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| Monday, November 23, 2009 |
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The Johnston County Special Olympics North Carolina Unified Volleyball team at the Special Olympics South Carolina Fall Games.
It was a blustery day in Anderson, South Carolina and the Johnston County NC
Unified Volleyball team was on a court doubled over in laughter. The wind gusts kept sending the ball in strange directions and the team would miscalculate their swings. Playing volleyball outdoors was a new experience for this veteran team.
“There were confused looks on the players’ faces when that wind kicked up,” said Jill Carpenter, one of three coaches, along with Jackie Kozul and David Chiu, for the Dead Frogs. “The athletes and Partners had fun with it though and learned they like the wind to their backs best as it allowed them time to set up a play.”
The team has been playing together for four years. Off and on, they bring on Unified Partners (individuals without intellectual disabilities but of similar skill level) and compete as a Unified Team. The Special Olympics South Carolina Fall Games allowed the team of six athletes and four Unified Partners (Andrew Mims, Quinn Chestnut, Jennifer Frame, Matt Carpenter, Travis Rigsbee, and Mikie Purdy, and Unified Partners: Jessica Tucker, Jessica Mims, Susan Mims and David Chiu) to compete against eight other Unified volleyball teams. The team played eight matches in a five hour span with a short break for lunch. The pace was vigorous but the teams and fans loved it. The Dead Frogs won five of their eight matches (13-25, 11-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-16, 25-9, 22-25, and 25-17) and brought home the gold medal!
More...
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Special Olympics North Carolina is one of the largest volunteer
organizations in the state with more than 20,000 charity volunteers. Involving
more than 38,000 athletes who have intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics
North Carolina is one of the largest programs in the world. Special Olympics North Carolina offers training and competition
in 20 sports, including everything from Alpine skiing to volleyball. The Special
Olympics goal is to improve the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities
through sport, by empowering them both on and off the field of play and bringing
them into the larger society where they are respected and accepted. Special Olympics
NC is a volunteer-driven organization. Whether you're interested in coaching athletes,
helping in fund raising, coordinating events, or just helping out in our office,
we have volunteer opportunities for just about everything. Special Olympics athletes
in North Carolina are never charged a fee to compete. All of their expenses, including
training, uniforms and other related costs, are paid for through generous donations
from individuals and businesses. Support Special Olympics North Carolina by making
a gift to one of our vital fundraising programs. North Carolina donations can
also be made online through our secure site.
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