Rainy days
Rain, rain go away! Come again another day! Well it’s not going away, and in fact, rain is in the Medicine Hat forecast through Friday. But the moisture is not stopping these Special Olympians from competing. No thunder, no lightning, so carry on, carry on!
Soccer, golf, softball, track — all outside sports. The athletes are not made of cotton candy and they won’t melt. These men and women are ready, set, GONE!
The athletes prefer sunshine, of course, but rain is not dampening the spirits or activities of the Special Olympians. Kara Brake, Games Manager of the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games Medicine Hat 2026, laughingly says it’s all her fault. The organizers rented every tent available from Grand Rental Station and went to Calgary to get more. Some said that even more tents were needed.
“We’re good,” Brake said she told the rental folks. “Medicine Hat is the sunniest city in Canada. Rain in August? Not to worry.”
Boy, was she wrong, and she thinks the rain is her fault by jinxing it with her optimism.
The games got underway in earnest Wednesday and no events were cancelled due to the cold, wet weather. Some softball games had to be delayed or shifted to a more playable diamond but soccer, track and golf continued as scheduled.
Brake remembers her salad days and playing soccer in the rain was always fun. Slip, slidin’ around on a wet pitch just added something special to the experience, she said.
City councillor Bill Cocks interviewed some athletes and coaches Thursday about their experience of playing in the rain. Edmontonian Jenny Murray is on the Team Alberta soccer squad and has been playing in the rain a lot this summer as Edmonton has experienced one of the rainiest summers on record. Murray said half of her team's regular practice pitch is now a swamp and they are playing soccer with frogs spectating. While she agrees with Brake that playing soccer in the rain can be fun, she prefers playing when it’s hot and sunny.
Rain didn’t stop the golfers at the Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club.
Heidi Mallett from Prince Edward Island said she had a great round Wednesday while the rain was heavy at times but said that Thursday’s round was not as good. She blames the cold and damp weather, in part, for her poorer performance but she is ready to golf in any weather as long as it is deemed safe to do so.
— story by Bill Cocks, Special Olympics Canada Summer Games
