By Lori BODNAR, intern

Hundreds of athletes from across Southern California came together at Crescenta Valley High School on Saturday to compete in the Special Olympics qualifying games. The Southern California Special Olympics qualifying games have been held at CVHS for the past 10 years. This year, 358 athletes were prepared to compete in a variety of sporting events, which included track and field, bocce ball and basketball. They have been training for months, and many participated in more than one event. At the end of each competition, smiling athletes proudly wore the medals they earned. Those athletes who won first place qualified to move onto the California Special Olympics.

Teams came from Ventura, Santa Clarita, Tri-Valley, South Bay and Glendale arriving at CVHS on team buses with competition stretching from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The CVHS marching band played during the opening ceremonies and breakfast was available under a shade tent. Despite the heat, the athletes worked hard while their families and “fans in the stands” cheered them on.

Kim Villa is the Glendale Local Program team coordinator of the Special Olympics Southern California, in charge of the event.

“I got involved because I have a family friend named Kelly and she has cerebral palsy,” said Villa. “I have gotten to know a lot of these amazing athletes. This is a great event for them and their families. It is also a chance for the community to come together, to help support these special athletes. There are over 300 volunteers helping out at the event, and 80 of them are from CVHS. We are especially grateful for the support of all the volunteers, including the CVHS football team, CVHS baseball team, Special Olympics Club, Boy and Girl Scout troops, and Montrose Church volunteers. Local law enforcement came out as well.”

Reanna Bowens completed in the wheelchair race as well as the assisted walking race. Bowens has been an athlete in the Special Olympics for 10 years and attends a private school in Tujunga.

Some athletes competed individually in their sport while others also participated in team match-ups, such as basketball, bocce ball, or relay races. In the relay race, as well as other team events, it was inspiring to see how the athletes worked together, giving their all for their team, running fast and passing the baton. The fans in the stands cheered on everyone, and many athletes at the finish line received high-fives and thumbs-up from their coaches, families and buddies.

In addition to watching and cheering on the athletes, many were on hand to help out at the event. Natalie Ouwersloot is the troop leader with Boy Scout troop 360.

“We are the wolves for Pack 360. We have 10 Scouts. We are doing this for the Cubs Who Care Elective, which is about supporting people with disabilities, so we came to this event to support the athletes at the Special Olympics,” Ouwersloot said.

La Cañada Flintridge Girl Scout troops 7051 and 1861 also helped out at the family tent providing fun games, which athletes and their families could play together. LCF Girl Scouts Hannah Kiang, Cami Do, Amy Kiang, Katelyn Matarese, Brittany Rivas and Avalon Sanders were volunteering as part of their requirements to earn their Silver Award.

Katie Metz is the troop leader for Girl Scout troop 1861 and Julie Rivas for Troop 7051.

Rivas said, “This is the first time [there has been a] family tent at the Special Olympics event. We are going to have the family tent [in the future] by teaching other troops how to do the family tent.” The Girl Scout troops have also been volunteering at the athlete’s Special Olympic training sessions.

There were also volunteers who were “buddies” for the Special Olympics athletes. Buddies work one-on-one with athletes, making sure to get them to their competitions or guiding them to their resting spots. Kimmie Blood first played with the marching band for the opening ceremonies and then was a buddy to athlete Sam Strader. Strader ran the 100-meter, 50-meter, and the 4×4 relay races, in which his team won the gold medal. Strader also participated in the softball throw. 

“This is by far my favorite event I’ve ever been to at CVHS,” said Blood. “I saw sides of people I had never seen before. The way every community member’s capacity for love just expanded was amazing. I was so proud of my peers and classmates and how they just opened their hearts to accept everyone, and how friendships blossomed. Of course, the athletes had so much energy and light about them! This was a life-changing experience.”

Special Olympics is the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and physical disabilities, providing year-round training and sports competitions for over five million athletes in 172 countries. Last year was the 50th anniversary of the Special Olympics.

  Greg PHILLIPS, Lori BODNAR