The excitement continues to build as the 42 athletes, two Unified Partners and 17 coaches who make up Team Kentucky continue their preparations for the first ever Special Olympics USA National Games, to be held July 2-8 in Ames, Iowa.
The most recent activity for the team was a weekend-long training camp held March 23-25 in Lexington. The camp gave the Team Kentucky representatives a chance to get to know one another before the trip to Ames, as well as a chance to work with their coaches. It was the only time the entire National Games team would gather for training prior to the Games.
Friday and Saturday nights were social time for the team, including games, movies and karaoke and served as a great way for the athletes and coaches — many of whom were unfamiliar with each other — to get to know each other better.
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Team Kentucky gymnast Lee Dockins practices at the No Limits facility in Lexington during the Team Kentucky Training Camp on March 24. |
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Saturday morning and afternoon, however, were all business as the various teams fanned out to facilities across the city for training time. We want to thank The Central Kentucky YMCA, Lexington Christian Academy, Collins Bowling Center-Eastland Lanes, Connemara Golf Links, Pep Club Gymnastics and Champion Sports for their help with scheduling and donating facilities for the camp practice sessions.
Many of the athletes heading to the National Games will be competing in their National Games events at the 2006 Special Olympics Kentucky State Summer Games, June 2-4 at Eastern Kentucky University. Swimmers Lindsay Davis, Kyle Gathof, Katelyn Hale and Jonathan Shelton; track and field athletes Christy Farwell, Bradley Hope, Crystal Maston, Matthew Minning and Jeremy Thompson and gymnasts Lee Dockins, Phillip Riley and Brittany Snider will all compete in their National Games events at the State Summer Games. Many members of the Lexington Thunder softball team and Owensboro Bulls basketball team as well as the National Games golfers and bowlers will compete at the State Summer Games in track and field or powerlifting events.
All of the Team Kentucky athletes and coaches will be honored during the Opening Ceremonies of the State Summer Games on June 2.
Team Kentucky’s real journey begins on Friday, June 30, when the athletes and coaches will gather again, this time in Louisville to prepare for the trip to Ames. The team departs from Atlantic Aviation at Standiford Field in Louisville the following morning as part of the Cessna Airlift. This will be the fifth time that a Cessna Airlift has carried Special Olympics athletes to a World or National Games event. Companies and individuals who own Citation jets will donate their aircraft to transport the 2,500 athletes from throughout the US to the Games. Team Kentucky will fly to Ames on nine donated Citation jets.
Opening Ceremonies for the Games will be held on Sunday, July 2 and competition begins on Monday, July 3. The Games close on July 7 and Team Kentucky will return to Louisville on July 8.
You will be able to follow Team Kentucky’s progress on www.soky.org throughout the Games, with daily updates on Team Kentucky activities and results.
For more information about Team Kentucky or the 2006 Special Olympics USA National Games, contact Trish Mazzoni at 502-695-8222 or via e-mail at tmazzoni@soky.org.
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