Special Olympics volunteers Dave and Louise Holmes intent on improving athlete experience

When the call went out for volunteers to help the Special Olympics BC Summer Games run smoothly, Dave Holmes didn’t hesitate to get involved.

The longtime high school basketball coach, teacher and School District 57 administrator remembers the fun he had volunteering at a previous Special Olympics event in Prince George. This year, he’ll serve as a liaison overseeing accommodations for the 1,200 athletes, coaches and chaperones during the Games, set for July 10 to 13.

He and his wife, Louise, are both contributing to this year’s event.

Dave has given his time as a basketball coach since arriving in the city from Victoria in 1990 to take his first teaching job at Prince George Secondary School. Volunteering, he says, is in his blood.

“Prince George is a town where people step up,” he said. “I came here 35 years ago, and when it comes to volunteering and athletics, that’s where I feel most useful. That’s the place I put my energy into.”

Louise, who has taught physical education at Duchess Park Secondary for 35 years, is helping run the eight-team basketball tournament, set for July 11 and 12 at her school.

“It’s easy for me — it’s basketball and it’s in this school. I can organize things,” she said. “I can run the clocks, I’ll find kids, I’ll find scorekeepers, I’ll find referees, and I’ll be here the whole time.

“Wade Loukes, the College Heights senior girls basketball coach, is going to help me run it here. I’m just looking forward to seeing the joy on their faces playing a game I love. I love the fact that students I’ve asked — because this is 100 per cent volunteer — have said, ‘No problem.’ It’s instilling volunteerism, and it will be fun.”

With experience volunteering at major events like the 2022 BC Summer Games, Dave understands how vital volunteers are.

“When you’re trying to host any Summer Games — whether it’s the sports, the facilities, accommodations — just making sure the athlete has the best experience possible, along with the coaches, requires a lot of helping hands and a lot of volunteers,” he said.

The city is also bidding to host the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in 2030, and Dave hopes this summer’s event will help Prince George make a strong case.

“It’s kind of like a springboard,” he said. “For our athletes to be highlighted at home and in the province — it doesn’t get any better than that.”

Dave, who has officiated Special Olympics basketball games, has seen first-hand the heart athletes bring to competition.

“From an athletics perspective, I equate it to being like a single-A team playing a quad-A team — you know everyone’s there with the right spirit, competing to the end, doing their best,” he said. “They leave nothing on the floor, and sportsmanship is always the No. 1 goal.

“Yes, they’re going to compete, but they’ll compete together, and they’ll walk away with a great experience.”