach, Ontario

Doug Branscombe, Snowshoe Training Coach, Nova Scotia

Earl Mielke, Snowshoe Training Coach, Nova Scotia

Ian Cook, Snowshoe Training Coach, Manitoba

Janny Jung, Snowshoe Training Coach, British Columbia

Jori Hansen-Young, Snowshoe Training Coach, Alberta

Lena Kublick, Snowshoe Training Coach, Manitoba

Mary Bruner, Snowshoe Training Coach, Manitoba

Maryam Somea, Snowshoe Training Coach, Quebec

Michel Rapin, Snowshoe Training Coach, Quebec

Scott Shea, Snowshoe Training Coach, Ontario

Bernie Cappuccitti, Speed Skating Training Coach, Ontario

Brier Barclay, Speed Skating Training Coach, Ontario

Jeanne Yurris, Speed Skating Training Coach, Northwest Territories

Larry Fast, Speed Skating Training Coach, Saskatchewan

Sacha LeBlanc, Speed Skating Training Coach, New Brunswick

Shawna Pearman, Speed Skating Training Coach, Alberta