Craigavon ski club volunteers help Special Olympians strike gold in Turin
Athletes Lucy Best and Caolan McConville recently returned from the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin with two gold medals each for Team Ireland.
Their journey to the podium began on Monday nights at Craigavon's Ski Ability club, where they trained alongside long-standing volunteers Jill Coulter-Sloan and Jane McDowell.
The club, which caters for people with intellectual disabilities, has been running for nearly 30 years and was originally founded for Lucy, who as a child dreamed of skiing but had no suitable local facilities.
Since then, Ski Ability has grown to include members aged between 8 and 53, opening the door to winter sports for dozens of athletes.
Head Coach Jill Coulter-Sloan has been involved since day one said: 'To stand at the bottom of the slope in Turin and watch them win gold – I don't think I've ever been prouder,' she said. 'It's a privilege to be part of their journey.'
Jane McDowell, another long-time volunteer, first came to the club with her children more than 15 years ago.
'Now, even though the kids are grown, we're all still here,' she said.
'It's not just a ski club, it's a family. You see the difference it makes in people's lives – the confidence, the friendships – it's incredible.'
The club's past highlights include a silver medal win for 45-year-old skier Cyril Walker at the 2017 World Winter Games in Austria, where he was presented with his medal by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The success in Turin comes during Volunteers' Week, as Special Olympics Ulster encourages more people to get involved with their local clubs. Volunteers play a key role in helping children and adults with intellectual disabilities train, compete, and thrive.
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