Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

SPECIAL OLYMPICS BASKETBALL

Two Kamloops basketball players are preparing for Special Olympics World Games in June

Mar 30, 2023 | 3:31 PM

KAMLOOPS — From the River City to one of the greatest cities in Europe.

For Tyra Flukinger and Taralyn Kalalest — known by her nickname PK — it’s the chance of a lifetime. They’re both Berlin-bound for the Special Olympics World Games in June.

“I’ve been to Nationals once, in Nova Scotia and I was supposed to go to Dubai a couple of years ago. Due to an injury and couple of other things, that wasn’t able to happen,” Tyra tells CFJC Today. “This is a second chance, and I think me and PK are both really excited to be a part of the team.”

PK is more the strong, silent type, who prefers to let her skills on the court do her talking for her. Those skills spoke volumes at a tryout opportunity the two athletes attended last year.

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“We all had to go to a seminar and kind of training thing in Kelowna last year,” Tyra explains. “It was more of like a skills competition — shooting, dribbling, how fast we could get back and forth up the court. Then a couple of months ago, PK and I both got a call from Michelle with Special Olympics saying we got on Team Canada.”

Special Olympics Kamloops basketball coach Les Andreykew couldn’t be happier for these two athletes.

“For them to get an opportunity to travel halfway around the world, it’s huge for them,” Adreykew says. “They’re going to be travelling with a team of 89 other athletes from across the country. It’s very exciting for them.”

Part of being on Team Canada means some extra practice time, both on the court and in the gym.

“We have a couple of extra days where we practice in another gymnasium,” Les explains. “Plus they have to go to Club Fit every Friday, as part of their contract agreement with Special Olympics Canada, to keep doing their conditioning and get more physically fit for the games.”

As members of Team Canada, the pair already got the opportunity to travel to the Big Smoke for an orientation session. This will be one of the first times Tyra and PK will play on an all-female Special Olympics team.

“We went down to Toronto — when was that, do you remember?” Tyra asks a stoic PK, who keeps quiet. Tyra continues: “We went to Toronto a couple of months ago. We got to meet our team, we got to meet our coaches. Our team is made up of ten females, which is really cool.”

While the competition at the World Games will be the best either of these athletes has ever experienced, Tyra is looking forward to the overall experience of attending an international competition.

“Meeting new people and being able to introduce myself, so people can understand who I am, where I come from, where I come from, what sport I play,” Flukinger says. “Meeting new friends, playing for Canada, representing Kamloops. I think that’s pretty cool.”