by Tori Phippen

The upcoming Special Olympics sport for fall is bowling.

By Sept. 19, there have to be 10 bowling scores turned in. The scores are then averaged for each athlete for the bowling competition on Oct. 3. All of the information for bowling has to be turned in by Sept. 19 to the state games committee in Grimes, IA.

On Friday, Oct. 3, ages 8 to 21 will bowl. On Saturday, Oct. 4, ages 21 and up will bowl in their respective competitions at the Super Bowl in Atlantic by their age and ability levels.

The Super Bowl has held Special Olympic Bowling for the past five years and will again be held at the Super Bowl. All Special Olympics athletes with an SOI (Special Olympics Iowa) physical and in a registered program for SOI can participate in bowling. SOI is a world-wide program for individuals with disabilities. “We are registered with SOI, and the athletes are actually part of that program,” stated Kathy Blazek, one of our high school teachers and coaches, along with Hillary Waldstein and Melia Clark, who teaches at Schuler Elementary.

AHS helps the Special Olympics out with transportation to and from events and practices. This year the Student Council will not be helping with the program, so this will have an impact. The Student Council has helped Special Olympics as volunteers since they started having the area competition here in Atlantic.  Blazek hopes that other AHS students will volunteer their time and effort to this “worthwhile opportunity for these athletes.”

Waldstein and Blazek will be the high school teachers who will coach and sponsor the athletes this year, and Clark will be the head coach and sponsor of their program at grade 4-8 levels.

If you know of any students that want to participate or volunteer their services to help out throughout the year, please see one of these women. They would really appreciate your help and communication. Adults are welcome to volunteer, coach, or support our program as well. It is a program that is meant to be fun-filled, recreational, competitive, healthy, and a life-long opportunity for many of these individuals who would otherwise not be able to participate in recreation/leisure life skill training and competition in their schools or other programs.