March 26, 2013 • Page 15 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Special Olympics! What do you think about when you hear those two words? I hope you think about many, many smiles, overcoming challenges and making friends. “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt” is the oath that each athlete abides by and if you had an opportunity to take part in the 2013 Special Olympics South Dakota State Basketball Tournament that was held in Yankton on March 8th and 9th, in any capacity that is what you would have seen. First, some background about Special Olympics in general. Special Olympics South Dakota’s mission is to provide yearround sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympictype sports for children (8 years and older) and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. This is not only the Special Olympics South Dakota State Office’s mission but the mission of every local program that participates under their “umbrella”. Special Olympics is founded on the belief that people with intellectual disabilities can, with proper instruction and encouragement, learn, enjoy and benefit from participation in individual and team sports. Special Olympics believes that consistent training is essential to the development of sports skills, and that competition among those of equal abilities is the most appropriate means of testing these skills, measuring progress and providing incentives for personal growth. Special Olympics believes that through sports training and competition, people with intellectual disabilities benefit physically, mentally, socially and spiritually; families are strengthened; and the community at large, both through participation and observation, is united in understanding people with intellectual disabilities in an environment of equality, respect and acceptance. Special Olympics is an unprecedented global movement which, through quality sports training and competition, improves the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and, in turn, the lives of everyone they touch. Now, a little bit about the local program. Special Olympics South Dakota – Yankton Special Olympics had an exciting year in 2012 and so far in 2013! We begin each year with basketball and for the first time in 2012 we broke our “glass ceiling”. Our “glass ceiling” was to reach out into the schools to have more school aged children learn about and participate in Special Olympics. We were finally able to do this in 2012 and had our first ever junior basketball team with athletes from the ages of 8 – 15. We have also been able to showcase Yankton while hosting the Special Olympics Southeast Area Basketball Tournament along with the Special Olympics South Dakota State Basketball Tournament. Our facilities are the best in the State and the volunteers in this community are second to none. It has been great hosting this tournament for the past 3 years and we look forward to going to Pierre, SD in 2014, 2015 & 2016. The Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge is one of the local program’s largest fundraisers, besides the United Way funding we receive. It is a great way to spread the word about Special Olympics in the Yankton community and the surrounding area. This year’s event is scheduled for Sunday, April 21st at Lewis & Clark Lake’s East Midway boat ramps. Food will be served from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm with the costume parade and plunge scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm. July – September is softball practice and tournament time and we usually take 4 teams of 15 athletes to the State Tournament in Brookings. We will again head to Brookings in September 2013 but for the next 3 years, Rapid City here we come. We were very excited that for the second year in 2012, athletes from SESDAC in Vermillion participated with us during softball as they did not quite have the number of athletes required to make a team. This sort of teamwork is shown throughout the Special Olympics community. There were quite a few hot practices but a lot of fun was had by all! Our final event of the year is bowling. We hold bowling practice and then a tournament at our local bowling lanes, Yankton Bowl and Family Fun Center. Bowling is the favorite sport as we can accommodate all athletes’ abilities. We had approximately 80 bowlers in 2012. They each receive a medal and the 1st place athlete in each division receives a trophy. A goal for the future would be to be able to have a majority of these local bowlers compete in the Special Olympics South Dakota State Bowling Tournament, but due to budget limitations the local event will have to suffice for now. We are barely done with one event and the athletes are asking “when will the next event start”? They are so excited to participate and it gives them such joy. If you have a person with special needs in your life, I hope you will give them the opportunity to see what Special Olympics can do to enhance their lives. 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