Articles in Athletes

Special Olympics Iowa is always proud to have new delegations starting up across the state. Whether they’re big or small, beginners or experts, they add another voice for SOIA and all of our athletes.

And sometimes small can be mighty. That’s what Jolene Whitmore thought when she came to Underwood Community Schools in Underwood, Iowa three years ago. She noticed that something was missing at her new job. “When I came here I started in a more self-contained classroom and started asking why there wasn’t a Special Olympics,” says Whitmore. “I had come from West Harrison where they had a big Special Olympics following. I thought OK, we need to change this. We need a Special Olympics team.”

So Whitmore and another teacher decided to start a delegation at Underwood, making Whitmore the Delegation Manager and head coach. The Underwood team currently has four athletes, but that small number doesn’t stop them from competing at the highest levels. Just this fall they had a student compete in State Bowling, where they came in first place.  …

Thanks to a partnership between Iowa State University Athletics and UnitedHealthcare, Special Olympics Iowa athletes have been given opportunities to attend a men’s basketball game during the 2016-2017 season.

In collaboration with SOIA, UnitedHealthcare presents the “Athlete of the Game” at ten men’s basketball games at ISU. A Special Olympics athlete is recognized on the floor at Hilton Coliseum and presented with an autographed basketball. …

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The 5th annual Iowa Miss Amazing Pageant will take place February 17-18, 2017 at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs. This year’s pageant will feature a two-day show with full areas of competition both days. 

Rising Stars, Preteens, Jr. Teens and Teens will participate on Friday, February 17 while Jr. Miss, Miss, Sr. Miss and Shooting Stars will participate on Saturday, February 18. Girls ages 5 and older can participate.

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By Kandy Fisher 

Blaine Fisher of Conrad, IA is a Special Olympics Iowa athlete and Global Messenger and is in the process of opening his own restaurant in his hometown. His restaurant will be called “Blaine’s on Main.”

Blaine will be naming his daily lunch specials after those who have made an impact in his life; his former high school football coaches will have a sandwich called “The Locker Room Slider” and the men in the high school bus barn, who he helped when volunteering, will have “The Bus Barn Burger,” just to name a few.

Eventually, Blaine will hire others with intellectual disabilities and give them a place to learn work and social skills. He will also be selling goods made by those with disabilities in his gift shop. Blaine will be sole owner and proprietor and is selling T-shirts and accepting donations to help with unexpected remodeling costs. The shirts come in sizes Youth L-Adult XL for $15 and 2-3X for $17. …

Casey’s General Stores throughout Iowa helped raise funds for Special Olympics Iowa this summer with the Casey’s Cup Campaign. Starting May 19 just in time for the SOIA Summer Games and running through Labor Day, they showcased athletes and law enforcement officials on their 44 ounce cups, with a portion of the proceeds from the cups sold going toward Special Olympics Iowa.

Casey’s General Store also supports Special Olympics Iowa athletes by providing financial support through Law Enforcement Torch Run® signature fundraisers, including the annual Truck Convoy, a golf tournament and much more. As a Premier Statewide Partner, Casey’s General Store has provided approximately $87,000 over the years to directly benefit Special Olympics Iowa athletes across the state. …

By: Julie Berns, SOIA athlete parent

When I first heard about Special Olympics Play Day for Young Athletes my daughter, Claire, was only three. I was skeptical. Claire was just a baby. She hung out with me at home and running errands, she wasn’t involved in any structured sport. She has always been small for her age, even compared to other children with Down Syndrome, how would she compete?

Being tiny has never slowed Claire down for a moment; she has always been a bundle of energy. So I let down my protective walls that I had been keeping her in, and I signed her up.

The building seemed to be a hive of activity when we first stepped in. People everywhere, yet it was an organized chaos. We got our T-shirts on and found Kathy, Director of Athlete Initiatives for Special Olympics Iowa (SOIA), and introduced her to Claire. Kathy scooped her up, chatted with her, and asked for a picture with Claire. This had become our tradition every year, find Kathy and take a picture!

Awesome is such an over-used word, but that was how it was for me walking in there; I was in awe. All of these people, laughter, cheers, smiles. No one was telling me that, “Down Syndrome people are always so happy.” The only looks we got were smiles, we were totally accepted, and that is such a peaceful feeling. …

Attention athletes! Our holiday card art contest is happening NOW! This is your chance to have your artwork featured on the holiday card sent out by the state office.

Here’s what you need to do:
-Create your art! The artwork should be appropriate for a holiday card and needs to measure 5×7 (portrait or landscape).

-Send your creation to the state office by mail or email:
-Stephanie Kocer- skocer@soiowa.org
-Special Olympics Iowa 551 SE Dovetail Rd., PO Box 620 Grimes, IA 50111

-Deadline for artwork submissions is Friday, November 4th.
-SOIA staff will announce the winner in November.

Good luck SOIA artists!

By: Lori Emery, Delegation Manager- Sioux City Knights 

Many of those reading this may already be familiar with the term Unified Partner as it applies to Special Olympics. However, there are some that do not know about this opportunity to be involved with our athletes. Special Olympics Unified Sports® is an inclusive program that combines individuals with intellectual disabilities (athletes) and individuals without intellectual disabilities (Unified Partners) on sports teams for training and competition.

Meet Robin Hair and Tiffany Bauerly of the Sioux City Knights Special Olympics Iowa delegation. This dynamic duo has lived the unified lifestyle for more than 12 years and is proud to be part of the Special Olympics Unified Sports® movement.

Tiffany first met Robin through Best Buddies, a college program that matched a college student with an individual in the community that had special needs.  Tiffany and Robin would go bowling weekly through this program, but quickly saw that their friendship was growing outside the program.  …

Special Olympics Iowa (SOIA) would like to congratulate athlete Ben Bradshaw of the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Delegation for bowling a 300 game at a recent practice.

Ben has been in Special Olympics for four years and participates in bowling, basketball, softball and soccer. He started bowling at the age of three and started bowling for SOIA in 2013.

He says in his younger years he bowled on several leagues and he has a dream of going pro. His highest game before his recent 300 score was a 279 when he was 12 years old. Ben admits that he was getting a little nervous in the 8th frame, but it all worked out in the end.

From all of us at SOIA, congratulations again, Ben. Keep making us proud!