LETHBRIDGE – She anxiously waits for the small black ball to roll towards her.
As soon as she sees it, she picks it up quickly with her left hand and gives it a toss in the air before whipping it down the alley.
Rachel Clark is an expert when it comes to killing a few pins. The 32-year-old has been a Special Olympics athlete since she was 12, and has competed in various events, but nothing compares to the thrill of the bowl.
“I’m a two-handed bowler, so I do it very good and well,” she said. “My strategy this year is to try and get over a hundred points, and so far I got 160, so yeah I’m pretty good.”
Clark has a developmental disability and suffers from epilepsy. Her mother, Linda McFalls, says that does not stop her daughter from enjoying life.
“She makes lots of friends, we call her the social butterfly because she probably knows more people in Lethbridge than I do,” McFalls added.
Making news friends and competing in the sport she loves has allowed Clark to be more self-reliant.
“It is important for parents that have children with disabilities to know that there is an organization out there for them,” explained McFalls. “It really promotes a sense of self-worth and independence when they get to travel and play against other teams.”
This year Clark was named team captain, a role she very much relishes. “I always work hard and try to make sure I get along with my teammates,” said the star bowler.
Law enforcement across Alberta are taking an icy dip into a freezing waters for the annual Polar Plunge, raising funds for more than 3,000 Special Olympians across the province.
Visit the Polar Plunge website for more information to register or donate.
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