LaSalle-Windsor Special Olympics in dire need of volunteers

As a bowler, golfer, snowshoer, basketball player and hockey player, Matthew Cormier is a seasoned athlete under the Lasalle-Windsor Special Olympics — but if he were to apply as a player for one of those sports today, he would likely end up on a waitlist.

It's not because there are too many people expressing interest in becoming Special Olympics athletes. Rather, there are not enough volunteer coaches stepping up to the plate.

"It'd be nice if we were able to recruit new coaches so that we could run the sports," said Cormier.

"We have athletes that want to do some of our sports, but for whatever reason, we're just just lacking in the number of coaches lately."

Cormier, 32, is one of approximately 120 athletes under the LaSalle-Windsor Special Olympics banner.

According to officials with the organization, there were about 100 volunteer coaches overseeing its athletes.

That number has dropped to around 60 following the pandemic.

"They help us with our sports, because then we're able to practice, go to tournaments and it gives us more to do," said Cormier. "We end up making more friends across the province and within our own community."

According to coach Bill Magone, floor hockey and snowshoeing, two of the organization's 12 sport programs, have zero coaches to assist.Coach Bill with the LaSalle-Windsor Special Olympics, in Windsor, Ont., on Thursday, June 15, 2023. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)

"More athletes are coming now," he said. "We need more coaches per team."

Magone, who said athlete interest has surged this year, said each sport operates under a "ratio" where, for example, there must be one coach for every four or five athletes.

While the organization would be happy to see its volunteer rate rebound to pre-pandemic levels, Magone said there is no limit to how many they can accept.

"For our top-tier baseball team, we could use more athletes — but because we don't have enough coaches, it's hard to recruit the athletes," said Magone.

"Without the volunteers, the athletes have no place to go so we need them. They're a very important cog in this organization."

At an open house in early May, Magone said, 30 people were expected to attend as prospective volunteers. In the end, just two showed up.

"Luckily, both of them wanted to do track-and-field so we were able to start up that program again. Without those two young men, it wouldn't have happened," Magone added.

As for Cormier, he said the Special Olympics provide more opportunities for him outside of sport. He hopes to see the number of volunteers supporting the organization increase so more of his peers can experience similar opportunities.

"With the Windsor Police Service partnering with the Special Olympics, we do a lot of community events with them. So it's nice to get to do puck drops, torch runs and other events like that."