Local athletes, coaches, officials head to Special Olympics World Summer Games
Several athletes, coaches and officials from the Chicago suburbs will leave on Tuesday, July 21, for the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, California.
This group will join Special Olympics USA, a 481-member delegation representing the United States at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games, being held July 25-Aug. 2.
Christopher Nichol, 19, with Conquerors Leaning Tower in Niles, will compete as an athlete in aquatics.
Nichol graduated from Notre Dame College Prep High School and currently is enrolled in a transition program at Jackie Vaughn Occupational for a year. After that, he plans to attend Harper College Career Skills Institute for two years. He has been involved in Special Olympics for 11 years. Nichol won the Team Spirit award for the Notre Dame swim team has won many gold medals in Special Olympics swimming.
Michelle Thompson, 30, of Geneva, with the Fox Valley Special Recreation Association in Aurora, will compete as an athlete in rhythmic gymnastics. Thompson graduated from the SAIL program at Elgin Community College. She currently volunteers at a food bank and works at her dad's office. She has been involved in Special Olympics for 20 years.
Ryne Stolarz, 25 of Wheaton, with the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association in Carol Stream ill compete as an athlete in soccer. He has been involved in Special Olympics for 17 years. He was Wheaton North High School boys basketball manager for four years and currently is a cashier at Target.
Coaches from the area heading to the Special Olympics World Summer Games are Craig Ameel of Cary, assistant coach from Hersey High School in Arlington Heights; and Glen Marks of Rolling Meadows, assistant coach from Elk Grove Gymnastics in Elk Grove Village.
Ameel started the Special Olympics program at Wheeling High School in 1986, continued the program at John Hersey High School and created a District 214 alumni team in 2013. His high school teams have won 43 state gold medal team championships. He has been a coach at both Special Olympics World Games and USA Games. Ameel was a finalist for North America Special Olympics Coach of the Year.
"It's given me a much broader and better perspective on life," said Ameel, a retired special education teacher. "It's allowed me to meet many truly amazing people and enhanced my life in many ways."
Marks has won the Tim Rand Award for the coach that is the kindest and most supportive and the Elk Grove Village Community Service Award.
Special Olympics "has made me a better person," says Marks. "It has also given me the opportunity to coach all over the world. I have met friends and athletes from all over the world."
Jerry Blum of Lake Zurich, a former teacher at Buffalo Grove High School, will be a basketball official and John Coleman of Downers Grove will be a tennis official at the games.
Coleman's sister, Andrea, who was born with Cerebral Palsy, passed away in 1996 from cancer. Although Andrea was never involved in Special Olympics, Coleman says she would have been happy to see that he continues to work with children and adults with disabilities. Coleman said he loves working with Special Olympics athletes and families, as it makes him feel like Andrea is still with him.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these athletes to demonstrate their athletic abilities, competing at the highest level on the world stage, and to have life and cultural experiences that will stay with them for the rest of their lives," said Chris Hahn, head of delegation for Special Olympics USA. Hahn added, "I encourage every American to cheer on these inspiring athletes, to share in their triumphs and to take pride in knowing that they will represent our country with excellence and honor."
Visit www.specialolympicsteamusa.org to meet the team and learn more.