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50 FOCUS - MAY 2015 Will Leblanc has a quick wit. It surfaces when discuss- ing a beginners transition from common ice skates to long-bladed speed skates. So a beginner might easily fall on his face I sug- gest metaphorically. No hed 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 on a 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 worlds athletic stage. Will Leblanc captured four gold medals at Ontarios 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. I definitely feel I stand a chance he responds without hesitation. Weve reached a critical point where I need to delicately pose a pivotal and obvious question the nature of his disability. Wills response presents a candid snapshot of this remark- able young man and brings into focus those otherwise-trivial sequences in our earlier discussion. I have Aspergers Syndrome he tells me matter-of-factly. That means I have Scugog speed skater captures four gold medals at the Ontario Special Olympics I have Aspergers.That means I have some social difficulties that requries I take more time to learn ...William LeBlanc