Santa Clara hosts Special Olympics
By Nicole LaPrade
Over 185 volunteers from the Santa Clara community teamed up to run this year's Special Olympic soccer invitational at Bellomy Field last Saturday.
Santa Clara students comprised more than two-thirds of the volunteer force. They, and students from Bellarmine and Notre Dame High Schools, along with other members of the community helped facilitate the event.
16 teams and nine individual athletes from the Bay Area came to compete, most from San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
Ross Egge, the Special Olympics Coordinator from the Santa Clara Community Action Program, Jenny Choo of Special Olympics Northern California, and Mary Smoker of the Alumni Office worked to host this event.
The opening ceremony for the tournament began with a prayer by Fr. Mario Prietto and was followed by the ROTC color guard. Missy Scott-Flores sang the National Anthem and the ceremony ended with the lighting of the Special Olympics torch.
According to Jenny Choo, the Competition Manager for Special Olympics Northern California, athletes can be as young as eight years old to compete, but there is no age cap. At this tournament, the majority of the athletes were in their teens or older.
Choo said that having these sporting events is "good for community awareness." It helps the athletes to build a circle of friends and it teaches the volunteers about the handicap experience.
According to Choo, autism and down syndrome are two common disabilities among the athletes.
"Most volunteers are surprised at what the athletes are capable of," Choo said.
For many of the participants, this was a family event. Parents and family members with cameras in hand were eager to watch their athletes and cheer them on.
Bonnie Silverman was at the tournament cheering on her 19-year-old daughter, Marki, who participated in her third Special Olympics soccer tournament. Also there was her 15-year-old daughter Brooke, who coached.
"They believe that they can do anything, and they do," Silverman said. The mother believes Special Olympics is good for Marki because she is able to make friends, and increase her athletic ability.
"For my other kids, it has taught them to never get discouraged," she said. "It is inspirational to see the courage and tenacity of the athletes who are so positive about the experience."
Silverman and her family found out about Special Olympics through her daughter's PE teacher. Through Special Olympics, Marki was able to able to learn to ride a bike, and within a year she went to the Special Olympics World Games where she tallied three silver medals.
Some volunteers for the event were denied because there was such a large response from the community. Egge said that this was very encouraging since his only other experience in recruiting was at a table in Benson.
Santa Clara student volunteers helped with refereeing and scorekeeping. The alumni, coordinated by Mary Smoker, worked the hospitality tables, which included arts and crafts. High school and community volunteers cheered on and encouraged the athletes.
"(Watching the athletes) was a good reminder to all of us that they deal and live with these disabilities day to day, but they are happier than most of the people we see everyday," Egge said.
*Ã Contact Nicole LaPrade at (408) 554-4546 or nlaprade@scu.edu.