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Scugog speed skater captures four gold medals at the Ontario Special Olympics Will Leblanc has a quick wit. It surfaces when discuss- ing a beginner’s transition from common ice skates to long-bladed speed skates. “So a beginner might easily fall on his face...?” I sug- gest metaphorically. “No, he’d likely wind up on his...!” he quips. Will displays patience, as I struggle to grasp the nu- ances of short- and long-track speed skating equipment. “The blades are dramatically flatter for long-track be- cause of the larger rink dimensions,” he clarifies. He shows no sign of aloofness, a teenager chatting ami- ably with a stranger three times his age, touching at times on delicate matters. None of those sequences is particularly unusual, given that an interview is little more than a lengthy conversation ona pre-determined topic. In this case, the subject is an outstanding Port Perry athlete, one preparing to compete on a national level, with eyes cast confidently to a date on the world’s athletic stage. Will Leblanc captured four gold medals at Ontario’s 50 FOCUS - MAY 2015 Provincial Special Olympics earlier this year. His fo- cus has now shifted to the nationals in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, next February, with a hopeful nod to the world competition the following year. “1 definitely feel I stand a chance,” he responds without hesitation. We've reached a critical point, where I need to delicately pose a pivotal and obvious question, the nature of his disability. Will’s response presents a candid snapshot of this remark- able young man and brings into focus those otherwise-trivial sequences in our earlier discussion. “Thave Asperger’s (Syndrome),” he tells me matter-of-factly. “That means I have “| have Asperger's. That means | have some social difficulties that requries | take more time to learn” .. William LeBlanc