SPORTS
Westerville Special Olympics offers over 10 Olympic-style individual and team sports that provide meaningful training and competition opportunities for persons with intellectual disabilities. Check out the sports we offer below and get in the GAME!
BASKETBALL: TEAM, SKILLS, YAP
Basketball is one of the top sports at Special Olympics. Players take it up at all ages and at all abilities, from young players learning to handle the ball and keep it under control while dribbling to older, more experienced players who have the moves and know the strategies to play challenging ball. For our younger athletes, we offer children ages 2 1/2 to 7 enjoy games and activities that develop motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Young Athletes is an early introduction to sports and to the world of Special Olympics. The children learn new things, play and have lots of fun!
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BASKETBALL SKILLS:
(beginners) January-March
Head Coach: Norman Cole normancole56.nc@gmail.com
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BASKETBALL TEAM:
November-March
Head Coach: Sean Moore smoore004@att.net
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(Athletes age 4-7)
Alice Wilson Westervillespecialolympics@gmail.com.
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BOCCE:
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Bocce is an Italian game. The basic principle of the sport is to roll a bocce ball closest to the target ball, which is called a palina. Bocce as a Special Olympics sport provides people with special needs the opportunity to have social contact, develop physically and to gain self-confidence. Next to soccer and golf, bocce is the third most participated sport in the world.
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Head Coach: Barb Church
BOWLING: TEAM, YAP
Bowling s a competitive sport in which a player rolls a bowling ball down a wooden or synthetic lane with the objectvie of scoring points by knocking down as many pins as possible. Although Bowling does not belong to the Olympic sports, it is among the most popular sports in Special Olympics. It is a particularly beneficial sport to people with intellectual disabilities, irrespective of their age or sports abilities, since it ensures physical exercise and at the same time participation and social integration. Plus, it's great fun!
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August-October
Head Coach: Sean Moore smoore004@att.net
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(Athletes age 4-7)
Alice Wilson Westervillespecialolympics@gmail.com.
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CHEERLEADING
Cheerleading is one of our newer categories. Athletes work together as a group on routines and cheer on our basketball and football teams.
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August-March
Head Coach: April Merryman aprilmmerryman@gmail.com
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EQUINE
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Equestrian is one of the most fascinating sports. The balance, the stability and the right communication between the horse and the rider is a key element for success in Equestrian sport.
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February-April
Head Coach: Christine Kessler christine@simarketing.net
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FLAG FOOTBALL
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Flag football is an exciting, new sport that will be offered to Special Olympics. Flag football will cater to athletes of all abilities and teach skill development in a number of areas including: passing, route running, defensive strategy, and more
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Head Coach: Mel Limbach melvinlimbach@trugreenmail.com
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GOLF
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players (or golfers) use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes. The game is played on golf courses, each of which features a unique design, although courses typically consist of either nine or 18 holes
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July - August
Head Coach: Dave Culver
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GYMNASTICS
Gymnastics combines strength, flexibility and artistry. Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines (ranging from approximately 30 to 90 seconds) on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting.
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April-June
Head Coach: Marcy Mnich
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SOCCER: TEAM, YAP
Soccer is one of our most popular sports. It is appropriate for a wide range of age and ability levels because it is easy to learn. Athletes who participate in soccer are able to improve their overall physical fitness through training and competition, and athletes learn firsthand the benefits of playing as a team, which promotes communication, camaraderie and friendship.
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March-June, August-October
Head Coach: Chris Blackburn
SOFTBALL: TEAM, SKILLS
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 players. Every team aims in scoring as many runs possible by striking the ball with a specific bat. It is a direct descendant of baseball, although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand. The game is played on a smaller diamond than in baseball and despite the game's name, the standard softball is not soft; in fact, it is harder than a baseball. We also offer individual skills competition to allow athletes to train and compete in basic softball skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to team competition.
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July-September
Head Coach: Sean Moore
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SWIMMING
Swimming (aquatics) is one of our most popular sports. Unlike other sports, swimming is a life skill that is taught, first, to ensure safety and, secondly, for sports and competition purposes.Swimming is appropriate for a range of ages and ability because of the wide array of swimming events offered. Swimming competition events are based on a variety of strokes. We also offer events for lower ability level athletes to train and compete in basic swimming skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to longer, competitive events.
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September-December
Head Coach: Steve Flood stevelisa87@hotmail.com
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TENNIS: TEAM, SKILLS, YAP
Tennis is a popular sport for players of all ages and skill levels. Every athlete aims in passing the ball to the opponent's side of the net, striking it with a tennis racquet. The sport emphasizes values, such as fair play, sportsmanship and respect for fellow competitors. Tennis is not only fun to play, but it is a lifetime sport activity that is fun to practice and fun to learn.
In addition to traditional singles and doubles events, we offer individual skills competition, allowing athletes to train and compete in basic tennis skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to match play.
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February-June
Head Coach: Marlena Smith marlenasmith51@yahoo.com
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(Athletes age 4-7)
Alice Wilson Westervillespecialolympics@gmail.com
TRACK & FIELD: TEAM, YAP
Track and field (athletics) events encourage athletes of all abilities and ages to compete at their optimum level. Through our track-and-field-based training program, participants can develop total fitness to compete in any sport. As with all sports, track & field offers athletes the opportunity to learn through skill development and competitive settings, and to be involved in large social groups.
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Events range from the 100-meter to the 400-meter events, from the high jump to the long jump, shot put, relays and wheelchair events. We also offer events for lower ability level athletes to train and compete in basic athletics skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to longer competitive events.
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April-June
Head Coach: Lindsey Brekke
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(Athletes age 4-7)
Alice Wilson Westervillespecialolympics@gmail.com
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VOLLEYBALL
The game of volleyball is attractive to all types of players, from competitive to recreational, young and old. The aim of the sport is to score more points by hitting the ball with the hands and sending it over the net to the opponent's court.
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February-June
Head Coach: Sean Moore