An athletic competition that honors heart and effort recently took place at Thomas County Central High School.
The local Winter Special Olympics are held over a two-day period each year in November. The school hosted part of the event: the opening ceremonies and basketball and baseball skills competitions. Bowling was held at Rose Bowl Lanes.
Each year, the local Thomas County Special Olympics is put on by the Thomasville YMCA and the Thomas County Special Olympics Advisory Committee.
“They serve more than 150 special need students from kindergarten to 12th grade from area schools in Thomas County that participate in Special Olympic sports,” TCCHS Special Education teacher Todd Wilson said. “Every year the Special Olympics become more visible throughout our communities. This is a great way for people in Thomasville to see the importance of this program in the lives of our special need athletes.”
Students in three different classes at TCCHS participated in basketball, basketball skills and bowling.
Students who placed from Wilson’s class include: Eli Lindquist, 10th grade, first place in bowling, Ricky Hobbs, 12th grade, second place in bowling, James Rutherford, 9th grade, third place in bowling; Eli Lindquist, 10th grade, first place in basketball skills, Forrest Charles, 12th grader, second place in basketball skills, and Colby Fletcher, 12th grade, third place in basketball skills.
“I liked playing basketball,” 12th grade participant Joy McCullers said. “It was fun playing in front of everyone.”
Senior participant Chris Johns liked bowling the best “because I won a ribbon.”
Students from Betty Worthington’s class competed in basketball: they won three games and lost one.
Students in Phil Slaughter’s class participated in bowling and basketball. Two of his students won two games in team basketball and earned first place honors.
Slaughter’s students who participated in basketball said “it’s fun” and enjoyed “being part of a team.” Slaughter’s students who bowled found their sport to be “fun and exciting” and “liked the food at the bowling alley.” Another student found the entire experience “special” because of the chance to see friends and family at the events.
“The Special Olympics means a lot to our special need students here at Thomas County Central,” Wilson said. “They depend on it and look forward to it every year.”
One reason Special Olympics are so important to its athletes is because many “don’t get the chance to play in high school athletics,” Wilson said.
“Special Olympics fulfills their desire to compete in organized athletics at a completive level,” he explained. “I am very proud of our TCCHS Special Olympic Athletes. They practice, train and compete just like athletes in other organized sports. They can be very competitive. Top performers can earn a spot to compete on the regional, state, national and world levels.”
Last year, several TCCHS athletes won gold medals in swimming and soccer at the Georgia Summer Special Olympics Games.
“It’s wonderful to see our Special Olympian’s hard work pay off at such a high level,” Wilson said.
And, athletics are “very important” to Special Olympians because they want to prove they can do things others might not think them capable of undertaking, Wilson explained. It is “their way to shine and show what they can do.”
“It’s fun,” KaDeshia Joyce, 11th grade participant said. “I like playing sports and showing everyone what I can do.”
Worthington said the games are important to her students because they “have the opportunity to compete and feel proud of their accomplishments.”
Participants also enjoy the games in general.
McCullers enjoyed “walking into the gym during opening ceremonies holding our school banner with the principal.”
Joyce said her favorite part “is seeing all the people.”
Senior participant Forrest Charles likes “the music, the band and all the cheerleaders” who support the athletes during the event.
Sophomore Keymaun Gillyard, 16, likes the team sports. He feels it “teaches discipline” and is an “opportunity to cooperate with other students” as well as show respect for teammates and coaches.
Wilson said the games are another tool used at TCCHS “to ensure that our special needs students have a total high school experience.”
Slaughter said his favorite part of the Special Olympics experience is seeing the students participate and learn a variety of important lessons.
“They allow the students to participate with individuals at their skill level, learn cooperation, tolerance, patience, teamwork, compassion for others, and allow the student to be themselves without feeling as they are looked at or picked on by others for being different,” he said.
TCCHS students not actively involved in the games had a chance to volunteer to assist during the event.
“I wanted to volunteer at the Special Olympics to support special education in Thomas County Schools,” volunteer Taylor Ren?ee Jenkins said. “It was a very rewarding experience and I’m glad I was able to help out.”
Slaughter thanked the games’ volunteers.
“Special Olympics is made even more special by the volunteers that assist these athletes,” he said. “They provide guidance and encouragement. Some of the best volunteers I have ever had walk the halls at Thomas County Central High School. Some of them even become teachers.”
Competitors all receive ribbons after participation in the games.
“They love getting their ribbons and wearing them all around the school for everyone to see,” Wilson said. “They love all the attention they receive from teachers and the student body. They are so proud of themselves. It warms my heart to see that they have a day here at Thomas County Central that’s all about them!”