NSSRA sends 20 Athletes to Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games
Submitted by Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association
Twenty NSSRA Gator athletes will travel to Bloomington-Normal to participate in Illinois Special Olympics' annual State Summer Games June 10-12.
The Gators will compete in bocce, powerlifting, swimming, and track and field. In order to qualify each athlete was required to win first place at each sport's respective regional competition. NSSRA is sending three bocce players, two swimmers, nine track and field athletes and its entire six-member powerlifting team to compete in the Summer Games.
NSSRA's athletes won 38 gold, 12 silver and eight bronze medals in qualifying competitions, with some athletes qualifying for more than one event.
"The trip for NSSRA's powerlifters is extra special since the entire team's athletes qualified this year," said Mark Schultz, NSSRA Recreation Specialist for Athletics and Fitness. "A lot of the credit has to go to their coach of four years, Joe Misek. He is knowledgeable, caring and dedicated to the athletes' success. He expects a lot and they deliver their best."
The Gators range in age from 8 to 58, and 19 of the 20 athletes are returning competitors. Seven coaches will accompany them to the competition.
"First year coach Taylor Zornow will be traveling with two athletes from our swim team," Schultz said. "Her upbeat approach and challenging drills have led to great success this season."
NSSRA's team of coaches has steadily worked with the athletes throughout their respective seasons, challenging them and pushing them toward the goal of the State Summer Games.
"All the athletes have put in so much time over the weeks leading up to games to keep their skills sharp," Schultz said. "It has become a tradition during our end of practice stretches to replace the number '8' with 'state'. It's served as extra motivation for the athletes and to say they are eager for the upcoming trip would be an enormous understatement."
The Illinois State Summer Games are held annually at Illinois State University, attracting more than 4,000 athletes from districts throughout the state.
NSSRA Gator Athletes include:
Bocce: Jessica Grene and Vickilynn Shaw of Highland Park and Christopher Shaw of Northfield.
Powerlifting: William Fisher, Randy Huffmaster and Miguel Lara of Highland Park; Kathleen Millar of Mundelein; Bryan Parent of Wilmette; and John Christian Walti of Libertyville.
Swimming: Alison Shapiro of Highland Park and Michael Young of Glenview.
Track & Field: Samuel Green and Kathleen Winslow of Winnetka, Michael Hull of Deerfield, Thomas Jachtorowycz and Luke Toussaint of Glenview, Dianna Mann of Highwood, Sam Mitchell and Jackie Richardson of Highland Park, and Pamela Smith-Bergsrud of Lake Bluff.