Female Coach of the Year Angela Behn with Special Olympics medalist Arianna Phillips at the Cliff McNabb Arena. (Spencer Sterritt/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Spencer Sterritt

special olympics

Nanaimo coach honoured by Special Olympics Canada

Oct 11, 2019 | 7:48 AM

NANAIMO — A Nanaimo Special Olympics coach has another accomplishment under her belt after more than 30 years of coaching various sports.

Angela Behn is the 2019 Female Coach of the Year with Special Olympics Canada.

“I was never an athlete,” she told NanaimoNewsNOW after a figure skating practice with Special Olympics medalist Arianna Phillips. “I’ve never really felt I knew what I was doing. So now this says I actually know what I’m doing.”

She’s previously been awarded provincial coaching awards and helped many athletes achieve medals at regional, provincial and national levels.

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“I had an athlete who, after working for weeks, was able to walk up and down the stairs without hanging on to the railing. That’s a big thing. It’s just as big as one of our athletes winning a national event.” _{Angela Behn}

After so many years, Behn said she has so many favourite memories it’s difficult to find one which means the most to her.

She spends much of her week putting is as much effort into various sports as the athletes do.

“Our athletes are athletes first. It’s the same training one would put in if you were a national-level athlete in a typical sport.”

The Male Coach of the Year for Special Olympics Canada is also from B.C., Peter De Marchi from Burnaby.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit