Articles in Athletes

Special Olympics Iowa athletes had several opportunities to display their accomplishments this year at the 2016 Iowa State Fair.  

On Wednesday, August 10 athletes and their families were invited to take part in the annual State Fair parade that kicks off the fair. Athletes held up banners and waved at parade watchers as they made their way from the Capitol Building in downtown Des Moines to the State Fairgrounds. Our Statewide Partner Wells Fargo was also on hand at the parade that day as they let SOIA athletes ride in the Wells Fargo stagecoach.

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Come join us for a fun day of adaptive activities and INCLUSION at the Iowa State Fair!

On Friday, August 19 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Grand Concourse at the State Fair, Special Olympics Iowa, along with our friends at Adaptive Sports Iowa and Courage League Sports, will host “Adaptive Sports on the Grand Concourse.” The event will be a day of fun promoting understanding and tolerance as a way of narrowing the gap between those of varying abilities.

Athletes are invited to come out and take part in activities like bocce, bowling, wheelchair basketball, power soccer and more. There will also be equipment demonstrations and information about each organization and how to get involved with them.

We hope to see you there!

You may have seen the above logo recently at Special Olympics Iowa events, on T-shirts or in newsletters. First launching during the 2016 Summer Games, SOIA’s INCLUSION logo was created to continue the conversation of opportunity for all, and to remind athletes, families and volunteers of the values Special Olympics was built on.

Of course, INCLUSION is not just a logo printed on a sweatshirt or posted on a flyer. It’s much more than just a word, too. It’s a theme. A theme that SOIA hopes will help spread our mission of giving athletes continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Because of this, the INCLUSION theme was built from the words that our athletes felt were important to them and described their experiences with Special Olympics. That’s why specific words appear in the letters of the INCLUSION logo.

Athletes are inspired by the sports they play and inspire others when they work hard and show dedication in everything they do. They find friendship and unity within SOIA. And that leads to finding courage and pride in their everyday lives. With the inclusion in SOIA sports and events, athletes find joy and ultimately acceptance. All of this can help transform attitudes and stigmas about what it means to have different abilities.

We encourage everyone to continue to practice the INCLUSION theme on and off the field, and to use our athletes’ words to promote inclusion for all.

 

Thank you from all of us at Special Olympics Iowa!

On Saturday, June 18, 12 Special Olympics Iowa athletes were spotlighted at the All-Iowa Elite Athletes Sports Awards Banquet by The Des Moines Register. The athletes chosen for the All-Iowa program represent the spirit of the Special Olympics Iowa movement and have gone above and beyond to show their dedication to sport and sportsmanship. They represent SOIA in competitions, service to their fellow athletes, and leadership within the organization and their community.

The banquet also featured keynote speaker Peyton Manning, who gave the SOIA athletes a special shout-out during his presentation and asked them to stand and be recognized as a group for their accomplishments. …

Sarah Bidney, Director of Instruction at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines, will offer free golf lessons to Special Olympics Iowa athletes on June 29, July 20 and August 10 starting at 7 p.m.

Sarah is the 2010, 2012 and 2015 Teacher of the Year – Iowa PGA Section, recipient of the 2015 Youth Player Development Award – Iowa PGA Section and a four time GRAA Top 50 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional (2012-2015).

If an athlete is interested in attending any or all of the golf lessons, contact Rhonda Scwarzkopf at rschwarzkopf@soiowa.org or (515)-986-5520 and provide the name of the athlete and lesson date(s) they want to attend.

Special Olympics Iowa athlete Brian Rolek was asked for the second year in a row to compete at the Principal Charity Classic Pro-Am on May 31, 2016. A Pro-Am takes place before the professional event and joins ordinary golfers on a team with a PGA Tour golfer. This year Rolek teamed up with pro Blaine McCallister.

Rolek has been competing in Special Olympics since junior high. He loves competing in individual events because it allows him to test himself against himself as well as his fellow athletes. He was named Special Olympics Iowa’s “Male Athlete of the Year” in 2014.

When he’s not golfing and participating in other SOIA sports, Rolek works full-time at the YMCA, enjoys hunting with his brothers, and often volunteers at Special Olympics golf fundraisers.

Rolek says he had a great time at his second appearance in the Principal Charity Classic. Congratulations on a great day of golf, Brian!

 

Brian with SOIA staff at the Principal Classic.
Photo via Principal Charity Classic.

Just ahead of the 2016 Summer Games, The Des Moines Register revealed the All-Iowa Special Olympics Elite Athletes. The athletes chosen represent the spirit of the Special Olympics Iowa movement and have gone above and beyond to show their dedication to sport and sportsmanship. They represent SOIA in competitions, service to their fellow athletes, and leadership within the organization and their community.

The Elite Athletes will be honored at the Register’s All-Iowa Sports Awards Banquet on June 18 in Des Moines. The banquet will feature keynote speaker Peyton Manning. …

Healthy Athletes screenings were provided to athletes by healthcare professionals for eyesight, dental, hearing, overall health and fitness, and more at the 2016 Summer Games at Iowa State University in Ames, May 19-21.

With more than 1.4 million free health examinations in over 170 countries, the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program has become the largest global public health organization dedicated to serving people with intellectual disabilities. The program is designed to help Special Olympics athletes improve their health and fitness, which can lead to a better sports experience and improved well being.

Check out the video below highlighting the Healthy Athletes program at this year’s Summer Games:

Video by Kumar Wickramasingha

Special Olympics Iowa will be hosting Spread the Word to End the Word Day March 1 from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Iowa State Capitol first floor rotunda. Spread the Word to End the Word is a national campaign to help make a stand against a word that has gained popularity in culture, but is offensive to many. The “R-word” has found a place in common language and seems to be accepted by most., despite the fact that its use, casual or otherwise, is hurtful to millions of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those that love them.

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Courtesy of big12sports.com

The Big 12 Conference has announced the 2015-16 Special Olympics Athletes of the Year. This year’s winners are Kim Lively of Ames, Iowa, and Cody Pierce of Pittsburg , Kan.

Each season, the Big 12, in conjunction with select Special Olympics affiliate offices, identifies a male and female athlete who exemplify the tenants of Special Olympics. The two recipients and members of their family are invited to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship for an on-court presentation during the title game.

Kim Lively has been a self-proclaimed “Iowa State Cyclone fan” since she was a little girl. She has participated in Special Olympics events for over 20 years, specializing in softball and golf. Lively has won numerous medals in both, as well as track, bowling and bocce ball. She won three gold medals while competing for the first time in the state of Iowa Special Olympics Games. …