Articles in Athletes

Bran Bates (middle wearing the cap) loves being involved in all aspects of SOIA.

By SOIA Intern Katie Baum

Special Olympics Iowa has given its athletes countless opportunities and memories since its beginning in 1968 thanks to our dedicated volunteers, staffs, families and friends. Brian Bates, Iowa City Special Olympics athlete, is not only a dedicated athlete, he also serves as a volunteer when he is not competing.

Nearly 30 years ago, Brian was a student at Washington High School in Washington, Iowa, when he first heard about Special Olympics. This excited him and led him to join the Special Olympics swim team through his school.

Two years after his high school graduation, he moved to Iowa City. About a year after his move, he learned that a Special Olympics program was starting in the area. He really missed the competition from high school so he decided to join. …

The fall Fitness Improvement Training (FIT) athletes have found success with the FIT Program! Thirty-two athletes have completed the program thus far by finishing the pre-assessment, FITness training, and post-assessment.

These athletes are split between four delegations. Delegation 1 performed the 10-station assessment with an average improvement of 37.82 percent among its three athletes. Delegation 2 saw an overall average improvement of 24.92 percent in their modified 5-station assessment with sixteen athletes. Delegation 3 saw an average improvement of 19.13 percent for its five-station assessment as well as an average weight loss of 13.33 pounds per person with the three athletes! Delegation 4 improved by 11.42 percent with the 10-station assessment for 10 athletes.

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In the spirit of the holidays, Special Olympics Iowa is featuring 12 Days of Athletes throughout the month of December. In honor of these amazing athletes, please consider making your year-end donation to Special Olympics Iowa. If your donation is received by December 31, it will be DOUBLED!

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Name: Shania Turner – 2015 SOIA Challenge Day Athlete of the Year
Age: 18
Delegation: River Hills Cedar Falls, Northeast Area
SOIA sports I participate in: wheelchair basketball, bowling, volleyball, dice and darts at challenge days

What is your favorite part about Special Olympics? I am always surprised and happy to win awards.

What is a fun fact about yourself? I am a Room 1 Greeter and a friend to all!

What is your favorite part of the holiday season? I enjoy shopping, parties and friends!

In the spirit of the holidays, Special Olympics Iowa is featuring 12 Days of Athletes throughout the month of December. In honor of these amazing athletes, please consider making your year-end donation to Special Olympics Iowa. If your donation is received by December 31, it will be DOUBLED!

DONATE NOW!

Name: Ashley Gembler
Age: 30
Delegation: Hope Haven, North Area
SOIA sports I participate in: bocce, 50 yd. dash, shot put, softball throw and bowling

What does Special Olympics mean to you? I have the chance to go out and see and connect with people. I love to be around people.

What is a fun fact about yourself? I love to dance and sing karaoke.

What is your favorite part of the holiday season? Being able to see my family and friends, receiving presents and all the other social events that come with the holiday season.

In the spirit of the holidays, Special Olympics Iowa is featuring 12 Days of Athletes throughout the month of December. In honor of these amazing athletes, please consider making your year-end donation to Special Olympics Iowa. If your donation is received by December 31, it will be DOUBLED!

DONATE NOW!

Name: Dylan Jorgensen
Age: 12
Delegation: Sioux City Knights, Northwest Area
SOIA sports I participate in: bowling, unified golf, basketball skills, developmental basketball (3-on-3), soccer, softball, athletics (long jump, 4×100, 50 meter dash)

What does Special Olympics mean to you? It is fun and I get to be a part of a team. I get to play sports with my friends. I get to go to Iowa City where my favorite team is, the Hawkeyes, and to Ames to play sports and watch other friends play sports too.

What is a fun fact about yourself? I have been in the Scouts for 7 years and achieve my Tenderfoot rank in Boy Scouts this year. I have been with the Sioux City Knights since the delegation was formed. I love to mow yards and shovel snow. I enjoy cheering on the Sioux City Musketeers hockey team and Explorers baseball team.

What is your favorite part about the holiday season? Driving around looking at the Christmas lights with my mom and dad and sisters, selling trees for Boy Scouts, spend time with my papa during Christmas break, playing in the snow.

In the spirit of the holidays, Special Olympics Iowa is featuring 12 Days of Athletes throughout the month of December. In honor of these amazing athletes, please consider making your year-end donation to Special Olympics Iowa. If your donation is received by December 31, it will be DOUBLED!

DONATE NOW!

Name: Krisha Burk
Age: 34 (started Special Olympics at age six in Missouri before joining Iowa)
Delegation: Fort Madison, Southeast Area
SOIA sports participate in: athletics, bowling, basketball skills, basketball, speed walking, walking relay team, softball throw and swimming

What is your favorite part of Special Olympics? The competition – my mother was a basketball player so I love the friendly competition. Also seeing the new friends that I makes at Special Olympics.

What is a fun fact about yourself? I love All Star/WWE Wrestling and am a big Bloodhounds fan.

What is your favorite part about the holiday season? I like shopping and driving around to look at all of the lights!

In the spirit of the holidays, Special Olympics Iowa is featuring 12 Days of Athletes throughout the month of December. In honor of these amazing athletes, please consider making your year-end donation to Special Olympics Iowa. If your donation is received by December 31, it will be DOUBLED!

DONATE NOW!

Name: Anel Lisinovic
Age: 20
Delegation: Ankeny Centennial High School, West Central Area
SOIA sports I participate in: soccer, basketball skills, athletics and bowling

What is your favorite part of Special Olympics? Competing with my friends.

What is a fun fact about yourself? I am graduating this year!

What is your favorite part about the holiday season? Spending time with family.

In the spirit of the holidays, Special Olympics Iowa is featuring 12 Days of Athletes throughout the month of December. In honor of these amazing athletes, please consider making your year-end donation to Special Olympics Iowa. If your donation is received by December 31, it will be DOUBLED!

DONATE NOW!

Name: Tim Elskamp
Age: 35
Delegation: Nancy’s Stars, East Area
SOIA sports I participate in:  alpine skiing, weight lifting, athletics, bowling and golf

What is your favorite part of Special Olympics? I love to see all my friends and get ribbons and medals.

What is a fun fact about yourself? I love the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Royals!

What is your favorite part about the holiday season? Spending time with my family.

In the spirit of the holidays, Special Olympics Iowa is featuring 12 Days of Athletes throughout the month of December. In honor of these amazing athletes, please consider making your year-end donation to Special Olympics Iowa. If your donation is received by December 31, it will be DOUBLED!

DONATE NOW!

Name: Brent Oberhelman
Age: 24
Delegation: Humboldt, North Central Area
SOIA sports I participates in: bowling, basketball, athletics (100 meter dash and mini javelin)

What is your favorite part of Special Olympics? My favorite part of Special Olympics is bowling and running in track and field.

What is a fun fact about yourself? I LOVE NFL football and can tell people statistics about many players and games from any year in history along with present players and game stats. My favorite team is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I have been to seven NFL stadiums including the Buccaneers stadium.

What is your favorite part about the holiday season? My favorite part of Christmas is being with family and getting presents!!

In the spirit of the holidays, Special Olympics Iowa is featuring 12 Days of Athletes throughout the month of December. In honor of these amazing athletes, please consider making your year-end donation to Special Olympics Iowa. If your donation is received by December 31, it will be DOUBLED!

DONATE NOW!

Name: Bobby Johnson
Age: 27
Delegation: Waterloo Goodwill, Northeast Area
SOIA sports I participate in: bowling, basketball skills, challenge days, bocce, athletics (100m wheelchair race, softball throw)

What does Special Olympics mean to you? Special Olympics gives me the opportunity to be social and stay in shape and spend time with my team of friends and make new ones. It also gives me the opportunity to be competitive. I especially love bowling.

What is a fun fact about yourself? I am a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan, and my three-year-old niece has me wrapped around her little finger…but I wouldn’t have it any other way. My friends say that I am sociable, funny, have a big heart and have the ability to adapt when things don’t go as planned. I also have the ability to touch people’s hearts as we experienced during my most recent hospital stay.

What is your favorite part about the holiday season? My favorite part of the holiday season is spending time with family and friends. I love Christmas because I like seeing all the different decorations that people put up. We have a tradition in our family where we all gather at our house for a big family and friends dinner and play different games…including BINGO and LCR.