How Special Olympics Helped a Proud Father Regain his Motivation

As the owner of his own business for over three decades, Martin said he used to 80 hour work weeks, and still volunteers in Special Olympics Quebec (SOQ) as his hobby. His work ethic has been passed on to his daughter Maude, who is in high school studying towards her diploma. Martin said he is proud of how far she advanced within three years—going from Grade 5 level learning to Grade 9—and that she works weekends at the IGA supermarket. Maude also trains in no less than five Special Olympics sports! 

Currently, she participates in bocce, powerlifting, racquetball, cross-country skiing, and golf, while in the past she also did rhythmic gymnastics. Sometimes Maude’s teams ran short on coaches, which is when they first reached out to Martin asking him to fill the gap. Having previously volunteered in firefighting, he felt motivated to help the local Special Olympics programs when he saw all the good they bring their athletes. 

“I loved being part of the practice and clowning around with the athletes.” Martin said. “Even on the weeks when I wasn't needed, I was sad that I couldn't play with the athletes.”  

Several teams practice in Martin’s personally-crafted gym, from powerlifters, to skiers waiting for fresh snow to fall on their nearby hills. Understandably, Martin’s dedication to SOQ has lead to his appointment as the Haut-Richelieu Region’s Events Manager. On top of his coaching, this means Martin also organizes logistics for tournaments, fundraising events like the LETR Polar Plunge, and even birthday parties for athletes!

Outside of the benefits that his daughters enjoy by being part of Special Olympics, Martin credits the organization with changing his outlook on life.