Photo: Almaguin Special Olympics Softball Team posing at home plate after winning gold and becoming Provincial Champions at the Brantford 2025 Special Olympics Ontario Summer Games.
The Almaguin Highlands Special Olympics softball team is heading west this summer, and they are doing so with more than wins on the scoreboard.
They’re carrying the pride of their region, their province, and a tight-knit team culture built on trust, perseverance, and friendship.
After capturing a regional championship in 2024 and following it up with a provincial title in 2025, the team officially earned its spot at the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat, Alberta, in August.
For athletes like Ethen and Stefanie, the journey to nationals represents years of growth, commitment, and shared experience.
“Our team is made of power,” explained Ethen Corrigan. “We’re one tight family… we help each other out.”
That sense of family extends beyond the diamond. Corrigan has been with the team for five years and was excited to share how their team supports one another despite their differing abilities and challenges.
“We’re a big family,” he said. “We have to be aware that people might have different things, and we look out for each other.”
Teammate Stefanie Carleton echoed those sentiments, describing the excitement of qualifying for nationals and the thrill of traveling outside Ontario with her teammates.
Carleton has been a part of the team since 2008. She started because she likes the sport and wanted to be active.
“It felt really good, we just stood there looking at each other, like did we just do it?” said Carleton of qualifying for nationals, while adding that their goal for August will be: “To beat all the other teams.”
Behind the scenes, the athletes’ growth has been guided by a coaching staff rooted in friendship and community. Coach Chris Joiner, one of three longtime friends who volunteer as coaches, said the most rewarding part has been watching the athletes realize what they’re capable of.
“They really work hard,” Joiner said. “To see them win provincials and accomplish that goal, it was pretty emotional. Even for me.”
The road to nationals began decades ago, with a community commitment to inclusion, sport, and opportunity. According to Joiner, the roots of the Almaguin Special Olympics softball program stretch back to around 1980, when Larry and Pat Sollman helped establish Special Olympics programming in the Almaguin area.
Their efforts laid the groundwork for what would become a long-standing local program, built and sustained by families, volunteers, and athletes.
The team’s competitive journey has been marked by patience and progression. Joiner explained that after attending the national games in Nova Scotia in 2018, the program entered a transition period as leadership responsibilities were passed on.
Jamey Sollmon took on a larger role, and eventually, Joiner and Fraser Pauley stepped in together as close friends committed to continuing the program.
“This is my fourth year,” Joiner said. “We’re just three good friends helping out together.”
Now representing Ontario and Almaguin, the team is preparing for more than just games. Joiner noted the responsibility that comes with representing the province, from sportsmanship to teamwork, as well as the life experiences involved in travel, teamwork, and independence.
As the team prepares for nationals, they’ll be participating in some exhibition games to get the players ready to go.
That won’t be the only thing on the to-do list, though. Fundraising is underway to help the team make the trek out west.
The cost of travel is approximately $1,500 per athlete, with a total goal of $20,000. Community members can support the team by attending upcoming events, including a pasta dinner on Saturday, April 18, at the Burk’s Falls Legion, purchasing 50/50 tickets, or donating directly online.
Donations can be made at:
https://soocommunity.crowdchange.ca/126768
Those wishing to stay connected and follow the team’s journey can do so on social media:
Instagram & TikTok: @almaguinspecialolympics or Facebook: Almaguin Special Olympics Legion 405 Softball Club.
As August approaches, one thing is clear: this team is heading to nationals not just as competitors, but as a family built on effort, respect, and community support.
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