Jul
23
Written by:
News Editor
Friday, July 23, 2010 6:41 PM
by Roxanne Hooper
Still stinging from the whooping he took at the international boccia competitions in Portugal during early June, Victoria’s Chris Halpen was back in top form again Friday at the first of two days of competition during the Township of Langley 2010 B.C. Summer Games.
In day one, he won all three of his games handily, throwing the jack to his “sweet spot” about three metres out into the middle whenever possible, and then showing incredible focus that earned him a 23-0 victory against Abneet Dhaliwal, as well as a 13-0 victory against Travinder Grewal, and finally a 4-2 win over another Tyler Laforge – all three of his contenders from Surrey.
He chose to participate in the Games this weekend as a way of rebuilding some confidence, said his coach and father Ron Halpen.
While Chris’ father said he returned from Portugal a little deflated, and Dad it was felt his successes in the Summer Games would help boost his spirits, Chris insisted that wasn’t his true motivation.
But Chris, a 27-year-old with cerebral palsy, said he came to Langley to practise, have fun, motivate others, and prepare for the 2012 Paralympics.
“It’s for me, it’s fun, but also to try to get… basically the practice,” he said.
Chris, a resident of the Highland neighbourhood, has been playing boccia for 14 years, first drawn into the sport by his long-time friend Chuck Reid – who in his day was also a boccia contender.
He just loves the sport, and loves any chance – like the Summer Games – to play and work with other up-and-coming contenders to better their game, as well as his own.
“I didn’t win a medal, but I learned a lot,” Chris said, of the two-week soujourn to southwestern Europe.
While Portugal was his first international competition, Chris has competed several times at the national and provincial levels, and will need to qualify for the nationals again – as both an individual and team players – next March in London Ontario.
In the meantime, he’s practising two to four hours a day, five days a week, as he prepares to head to Vienna in early September for a competition, then to the Boccia Blast in Ontario a few weeks later.
Now a carded boccia player at the national level, Chris receives funding to help with his training, and said his game has definitely improved since he started working with a sports psychologist who’s teaching focus to Chris and other members of the Sports Ability branch in Victoria.
In addition to boccia, Chris also participates in disabled hockey, and is trying to stir up interest for a power soccer team on the south end of Vancouver Island.