Special Olympics athletes attend Warhawks football camp
By Heather Ruenz
Editor
“The football camp had always been a dream of mine personally. I always wanted to connect individuals with special needs and sports teams together, creating inclusion and equal opportunities,” Alyssa Bohm said.
Her dream – and that of many Special Olympics athletes from southeast Wisconsin – came true April 29 at the UWW Special Olympics Football Camp at Perkins Stadium on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus.
Bohm, who serves as the Outreach Coordinator for the UWW Special Olympics Organization that was established last fall, said the camp wouldn’t have been possible without the support of fellow committee members and the community.
“This event will continue to strive each and every year in creating opportunities for all,” she said.
The camp was planned over the course of several months and included finding community sponsors and volunteers, publicizing the event and coordinating Special Olympics athletes – who came from Janesville Area Special Olympics and St. Coletta of Wisconsin to take part.
Bohm said donations of money, gift certificates, food and beverages came from numerous local sponsors including: Toppers Pizza, McCullough’s Prescription and Gifts, State Farm, Whitewater Dental Care, Walmart and Subway. Willis Printing Company provided t-shirts for all of the participants and volunteers.
Head football coach of the Warhawks, Kevin Bullis, took care of choosing the date for the camp and organizing the skills and drills stations set up on the field for the Special Olympics athletes, Bohm said.
“Coach Bullis, assistant coaches and senior players participated actively throughout the entire process making the event very successful,” she said.
Bullis said his team was involved in two community service projects that day: the football camp was led by the senior members of the team while the remaining members took part in a food drive in Whitewater that resulted in 1,000 pounds of food being donated.
“The Special Olympics football camp was a blast for Special Olympic athletes, our staff and senior players. It is great for our student athletes to see that community service experiences are greatly beneficial to our community and very gratifying for the participants,” Bullis said. “We are looking forward to building our relationship with the Wisconsin Special Olympics organization.”
The smiles said it all
Representatives of the two organizations that brought athletes to the event had nothing but praise about the camp.
“The event was awesome! Athlete feedback is best measured by smiles, and those were on display in abundance that day,” Ed Hale, of Janesville Special Olympics said.
Hale said parents and caregivers were “very impressed with the support and encouragement from the players. I was most impressed with the campus group that organized the event, having organized and hosted these types of events myself. For a ‘first ever’ event, it seems things went with a hitch.”
The Special Olympics coaches at St. Coletta of Wisconsin talked about what it meant for the athletes they work with to participate in the football camp.
“Thank you so much to Alyssa Bohm and the Whitewater Warhawks for organizing such an amazing event for our athletes. It meant so much to our athletes to get on the field and practice with athletes they admire,” Rachel Riedel said.
“Our athletes had a great time and shared tons of laughs. The smiles on their faces said it all,” Missy White said. “St. Coletta looks forward to participating in this event for years to come”
Don Wigington, the Director of Unified Sports for Special Olympics Wisconsin who attended the event, said it was a great opportunity for the athletes.
“Many of our athletes never get the chance to experience college run camps. The opportunity that the UW-Whitewater Special Olympics helped organize with Coach Bullis and the Warhawk team was truly a memorable experience for our athletes,” Wigington said.
Just the beginning
Bohm said this was not only the first year for the football camp but for the UWW Special Olympics Organization as a whole.
Danielle Hansen, president, Anthony Scardina, vice president, and Bohm established the organization last fall “in hopes to spread awareness and equal opportunities for Special Olympic athletes,” Bohm said.
The group held four events this year: the 2nd Annual Run for the Grapes 5k; UWW Homecoming Parade; Spread the Word To End the Word Campaign Petition; and the UWW Football Camp.
“Our organization plans next year to have multiple interactive events that not only will the athletes enjoy but the entire community will be involved,” Bohm said.
She said the camp was a “success and unforgettable experience thanks to all involved” but it was only the beginning of a long-term goal.
“This is just the first stepping stone to my personal goal of creating a non-profit organization partnering well known sports team and individuals with special needs,” Bohm said.
