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Special
Olympics brings unity
By
Clarissa Segovia
Online
Forty-Niner
The
Summer Special Olympics of Southern California
(SOSC), for the sixth consecutive year,
took place at Sports Expo Park at Cal State
Long Beach June 11 to 13.
With
over 4,000 athletes, coaches and volunteers
from Kern County to San Diego County, the
opening kick-off event held Friday inside
of the Pyramid commemorated the SOSC's mission
to provide sports training and competition
in a variety of Olympic-type sports for
people with intellectual disabilities.
With
Olympic Gold Medallists Carl Lewis, Bart
Conner and Nadia Comaneci participating
in the opening ceremony, many anticipated
the start of the games. Rafer Johnson, the
1960 Olympic Gold Medal decathlete, instrumental
in bringing Special Olympics to Southern
California, was also on hand during the
opening and closing ceremonies. Johnson,
who is currently the SOSC Board of Governors
chairman also hosted the first Western Regional
Summer Games in 1969.
Throughout
the weekend, athletes competed in aquatics,
track and field, basketball, bocce, golf,
gymnastics and tennis among the 23 individual
and team sports.
Kimberly
Frey, a 27-year-old athlete, said she has
participated in the Special Olympics for
seven years because "its fun."
As part of the East San Gabriel Valley team,
Frey is one of 41 delegates that come "to
win medals and ribbons" [because] "you
feel good trying your best" every year.
Although
East San Gabriel Valley did not take the
gold, they did take the silver for the Elderberry
division, but that was not what was important.
"It's
a good feeling to help those who need assistance
feel better about themselves, and see their
hard work pay off," said bocce coach,
Kathy Woodward.
Woodward,
whose own child participates, is one of
450 coaches that help train the athletes
for months before the event.
Karen
Taylor, from Student Health Services, has
been a volunteer for the past three years
because "it's a neat thing going on,
watching athletes participate. It brings
fulfillment."
Taylor
is not alone. 3,000 volunteers were on hand
to help out the entire weekend. Depending
entirely on private donations, the SOSC
relies on the generosity and support of
thousands of individuals, medical personnel,
amateur and professional athletes, employee
and volunteer groups.
In
addition to the competitions that took place,
The Sports Illustrated 50th anniversary
tour- brought activities, entertainment
and information booths to the Special Olympics.
The
Special Olympics ended Sunday with special
guest speaker and baseball great Rod Carew
speaking on behalf of the SOSC. The crowds
continued the tradition of forming a friendship
circle in an effort to become one.
The
Olympic torch was relit and doves were released
over Sports Expo Park. In a tribute to all
of the athletes, Kodi Lee, a blind seven-year-old
child living with autism, played the keyboard
and sang, "Lean on me". Bob McCarthy
of SOSC advisory council may have put it
best when he said that the Special Olympics
are a "marvelous celebration of life."
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