Nicola Przeczek

How long have you been involved with Special Olympics?

I have been involved with Special Olympics for 12 years.

How were you first introduced to the movement and what got you hooked?

I took the Special Olympics coach training course while I was working as an instructor at Snow Valley. Our boss at the time thought it would be helpful for some of the staff working full time to better assist with some of the lessons. I then was invited to one of the SOE Alpine Monday nights and from there was invited to their annual Marmot Basin trip a couple weeks later. The experience was amazing and I have been hooked ever since.

How has being involved with Special Olympics impacted your life?

I have made so many friendships over the years with so many wonderful people. Both the athletes and the coaches involved in this movement are so very inclusive and it is so easy to feel like part of the family. I have learned what resilience really is and all the different ways people approach all the different challenges life can through at us.

What is your favourite part about your role on the team?

I love that I get to ski with all the athletes and be apart of their journey. I cannot wait to get to know the rest of the coaching and support team and learn from everyone else on the team.

What is your proudest moment with Special Olympics?

I have had the opportunity to work with several athletes from the day they joined Special Olympics and help them meet their goals. I think one of the most recent ones was an athlete that was being challenged more than they were used to and they had to work hard for their second place finish. After their second race they worked themselves up and thought there was no way they would place well enough to make it to Worlds and got so worked up they did not want to complete in the final race. Through several discussions and working through why they were so worked up we were able to get them fed and feeling better and were able to get them to the race on time. They really pushed through a hard time and showed how resilient they could be.

What does being a part of Special Olympics Team Canada mean to you and what is your goal for Turin?

To be able to wear the maple leaf and represent Canada on the world stage is one of the biggest honors I could have. My goal would be to see everyone on the team have one of the best experiences of their lives. Whether that relates to how they competed on the snow, the new friends they may make, or the new experience of potentially being in a new country for the first time.

What unique skills or experiences do you bring to your role as a coach, mission staff or team leadership and what drives you to support and inspire the athletes every day?

I love that I get the opportunity to support other people reaching their goals. I regularly work with junior staff at my job in a mentorship role helping them set their goals and work through how they can achieve them.

What would you say to someone who is considering volunteering with Special Olympics?

It is one of the best experiences they will ever have. They will make lifelong friendships and will always look forward to those weekly training sessions.