SPECIAL ATHLETIC TRACK MEET

 SPECIAL ATHLETE TRACK MEET 1987 to 2017

Halton District School Board 

by Co-Founder: Mark Wickens  M. Ed 

This Tab has been divided into four Sections: Part A, Part B, Part C and Part D

Part A - EVENT HISTORY

This section will cover the history of the Special Athlete Track Meet from  1987 to 2017

Part B - AWARDS RECEIVED

Awards I received on behalf of many individuals who helped to develop and run this event.  I share this recognition with you.

Part C - EVENT UPDATES

This section will be for updates that take place, that extend beyond the time I was involved with the planning of the meet.  After 2017 I only attended the meet to cheer athletes on and to connect with old friends. 

Part D - THANK YOU TO SO MANY

I have a lot of people to thank for developing the most amazing Special Athletic Track Event in a School Board in Ontario 

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PREAMBLE

Special Athlete Track Meet 2017 - YEAR 30

June 21,  2017

Time to Pass the Torch 
Thanks to everyone that participated and helped to run this event for 30 years and for always making it a fabulous day for our physically challenged students.

It was always called by many "THE BEST DAY of the YEAR" in the Halton District School Board!"

It is time for me to step back and let our future leaders of this event, carry it on and take it into the future.  What an honour it has been to be part of this event from its inception. 

This can be an event you run in any board of education.  

Hopefully the notes below can inspire someone working in another board of education to develop their own meet for physically challenged athletes. 

Mark Wickens M. Ed

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Check out the video below of my final event in 2017. 

by Jason Misner

https://youtu.be/MssK_CZLvq4

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PART A

A HISTORY AND SYNOPSIS OF THE EVENT FROM 1987 to 2017

THE START 1987

We started with 12 athletes in 1987 when parent Linda Leppek and Physical Education Consultant, Sue Amos saw the potential of developing such an event. 

I was taking adapted Physical Education for my Phys. Ed. Specialist at the University of Toronto that year and joined them that summer when I phoned Sue Amos and said I had an idea.  We had incredible chemistry in putting this together for the first few years.  

Sue organized the day so that the meet was always run along with a Junior able-bodied Track Meet at Nelson Stadium. It was great to have the able-bodied athletes see what the Special Athletes could do. 

THE TWO SECTIONS TO THE MEET

SECTION 1

The competitive Cognitive Paralympic Athletes with physical challenges who loved competition were one section. 

With  Linda Leppek's knowledge and experience we developed a meet that followed the competitive Disabled Sport Ontario Guidelines for the paralympic athletes.  

These were the following categories:

 - CP

- Amputee,

- Blind

- Deaf

- Wheelchair athletes both powered and non-powered

- Ambulatory with walkers, canes, crutches 

SECTION 2

The Special Athletes who participated in the event as a sensory activity were the second section of the meet. We  wanted them to participate so that they could experience a sensory event.  

These were the following categories:

- Down Syndrome 

- Autism Spectrum

- Cognitive Delays 

- Developmental Delays

AGES

The event was for ages 8 to 14.

The Competitive Events that ran from 1987 to 2017

Paralympic Competitive Events 

Track Events 

- 50 meter 

- 75 meter

- 100 meter

- 400 meter open 

- 100 meter Relay

Field Events 

- Ball Throw - for distance 

- Precision Throw - Bean bag or ball for accuracy 

- Frisbee Throw - for accuracy

- T-Ball Hit - for distance 

- Slalom - timed

- Wheelchair Slalom - timed

- Long Jump - for distance 

- Wheelchair Long Jump - for distance 

- Precision Boccia - for accuracy 

- Traditional Boccia 

Special Athlete FUN Participatory Events 

During my tenure these events included:

Track Events 

- 50 meter

- Relay

Field Events 

- Softball Ball throws

- Beanbag throws

- Obstacle courses

- Long Jump

- Boccia Ball for fun

ATHLETE'S OATH

We started every meet with special guest speakers and student bands playing O'Canada. 

We also had the Athlete's Oath read by participants. 

For the 2017 event I had physically challenged athlete and HDSB teacher, Margaret Leppek read the Oath.  Margaret was the my Co-Founder, Linda Leppek's  daughter.  Margaret had also been a participant in the meet when she was 8 years old to 13 years old. 

The Athlete's Oath read as follows:

On behalf of all athletes here present,

I hereby make the following oath.

I accept the challenge of competition because it provides the opportunity to test and 

demonstrate my abilities against my fellow athletes.

My rewards are the recognition I received from my achievements and the 

companionship and friendships I establish during the competition

My involvement in these games will increase my understanding 

in all areas of competitive sports while encouraging others to

take an active part in similar events 

WE RECEIVED AMAZING NEWS COVERAGE THROUGH THE MEDIA

I wanted to design and advertise this meet as a good news event that would show the public what amazing talents the Physically Challenged Paralympic Athletes had.  

Our female wheelchair athletes,  in the open 400 meter race could beat the able bodied runners!

Thanks to the following media for outstanding coverage through the years:

CTV

CHCH TV

Burlington Post 

Oakville Beaver 

Milton Champion

Toronto Star 

Hamilton Spectator 

Tom Dykes 

Thanks also to Board Communications Specialists, for all of their work in ensuring our event was publicized for decades. They were:

Marnie Denton 

Jason Misner

My Last Event - 2017 at Garth Webb

In 2017 we had 350 athletes from 50 schools participate at Garth Webb High School.  

I explored Garth Web in 2016 and other sites because Nelson was closed for repairs.  That happened several times during the life of the event.  When Nelson was not available due to track or bleacher repairs,  I chose Oakville Trafalgar twice and Craig Kielburger in Milton twice to host the meet. 

In 2016, Garth Webb was a newer high school and was more centrally located in the board for all of our regions. It had great field facilities, washrooms, special needs bathrooms and parking.  I walked it twice and presented it to our Special Ed. staff partner to check out with me on a subsequent visit. We decided it was a great location.  

Watch the 2017 event here. 

Recorded by Jason Misner. 

Thanks Jason for posting video updates and photos on the HDSB website every year.

https://youtu.be/MssK_CZLvq4

  

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PART B

AWARDS

In 2007 I received the Halton DSB Award of Merit and ....

In 2008, I received the Halton DSB Award of Distinction for my work in developing and running the Special Athlete Track Meet for 30 years.  

I could only accept this award on behalf of the phenomenal team of educators, trustees, parents, and students that made this event one of the best in Ontario.  

I share this award with my two Co-Founders

Sue Amos, Co-ordinator of Physical Education, organized the day so that the meet was always run along with a Junior able bodied Track Meet at Nelson Stadium. It was great to have the able bodied athletes see what the Special Athletes could do. 

Linda Leppek understood the competitive paralympic athletic guidelines.   Under Linda Leppeks leadership, knowledge and experience we implemented the Disabled Sport Ontario competitive guidelines for our cognitive athletes. Linda also helped with the other part of the meet who were the participants, who we wanted there, so that they could experience a sensory event.  These were Down, cognitively delayed and autistic athletes. They were just happy to participate.  

I also share these awards with my core team of colleagues

They became the backbone to this event.  They were the most incredible team of educators  that anyone could hope to have. 

I could not have done this without you.  

You are a dream team.

This award recognition belongs to you too.  

Thanks to the following individuals for giving your time every year to develop this event:

Corinne Stratford

Barry Koepke

Leslie Davis

Alison Pabst

Steve Morrison

Coordinator of Special Education

Deb Wood

Superintendent 

Brenda Kearney   

A variety of school boards met us through the years and visited our event to see how we were organizing and delivering the track meet for these students.

Respectfully 

Mark

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Updates Past My Tenure 

2018 Update -  A Time For Change 

My whole team retired with me in 2017 which was a surprise. 

The original team had run an amazing event for 30 years. It was my goal to leave a leader and team in place that knew how to organize and run this event. Running this event is not an easy thing to do at the competitive level that had previously been implemented.  

The Spec. Ed Lead, Susan Pritchard had been fabulous to work with.  This transition plan worked from 2008 to 2016.  BUT then Susan retired!! 

It became evident by 2018, that it was time for new people to carry on the event.

It was time for change. 

- The positive collaborative leadership we had experienced with Susan Pritchard and Deb Wood was difficult to match.  We had enjoyed years of positive teamwork. That was not the skill set that was available to us in 2017. This became a lesson in positive collaborative leadership. 

- The meet was developed into a participatory play day which was the antithesis of our original focus. 

- We missed the paralympic competitive events 

- We missed not being integrated into an able bodied meet where our paralympic athletes could show what they could do.

- The Paralympic athletes were being squeezed out of the opportunity for real competition. 

- The board did not have a connection to help with categorizing the Paralympic athletes 

2020 UPDATE 

Starting in 2020 outstanding leaders from the Special Education Department  (Sean Marks and Conan Spruin) SUCCESSFULLY took the lead of this event.  We wish them and others the very best as they lead this track meet into the future. 

Thanks to Sean Mark's, Principal of Special Education for your enthusiasm and for inviting me to attend the event in the years to come. 

2021 UPDATE - THE EVENT SURVIVED COVID!

The event went online!! What a miracle 

The Special Education staff pulled off a miracle delivery of the event. 

Nothing short of amazing!

Thanks to the Spec. Ed. staff and Sean Marks for continuing to organize and run a fabulous event as you move into the future.  

A 2024 Update

In 2024 the event was renamed the Special Athletics Track Meet  

There were over 500 participants  in 2024.

It was still being referred to as the "Best Day of the Year"!

Thank you to the Principals of Special Education who became coordinators of the meet after COVID in 2021. Thanks for continuing the tradition and for doing an outstanding job:

Sean Mark's

Conan Spruin

MY FINAL UPDATE

I have a sense of pride (and I know I can speak for my co-founders, retired Phys. Ed Coordinator Susan Amos and parent Linda Leppek), knowing that every year we still have the Special Athlete Track Meet running in the HDSB. 

It has morphed into a new venue but it is still a great day of fun for physically challenged students to enjoy. 

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PART D

A THANK YOU TO THE

SPECIAL ATHLETE TRACK MEET 

LEADERSHIP TEAM and SUPPORT STAFF - 1987 to 2017

From 1987 to 2017 many people assisted in helping to make this the most outstanding track meet for physically challenged students in Ontario. 

EVERYONE LISTED BELOW WAS AN AMAZING SUPPORT 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT IN DEVELOPING THIS VERY SPECIAL TRACK MEET INITIATIVE.

With thanks 

Mark Wickens 

Special Athlete Track Meet Co-Founder and Director 1987 to 2017

CO-FOUNDER - Halton DSB Physical Education Coordinator

Sue Amos:

Sue Amos was one of the original founders behind developing this event along with Linda Leppek in 1987.  It was Sue that I contacted in the summer of 1987 and said, "I have an idea!!"  She organized the events and taught me the ropes that first year.  Sue organized the secretarial staff who prepared the paperwork. (Gerry Kavanagh) 

Sue Amos at the time also officiated the track events for both the able bodied and physically challenged athletes and did so until she retired.  

She was the kind of leader that would plant a seed and watch it grow, and not want to take any of the credit.  Sue wanted to keep the meet under the Physical Education Department.  Eventually after discussions with Brenda Kearney, the Superintendent of Spec. Ed, the meet was run out of the Spec. Ed Department. It continues to be run by the Special Education Department today. 

CO-FOUNDER - Halton DSB volunteer and parent of two physically challenged athletes

Linda Leppek:

Linda was one of the original founders behind developing this event.  

She and Sue Amos had developed a test event in 1987 with 12 physically challenged athletes.  

Linda was also a parent of 2 special athletes that eventually participated.  

She helped me integrate this event into a Junior able bodied track meet at that time for the first 20 years.  Linda independently ran the scoring for the meet until 2008.    

Little did she know in 1987, when we started this track meet for physically challenged athletes, that she would be developing an event that would become part of the Halton District School Board forever.  

We lost Linda in January 2023. 

What a legacy she has. 

The three of us supported each other and ran the event until 1992. 

What an incredible legacy Sue Amos and Linda Leppek have left for future generations in Halton.  I was privileged to be part of that team. 

1992 - Welcome to Corinne Stratford 

At that point my VP at River Oaks School (Susan Busby) recognized that perhaps I needed help and invited our Physical Education colleague on staff, Corinne Stratford to help me. 

I was being given 5 half days off at that time to try and organize this event by myself.  That was a lot of time to be out running a board event and I was needed at River Oaks to help support students. So finally, thanks to Susan Busby I had a very efficient and knowledgeable Physical Education colleague to assist me in developing the meet. Corinne was my right hand for 25 years.

MY CORE TEAM

This team was the most incredible group of educators that you could possibly hope to work with.  Experienced, collaborative, positive and efficient.  I would give these incredible colleagues tasks and more often than not, they would say it's already done!

I could not have done this meet without you. You are beyond amazing. 

To my team when you read this: 

Please know you have forever left an incredible legacy in the Halton District School Board.  

This team deserves special recognition for making this annual event one of the best ever. It continues today. 

Even as the event changes through time which is inevitable,  you have impacted the participants of this event forever. The memories of what you did and how you made them feel will live on in these physically challenged athletes forever.  You made them shine!

I am forever grateful to had the opportunity to lead and work with such a dedicated group of colleagues.  

You made this experience the highlight of my career and the best day of memories that could be developed for these athletes. 

Corinne Stratford -  Field Event Director

Corinne, was my colleague on the River Oaks School staff. 

My VP, Susan Busby, gave her release time so that she could help me organize and prepare the meet, in 1992. From that point forward Corinne was my right hand. Just an amazing team player.

These incredible colleagues were truly gifts to me and all of the students that participated in the event for 30 years.  

Leslie Davis - Field Event Director of Multiple Events 

Barry Koepke - Field Event Director of Multiple Events

Alison Pabst - Bocce Ball Director

Steve Morrison - Our amazing announcer in our final 5 years. 

Support Officials 

Ray Nordby - Our Boccia Official for our first 10 years. 

Halton DSB Coordinators of Special Education

Deb Wood:

I invited colleague Deb Wood, a Co-ordinator in the Special Education Department to attend a meeting.  Deb was the first Co-ordinator that took interest in the event and helped develop it from year 10 to 20 with Superintendent Brenda Kearney. This lead to total support from the entire Special Education Department. The whole Special Education Department from that point forward was brought to the event to help out!  Quite Phenomenal. Thank you Deb!

Susan Pritchard: 

Susan carried the torch after Deb Wood retired. A very positive collaborative leader. Great team player.  After I retired from Halton in 2008, it was Susan Pritchard who invited me back and said the more help the better. I continued to work with my core team until 2017.  After Sue retired my team realized that it was time to let the next generation, pick up the torch and keep the event running with their own vision. 

Halton DSB Superintendent

Brenda Kearney: 

Brenda was the Superintendent of Special Education. She saw the value of the event to the Special Education Department when introduced to it by Deb Wood around 1995.   Up to that point it had been run under Sue Amos in the Physical Education Department. Sue Amos was one of the Co-Founders but after discussions between Brenda and Sue, the meet transferred to being supported by the Special Eduction Department.  Brenda immediately started to fund the meet and released her whole Special Education Department to work with me on the event. Thanks so much Brenda!

Halton DSB Special Education Secretarial Administrative Support Staff

Special thanks also goes to the incredible secretarial staff at the Halton School Board office. 

I can never thank you enough for the endless time and effort you put into the event. The volume of work you managed while participating in meetings, sending out board updates, managing athlete registrations, and covering phone calls... was outstanding. .  You were the unsung heros of the event. 

Thanks to:

Hilary Francey

Carol Jack

Carol Ahern

Mary-Jane Ritchie

Lori LePage

Pat Plummer

Gerry Kavanagh

Please send any missed names to me through my HDSB email. 

Board Office Special Education Staff 

A special thanks goes to the very supportive Special Education Staff who helped cover tasks, helped make every athlete feel welcome and helped support their involvement over the 30 years that I was involved with running this event.  

I am privileged to continue to attend the meet, cheer on the athletes and stay in touch with old friends. 

The task of running the event in Halton has been passed down the the Principal of Special Education in the Halton District School Board. 

Thank you to:

Val Klempa - Track Event / Relay Set-Up

Gillian Hall

Paige Bennett - Amazing Photography 

Andrew Kaiser

Steve Saunders

Helen Rees - Special Needs Bathroom Set-Up

Wendy Duncan

Karen Snelgrove

Wendy Ritchie 

Sandy Coles

Fiona Hall

Hillary Catan

Bev Miller

Rob Garcia

Leigh Mayers

Lisa Portelli

Daria Hensiorowksy

Tammy MacDonald

Bev Turner

Susan Rollwagon

Karen McIlroy

Mary Rukavina

Lori Wallace

Dawn Johnson

Shireen Stangle

Melody Lillicrop

Karen Wells

Lynette Randell

Brenda Hood

Hillary Catan

Mary Rukavina

Lynette Dwyer

Lawrence Weston

Audrey Driesma

Andrew Rychel

Rosina Richard

Julie Armstrong

Please send any missed names to me through my HDSB email. 

Special Thanks goes to the Halton Senior Administration Team:

Halton DSB Directors

Each of you always found time, during your busy schedules to support the student Athletes at this event. Thank you for attending and for supporting this initiative. 

Dusty Papke

David Euale

Wayne Joudrie

Stuart Miller

Jeff Blackwell - Assistant Director 

Gail Gortmaker - Directors Office Admin assistant to the Directors 

Halton DSB Superintendents of Special Education

Other supportive superintendents of Special Ed. were:

Al Greyson

David Boag

Mark Zonnevelde

Halton DSB Superintendents 

Thanks for attending this meet during such a busy time of year.

Rob Eatough

Yaw Obeng

Dane Tutton

Jackie Newton

Dean Barnes 

Barry Finlay

Peggy Harcourt - Peggy asked me to speak about this initiative right in the middle of an interview for my principalship.  I was immediately choked up and had a tear run down my cheek.  I could never talk about this meet. It was too close to my heart.  

Halton DSB Coordinators of Physical Education

Joanne Walsh

Deb Courville

Joanne and Deb were always a positive force behind this event!  Thanks Team!

Halton DSB Principals of Special Education

Sue Roszell

Jane Lewis

Sean Marks

Special thanks to this team of leaders. 

Sean attended and supported the event for years when he was a principal and continued to do so in a lead administrative role up to 2023.

Halton DSB Principals who were very supportive and were always there to support the event and their students. Thanks to:

Sean Marks 

Gavin Robertson

Paul Vanderhelm

Randy Morassut

Nick Frankovich

Halton DSB Physical Education Convenors 

Sue McBay and Mike Harrison:

Phenomenal colleagues that worked with us for over a decade to ensure we integrated our event successfully into their able-bodied Halton Track Meet. Thank you for working so collaboratively with us. 

Halton DSB Communications Officers 

Jason Misner:

Thanks to Jason for producing the annual video posted to our Halton Board of Education Website and posted multiple photographs every year of the event. 

Watch the 2017 event here recorded by Jason Misner. 

Thanks Jason for posting video updates and photos on the HDSB website every year.

https://youtu.be/MssK_CZLvq4

Marnie Denton:

Thanks for managing our press releases 

Halton DSB Chair of the Board - Retired 

Ethel Gardiner: 

Ethel was Chair of the Halton Board in 2000.  She volunteered to raise funds for physically challenged athletes to mark the new millennium at a SEAC meeting. We collaboratively came up with "Ethel's Run".  We arranged for donations and raised $12,000 for Variety Village. To kick off that years event, she lead all the physically challenged athletes while they made one lap of the track at Oakville Trafalgar High School. Not bad for a 64 year old! That's leadership at it's best! OUTSTANDING!!

I will also be forever grateful for Ethel supporting my application for principalship. 

Halton DSB Trustees and SEAC Members

Thank you  for supporting this venture and for always coming to support the students at the event. 

Please  know I am very appreciative to everyone one of you. 

I coincidentally taught many of your children!

I would like to especially thank the following:

Bruce Jones

Jennifer Hlusko

Dianna French-Bower

Peggy Russell

Donna Danielli

Kelly Amos

Amy Collard

Don Vrooman

Transportation 

Thanks to Sandra DiBenedetto for figuring out all of the transportation needs 

Educational Assistants

Thank you to Lynne Gurzi who was the Educational Assistant Union Leader and the 100's of Educational Assistants and Support Workers that supported students over the 30 years I was involved in the event. Your passion for coaching students for success will never be forgotten. 

Students Officials 

Thank you to the 100's of incredible students officials that ran every event.  

You truly made the event what it was. 

30 officials annually for 30 years!  You were Amazing!!!!

Special Thanks To:

Thanks to the Milton Optimist Club for providing everyone an amazing hotdog and hamburg lunch followed by drinks and freezes this year.

Thanks to Complete Rent-Alls on Heritage Rd. for providing the generator FREE OF CHARGE  for 30 years. 

Thanks to Long and McQuade for organizing our sound systems for 3 decades.

Thanks to John Ratelle of Ratelle Communications Ltd. for who helped to fund and provide communication systems and walkie talkies to help us run the event when it started to grow. 

Thanks to Ross Foxcraft who was the Halton Public Works Sports Field Supervisor and helped me set up the Nelson sports field for the special athletes for years. 

Thanks to teacher Jim Ryan who printed our first set of shirts for the officials 

Thanks to Tom Dykes who always gave us incredible coverage in the Burlington Post 

A synopsis and videos of this event can be found under the following two tabs:

My Biography Tab

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