For nearly 30 years, a group of athletes known as the Victoria Screamers have been meeting weekly in Colwood to play boccia, and they are appealing for help to keep their club going for at least another three decades.
The Screamers, who live with conditions such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, autism and multiple sclerosis, meet every Saturday at the Colwood Pentecostal Church hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The group plays boccia, a sport that has been part of the Paralympic Games since 1984, which can be played individually, in pairs or teams of three. Players score points by tossing or rolling their ball closest to a target white ball called the jack.
B次元官网网址淯ltimately, players come and just have fun,B次元官网网址� club president Kelly Halpen said about the 10 members who are a mix of competitive players and others who see the club as an opportunity to socialize.
For Halpen, the Screamers are an integral part of his family. His father was the club president before him, and his brother, Chris Halpen, is also a competitive player and the clubB次元官网网址檚 vice-president.
B次元官网网址淢y family's been involved with the club for about 15 years,B次元官网网址� said Halpen. B次元官网网址淚t started with my dad taking my brother to tournaments.B次元官网网址�
Currently surviving with just four volunteers, the club is appealing for more people to help with tasks such as laying out the court at the start of a session and refereeing. But potential volunteers donB次元官网网址檛 need prior knowledge of boccia, and they donB次元官网网址檛 have to commit to coming every week.
B次元官网网址淚t would be great to have a bank of volunteers, so I could call them up, email or text them, and say B次元官网网址楬ey, can you help me with this?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� explained Halpen.
As president, Halpen also shoulders most of the responsibility to raise funds to cover the club's cost of travel for the athletes and the weekly hall hire at the church. A monthly fee paid by the players and a recent $500 grant from the City of Colwood has helped, but ideally, Halpen says more volunteers to assist with fundraising would be a real boost.
B次元官网网址淪ince COVID it's been really hard B次元官网网址� the lack of money is hard for the club right now,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o the club's been surviving on a little bit of fundraising. Some help would be great.B次元官网网址�
The Screamers is not just for people wanting to play the game for fun, but also aspiring athletes with dreams of representing their province and ultimately their country.
B次元官网网址淪ome players, they just want to play for fun, that's OK,B次元官网网址� said Halpen. B次元官网网址淏ut for others, it could be something to take seriously and go all the way to the Paralympics.B次元官网网址�
HalpenB次元官网网址檚 own brother has previously represented Canada at the 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto, winning a bronze medal. But it was touch and go for the brothers before the games began.
B次元官网网址淢y brother [Chris] got really sick, and so he was in the hospital for three days in Toronto,B次元官网网址� explained Halpen. B次元官网网址淎nd this is just before the training camp, but he got better B次元官网网址� and he went back to the tournament. He was the one that brought home the bronze for Team Canada.B次元官网网址�
HalpenB次元官网网址檚 brother has also competed in competitions around the world, including in England, Portugal and New Zealand.
And his journey is set to continue as he and the other competitive Screamers are currently in training for the 2024 Canadian Boccia Championships this November in Ottawa, Ont. They will compete as part of the B.C. provincial team at the event, which marks the 30th anniversary of the championships.
For more information about the Screamers and to volunteer, email victoriascreamersclub@gmail.com or call Halpen at 250-744-0251.
