Athletes compete in Special Olympics Fall Invitational
More than 300 athletes from northern Utah came to Utah State University Saturday for this fall’s Special Olympics Invitational.
Athletes from Utah, Davis and Weber counties came northward to compete in basketball and swimming events, said Sierra Samson, a USU volunteer and junior majoring in deaf education.
Kerry Greenhalgh, of North Logan, said he came to watch his 15-year-old son, Jason Greenhalgh, compete in four different swimming races. Kerry said he has been watching his son compete in the Special Olympics for the last four or five years and feels the program has helped his son make more friends. He said the encouragement Jason receives from his coaches and mentors has made it a truly great experience.
“The kids at USU putting this on are doing a great job. They are so positive and encouraging,” Kerry said.
To participate in the Special Olympics, athletes need to be at least 8 years old, have an intellectual disability and a Special Olympics form on file, said Rochelle Deeter, training director for Special Olympics. The Fall Invitational featured swimming and unified basketball, she said. Unified basketball teams are comprised of athletes with and without disabilities, Deeter said, which is a positive environment for the athletes.
“[It] actually provides a higher level of competition for the athletes,” she said.
The Special Olympics program has also helped Jason keep busy, Kerry said.
“They just have something going all the time. There are the inter games with skiing and snow-shoeing and in the summer games there is gymnastics, track and other sports,” Kerry said.
Jason comes to USU every Saturday to train in the sports coming up and then he and his family travel to the different invitational locations such as Brigham Young University, the University of Utah and other areas in Utah, he said.
Another important aspect of the Special Olympics are the volunteers. Kerry said he feels USU has one of the best Special Olympics program because it has so many volunteers, whereas communities without universities struggle to get as many.
“We have a lot of students that come out and help and even cheer on the athletes,” Samson said.
Leigh Coonce, a junior in audiology, said this is her first year volunteering with the Special Olympics program, however, her brother is disabled and said she has watched him participate on numerous occasions.
Coonce was in charge of running the Olympic Village that provided games and activities, such as a crab relay and football throw, to entertain the athletes when they weren’t competing.
Meals and entertainment were also provided for the athletes. The band “3 Weeks ‘Til Sunday” played in the Nelson Fieldhouse during the first part of the day’s basketball tournaments.
“We volunteered to do it and it’s been great,” said Greg Bowden, lead guitarist of the band and a guitar performance freshman. “One of the athletes even came up and jammed on the drums with us.”
Coonce also helped organize a dance for the athletes after the days activities. The dance is an annual event, Deeter said, that everyone looks forward to. It allows the athletes and volunteers to come together and enjoy each other’s company and celebrate the days events.
“These guys love to dance,” she said.
The invitational was comprised of 25 basketball games with five divisions, and 57 divisions for swimming events, with eight athletes in each division, Deeter said. Every athlete received a medal or a ribbon, she said.
“[I] encourage volunteers to come out and enjoy the fun,” Deeter said. “It’s a great experience.”
To volunteer for the Special Olympics, contact the Val R. Christensen Service Center at USU, said Eric Turnidge, director of the Special Olympics invitational. Volunteers can either coach the athletes or coordinate the Special Olympics events, he said. The Special Olympics has three invitationals at USU each year, he said, the first being at the beginning of fall semester comprised of football and swimming meets, the second in the middle of fall semester focusing on swimming and unified basketball and the third in spring semester featuring track events.
Athletes interested in joining the Special Olympics should call (800) 722-1589.
-kcashton@cc.usu.edu
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