Cyril MacDonald of North Sydney, N.S., has been named national male coach of the year for Special Olympics Canada.
He was sporting the ring he received Thursday at an awards ceremony in Toronto while volunteering his time to the Chase the Ace Lottery over the weekend.
MacDonald, now in his twenties, has been coaching Special Olympics athletes since he was 15-years-old and says it’s a passion he’s ready to dedicate his life to.
“There’s a lot of amazing coaches in this country, so for me to be selected as male coach of the year… it’s a pretty big honour,” he says.
MacDonald says it’s been a banner year for his athletes as he was with one of his favourite athletes, Sydney Mines speed-skater, Aimee Gordon, when she won gold at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria in March.
MacDonald also worked with the bocce team that went to nationals three years ago, earning him CTV’s Maritimer of the Week award.
Above all else, MacDonald says his greatest prize is the opportunity to work with such incredible people and develop friendships they can build upon.
"It’s so rewarding,” he says. “You could be having the worst day imaginable, you show up to a special-o practice, and you leave with a smile on your face…feeling like you've accomplished something, feeling like you've made somebody else's day."
When MacDonald’s not volunteering, he’s helping adults living with disabilities at the Haley Street Adult Services Centre in North Sydney.
He says volunteering is a humbling experience that has never lost its effect throughout time.
“I'm nine years later and I still get that same feeling every time I leave the rink or every time I leave the soccer field."
MacDonald says he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon and may even make volunteering his lifelong career.
“I see myself here in 40 or 50 years and then retiring and taking on more in Special Olympics if there’s more to take on.”
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald.
