Special Olympics Ontario golf returns with Hometown Games tournament

Eleven Special Olympic Ontario athletes from North Bay took part in the year-end golf tournament at Osprey Links in Callander.

The athletes put the skills they learned over the summer to the test.

"I like participating in Special Olympics because it gives me an opportunity to hang out with my friends from out of town and in town," said athlete Carlie Tucker.

"I like golf because I get to try my best and hopefully the ball goes far."

"I consider these guys my family," said Dylon Knight, another golfer.

"We are always nice. We love to joke around. We pick on each other and all that. All the sports that I do with all my friends, it's a lot of fun."

The tournament was a part of a new event series called the Hometown Games.

With no competitions for two years, it's a way for athletes to try new sports and get playing again.

"As a transition back into the formal competition stream, which includes provincials, nationals, world games, the Hometown Games events are more local events, smaller, rather than major peak events," said Glenn Cundari, a golf coach with Special Olympics.

"So this is a part of that hometown series."

Golf is one of the five summer sports that is played in the Special Olympics Ontario, and Cundari said the sport continues to grow with more and more athletes wanting to get involved.