Founder of inspiring Challenge Meet honoured on 20th anniversary

When John Roberts retired from the Rainbow District School Board in 2003, he was inspired to start a track and field event for students with exceptionalities. Since then, thousands of students from English and French-language public schools locally have participated in the Challenge Meet which now offers tyke, atom, bantam, novice/junior and open age categories in developmental, ambulatory, wheelchair and blind ability groups.

Students gather at the Laurentian University track to take part in races, high jump, long jump, softball throw, shot put and more events as an army of supporters cheers them on. Everyone beams with pride, none more than the student athletes themselves as they vie for a coveted ribbon in their respective events.

“It’s heartwarming to watch the students compete,” says Rainbow District School Board Director of Education Bruce Bourget. “It’s equally as touching to see the many people who come out to support the student athletes, from current and retired educators and support staff, to parents/guardians and community volunteers.”

He adds: “And it all began with John Roberts whose vision for inclusion has made the Challenge Meet one of the best days of the school year.”

John Roberts would be the first to say that he didn’t do it alone. Many people shared his vision, including fellow educator Bill McKetsy who has been involved in the Challenge Meet since its humble beginnings in 2003 with 83 students from five schools. Athletics Administrator David Makela also played a pivotal role in the development of the meet.

As the years passed, the Challenge Meet grew in scope and size. “This past year, there were 440 student participants from 26 schools,” says Director Bourget. “That’s quite a success story.”

To mark the 20th anniversary, John Roberts received a commemorative banner with “heartfelt thanks to our founder without whose inspiration this great event would never have started.”

Rainbow District School Board recognized John Roberts and Bill McKetsy for their dedication to students during the Board Awards ceremony in 2012. The dynamic duo received a Community Partnership Award for their contribution to athletics long after they left the classroom.

In addition to the Challenge Meet, John Roberts has co-convened elementary track meets, volunteered for Special Olympics, and served as Co-Chair of the 2010 Ontario Summer Games in Sudbury. He was also a member of the steering committee that helped restore the Laurentian site to its former world-class status as a track and field facility, making it more accessible for athletes and spectators. He is a previous member of Sudbury Sportlink, and a past recipient of a Board Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Co-Curricular Program. John Roberts was inducted into the Sudbury Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

Bill McKetsy has dedicated many hours to amateur sport, from track and field, to curling, to roles in the Ontario Summer Games and the Special Olympics. He not only helped to launch the Challenge Meet, he also secured funding to enhance the Laurentian track. He was also a founding member of Sudbury Sportslink, a local organization that promotes sport initiatives. Bill McKetsy is a recipient of a Rainbow District School Board Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Co-Curricular Program.

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Media Contact:
Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,
Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 7217.