In what he calls "the highlight of my career" North Bay golf instructor Glenn Cundari has been named the head coach of the Special Olympics gold team heading to Abu Dhabi next year.
Special Olympics Canada announced the appointment recently for the upcoming 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games, which will take place in the United Arab Emirates.
"These individuals were carefully selected from many applicants for their experience and involvement within the Special Olympics movement. Special Olympics Canada is thrilled to welcome representatives from across the country to lead Team Canada at the upcoming World Games," says Michael Greek, Chef de Mission for Team Canada.
Cundari has been coaching 20 local Special Olympians for the past two years and is a Technical Director of the Professional Golfers Association of Canada.
"To say that I'm excited is over the moon and it's a career highlight right up there with some of the most interesting and rewarding things that I've done," Cundari told BayToday.
"I'm super grateful to Olympics Canada for selecting me."
Cundari has high hopes for his golf team.
"The players are extremely skilled and quite accomplished, so it's not like we'll be going there and coaching a bunch of unskilled golfers. that's for sure."
Cundari is especially excited about North Bay golfer Mandy Demerse.
"She's quite a skilled player and she'll compete in Nationals and if she goes out and plays well in Halifax, she's probably one of the two or three top players for the girls and so she has a legit chance to represent Team Canada. She's a really strong player."
The 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games will take place from March 14 to 21, 2019.
Expected at the Games are 7,000 athletes from 170 countries and 20,000 volunteers. Team Canada will be competing in nine disciplines; athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, golf, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, soccer and swimming.
“I could not be more excited to work with this talented and first class group of leaders from across Canada,” said Michael Greek, Chef de Mission for Team Canada heading to the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games. “Special Olympics Canada had a wealth of strong applicants for Team Canada 2019 showing the depth of quality volunteers in our country. These selected individuals represent the best of the best and will provide our athletes every opportunity for success in Abu Dhabi.”
The National Team Program members will be in attendance at the upcoming Special Olympics Canada 2018 Summer Games held in Antigonish, Nova Scotia this July. The final qualifying step in naming Team Canada athletes for the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi. The Special Olympics Canada 2018 Summer Games will be held from July 31 to August 4, 2018.
These Games will be the first global event to mark the 50th year of the Special Olympics movement.
