Special Olympics athletes and Unified Sports have big events coming up for area athletes
May 5—Special Olympians will participate in the Eastern Spring Sectional event for an exciting day of competition, celebrations and award-winning smiles as part of busy days ahead.
More than 60 athletes, ranging from youth to teenagers to adults, will represent the northeast region Saturday at Kutztown University. They will compete in track and field, swimming, basketball and golf and have the opportunity to advance to the Special Olympics Summer Games at Penn State University in June.
The northeast region serves Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties.
"We are very excited and very much looking forward to Saturday," said Heather Schreiner, who is the Northeast Region Executive Director. "The top performers in the different divisions, which are based on age, gender and ability, advance. Athletes are competing against athletes of similar abilities, and when they receive gold, silver and bronze medals, it is based on those with similar abilities.
"They do their best, and they are so excited, and that is always fun."
Athletes will take part in the opening ceremonies at Andre Reed Stadium in the morning, and the events start with golf at 9:30 a.m. at Rich Maiden Golf Course. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m.
The Special Olympics host Fall Sectionals at DeSales University, a Fallfest at Villanova University, the outdoor Winter Games at Seven Springs Mountain Resort and the Indoor Winter Games in York.
"We are excited to have so many athletes going to Kutztown for the Spring Sectional," Schreiner said. "With the lack of fitness and physical activities over the last few years caused by the pandemic, it is great to get everyone back in the game."
Also back in the game are local NEIU 19 Area P Special Olympians as the track and field meet makes its return after being canceled since 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is scheduled for North Pocono Trojans Stadium on May 16.
"It's nice because since COVID, we haven't been able to have this," said Keith Toolan, who is the Area P Special Olympics coordinator. "This seems to be my biggest group of students participating, and that is really good. The kids have been excited. When I go to the schools and they get to do the running and the softball throw and things, they are so happy that we are doing it again.
"It is going to be a great day overall."
In addition, the Special Olympics are involved in Unified Sports events across the region.
Several high schools that are members of the Lackawanna Interscholastic Athletic Association are sponsoring Unified Championship teams in bocce and track and field.
Special Olympics Unified sports are defined as "a fully inclusive sports or fitness program that combines an approximately equal number of students with and without intellectual disabilities," according to the website.
"Most of our athletes for the Spring Sectional are adults, but we do have some high school athletes who will be there," Schreiner said. "We are trying to recruit more children into our sports. We would like to get some of our Unified athletes to compete."
Schools that make up the Northeast Region of the Unified Championship track include Dallas, Daniel Boone, Crestwood, East Stroudsburg North, East Stroudsburg South, Honesdale, Abington Heights, Hanover Area, Carbondale Area, Valley View, William Allen, North Pocono, Wyoming Valley West, Emmaus, Wallenpaupack, Lakeland, Lackawanna Trail, Hazleton Area, Wilkes-Barre Area, Pocono Mountain East, Mid Valley, Delaware Valley, Western Wayne, Pleasant Valley and Pottsgrove.
Teams have competed at meets throughout the spring.
At Abington Heights, the program started with 12 to 15 kids and has expanded to 33 athletes this season.
"It has been wonderful to see the program blossom and grow," said Krista Carey, the director of Unified Sports at Abington Heights, which started Unified Sports in 2018. "They are all there cheering each other on at a meet, and the interactions have carried over to the classroom. We have kids sitting with each other at lunchtime, and we have scheduled field trips where our Unified teams accompany our Life Skills group, and they are interacting in such a positive way."
Unified sports are offered by high school athletic departments in all 12 districts in the state.
Athletes have the opportunity to make friends, enjoy physical fitness and are full of energy and joy.
"We are so thrilled with the participation we have had and the support that we get from the community," said Heather Cantando, who is one of the coaches for Lakeland's Unified program that made its debut this spring. "The week before the first home meet, we had a parade through the halls with the band, and all of the kids came out of class and cheered them on. The kids are so thrilled about this team. They love the meets, and they are always asking what the scores are.
"They feel like they are a real part of the community. They are competing side-by-side with their peers; it's amazing, and this inclusion revolution is really great."
Unified athletes also have the opportunity to reach the PIAA Track and Field Championships by qualifying at sectional meets. There is one set for May 9 at Hazleton Area and another May 15 at Wallenpaupack. Three schools from each region will move on to Shippensburg.
Last spring, Mid Valley represented District 2 at the championships in Shippensburg. Wallenpaupack won the PIAA team title in 2021 when it was a virtual event because of the pandemic.
On Sunday, the Special Olympics, in partnership with Marywood University, will sponsor the first Unified Softball Spectacular. The event will feature an Alumni/Faculty/Friends game at 11 a.m., followed by Marywood students playing alongside Unified athletes in a game at 2 p.m.
In between, there will be a home run derby, a base race relay, music, concessions, basket raffles, a 50/50, and, as the group emphasizes, "loads of fun."
"We are really putting an emphasis on Unified sports," Schreiner said. "There is an emphasis on getting more Unified sports events even outside of the Unified championship schools."
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