The gyms at Lambton College were busy Saturday with basketball teams from the region competing in a tournament and supporters cheering them on.
The gyms at Lambton College were busy Saturday with basketball teams from the region competing in a tournament and supporters cheering them on.
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The second annual Special Olympics Sarnia invitational tournament included teams from the Sarnia Heat, St. Thomas, LaSalle, Windsor and Brantford playing in two divisions.
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“Approximately 100 athletes are out between all eight teams today,” a mix of males and females in a wide range of ages, said Tana Manchester, Special Olympics Sarnia’s community co-ordinator.
Athletes become eligible for the group’s competitive programs when they turn eight and there’s no upper age limit, she said. “We have some athletes in their 30s.”
Special Olympics Sarnia is run by volunteers “dedicated to providing athletic opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities in the Sarnia-Lambton area,” she said.
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The Special Olympics were founded in the late 1960s by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of John F. Kennedy.
They were inspired by the work of Canadian researcher Frank Hayden, a University of Toronto sport scientist and later Canadian Sports Hall of Famer, who challenged a mindset that intellectual disabilities prevented children from fully participating in play and recreation, Special Olympics Canada’s website says
“This isn’t a qualifying year, so this is a fun tournament,” Manchester said Saturday. “. . . The athletes have a lot of fun. . . no pressure.”
About 150 athletes and 70 volunteers are registered with Special Olympics Sarnia, which offers curling, swimming, floor hockey, 10-pin and five-pin bowling, basketball, powerlifting, soccer, track and field, and dance fitness programs.
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“Now. . . individuals . . . get to pick and choose what sport they want to be involved in,” Manchester said. “Prior to us starting in 2017, there really weren’t many options for them.”
Special Olympics had a presence in Sarnia a few decades ago, but wasn’t active in 2017 when Manchester’s daughter, Emma, then 11, was looking for something to do, she said. So she got involved.
“We were just going to start with basketball and soccer, and it quickly snowballed into all of the sports that we run today, because there is such a need,” Manchester added.
“People in the community do want to help and they do want to volunteer to make sure these programs are successful.”
Special Olympics provides “a sense of community for the athletes,” she said. “They’re part of a team, doing something to the best of their ability.”
Both athletes and families can connect and form friendships, Manchester said.
“It’s just nice to be around people that maybe get what you’re going through, as a parent,” and “to see your child excel at these different programs and sports,” she said.
For more on Special Olympics Sarnia, visit its Facebook page.
A swim meet is set for April at the YMCA in Sarnia, and the group is organizing a powerlifting event, she said. They are always on the lookout for qualified coaches to offer more sports locally.
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