We've been to Kimberley twice before for the Canadian Adaptive Snowsports Association Annual Festival. It's a terrific race venue with some nice wide runs with fun terrain changes, and usually terrific snow conditions.
With snow already fallen on the local Vancouver mountains, hopefully it will be as good a year for skiing as it was last year. But for now, Cory is participating in Special Olympics basketball once again. Up until this year, he has been part of SOBC Delta's basketball team, which is a Level C team but in reality more of a developmental team which was great for Cory as he learned to play the game.
But he has progressed quite well and this year decided he wanted to try playing at a higher level. So he was given permission to join the Basketball program in Richmond, rated as a Level B team. But in reality, that team has participated in Level A basketball as well.
So it's been a definite challenge for Cory to adapt to a much faster game, with much more physical play. His first practice with that Richmond B team was on October 3 and it was clear he was a little lost, playing mostly on the periphery, rushing his shot-making, and somewhat afraid of the fast- moving ball at times.
But even two weeks later, he had adapted somewhat to the speed and physical aspect of the other players' skill levels, and was much more a part of the play, making some good passes, getting more inside around the basket and eventually making a good shot for a 2 pointer.
And the Richmond players and coach have been terrific, making Cory feel welcome and part of the team very quickly. And at first, they were fine with just giving him a chance to get comfortable.
Cory also participated in a Functional Testing event with Special Olympics British Columbia. This is a series of exercises designed to set base lines for various athletic skills such as stretching, leg strength, sprinting, planks, wall sits, etc. The event took place at the Richmond Olympic Oval, a beautiful facility that was the site of the long track speed skating events at the 2010 Olympic Games. Coincidentally, Canada's women's national volleyball team was practicing right next to the Functional Testing event and it was great to now meet a member of that team after Cory met the Canadian Women's Soccer Team, and of course Canada's Women Alpine Skiing team over the last few years.
Cory will continue with the Richmond Basketball program at least until the local mountains open and his regular Special Olympics ski program starts at Cypress Mountain in January.
However, he has changed ski program for this coming season. When he first started back in 2006, Delta did not have a Special Olympics program of any type so he joined the Special Olympics ski program in Surrey, a neighbouring community. A couple of years later, Delta formed its own SOBC local and started a ski program, which Cory joined.
After a few years, that program disbanded and Cory then joined the SOBC Vancouver ski program. We knew the Head Coach of that program and with David Miller - a really good coach with a race background - working with Cory, things were going quite well. Unfortunately, half way through the program last year, the Vancouver Head Coach suddenly decided to impose some unnecessary rules that affected Cory's skill development. So we talked things over during the summer and Cory has decided to rejoin the Surrey team.
So stay tuned for some news from the beginning of the competition cycle as Cory prepares for the Regional Qualifier in March, the first step in defending his 2-time Provincial Champion status in 2019, and hopefully qualify for his 3rd consecutive Winter National Games.
