Ontario Coach “Excited” to bring Golfers to Special Olympics National Games

May 08, 2026

“I love that smile on their face when [the athletes] show that they can do things,” says Vicki Murdoch, Head Coach of the golf team that Special Olympics Ontario is sending to National Games.

I can feel their self-esteem rise so quickly, they’re proud of themselves and I’m proud of them too.

That sense of pride is something Vicki knows well as both a coach and a mother. Like many long-standing coaches, Vicki Murdoch first joined Special Olympics out of necessity. 27 years ago, her eight year-old son Gregory—who has Down syndrome—was struggling to fit in with the local sport programs for other children his age.

“At school he was always the last person picked.” She said. “That broke my heart. I made a call to [The Special Olympics Ontario office], met up with them, and then got the club started.”

Man in a Special Olympics Team Canada jacket with medals around his neck. He has his arm around a woman, also in a Special Olympics Team Canada jacket. Both are smiling at the camera.

After helping start a Special Olympics program in their hometown of Arnprior, Vicki said the movement has become a major part of her family’s life. Currently, Vicki said she coaches bowling, softball, swimming, curling, and golf. Gregory plays in all the sports his mother volunteers in, as well as floor hockey. While he did not make it onto Team Ontario for 2026, Gregory did compete in the last Special Olympics Ontario Provincial Games, and he has been to previous National Games.

For Vicki, watching athletes grow in confidence, including her own son, is one of the most meaningful parts of the experience.

A competitive golfer herself, Vicki said coaching Special Olympics has helped her improve her game, while also influencing how she trains her athletes.

“The more practice I have and the more up to date on different techniques,” she explained, “I can turn that into teaching methods for the athletes. Etiquette, how to have fun and enjoy the sport.”

As Head Coach of Special Olympics Ontario’s golf team, Vicki’s role is a bit different than when she coaches the sport in her local Arnprior program. Her main job is keeping track of 16 athletes and their caddies: volunteers paired with an athlete as their one-on-one golf coach.

“I keep in touch with my athletes,” she continued, “and they’re reporting to me with games and scores. […] Some of our coaches, it’s their first game too. It’s fun getting them on the mend and on the go, building their excitement to play these games.”