Special Olympics softballers show off skills in fundraiser game against first responders

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Coyotes got the big league treatment on Sunday, as they were the home team for the second annual Special Olympics vs. First Responders Fundraiser Softball game.

On a hot September afternoon, the RCMP contingent was confident they could stand the heat.

“We’re Mounties, c’mon,” said Cpl. Crystal Evelyn.

“We can take it minus-40 or plus-40, either one,” added Cst. Angie Manly.

“Do you see what we wear usually, yeah?” Evelyn counters. “This is nothing. Piece of cake.”

However, when it came to taking the field with responders from the other agencies — including Kamloops Fire Rescue and BC Corrections officers — it was clear that could be a greater challenge.

“I think we’re going to do our best to work together, right,” Cst. Manly says. “Different agencies here, we’ve never worked together on a ball field, so we’re going to try our best to figure that out today.”

James Spinks was the starting pitcher for the Coyotes. After a couple of defensive miscues by his team — maybe related to nerves, playing in front of a big Norbrock crowd — he got out of the inning only down a couple of runs.

“[I’m] going to try to hit some dingers out there,” James says on his way back to the dugout. “And try to keep on my game.”

Michael Maveety is the fundraising coordinator for Special Olympics Kamloops. For him, this game is a great opportunity to show off what these athletes are capable of.

“They just get to show off their skills. I think sometimes people get a distorted view of what they think of Special Olympics because we have lower-functioning athletes all the way up to really high-level athletes,” Maveety says. “Softball, floor hockey, they have a really [high] skill-set athlete that plays, and they get to play at a really adult level, and can play a real game of softball. They get to show that to everybody.”

The athletes certainly enjoy that opportunity to show off their prowess on the field in front of friends, family, and fans.

“I think it’s amazing that everyone comes out here and supports the Special Olympics team and first responders,” Braden Moritz, utility fielder for the Coyotes says. “I just think it’s great.”

Of course, the fun on the field is a great way for Special Olympics Kamloops to raise funds for all their programs.

“Our programs run year-round. They’re not just the provincial games one weekend a year,” Maveety says. “It takes a lot of money to run 19 programs. Some run through spring, some through fall, but there are 19 programs that we have to have up and running throughout the year. It takes a lot of funds to make that happen.”