IN THIS ISSUE:

• FALL SPORTS / UNIFIED PARTNERS
• SOCCER COACHES & COORDINATORS MEETING - AUG 20
• VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR FALL SPORTS
• NEXT VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONS - AUG 19 & SEP 14
• ATHLETICS WRAP-UP REPORT
• FIGURE SKATING WRAP-UP REPORT
• CHANGE IN BOWLING TIMES
• POSITIONS OPEN AT SOMD
• SPORTS IN SESSION
• CALENDAR OF EVENTS 
• OFFICE INFORMATION
• SOHC POINTS OF CONTACT
• SPECIAL OLYMPIC LINKS
• DID YOU KNOW…

FALL SPORTS / UNIFIED PARTNERS

All athletes should have received the fall sports registration form in mid-July.  Cycling and golf have already begun, powerlifting begins this evening, with tennis, soccer, cross country running and volleyball set to begin shortly. See the schedule below. If you've misplaced your registration form, go to www.somdhc.org to print out a new form.  For all those planning to participate in a Fall sport, please send your registration form to the office ASAP!! 

In soccer, we will again offer levels from skills to higher ability teams, with an exciting new component, UNIFIED SOCCER, being added to the mix.  This is where non-disabled athletes will team with Special Olympics athletes on the same team. If there are siblings or school age volunteers that would like to participate, please reply to this email and plan to come to the practices.

SOCCER COACHES & COORDINATORS MEETING

Planning for the soccer season will be finalized at a coaches and coordinators meeting on Wednesday, August 20 from 7:00 - 8:00 pm at the Special Olympics Howard County office.  We have several new coaches this season joining the team who bring many years of soccer coaching and/or playing experience.  If you would like to help coach, please plan to attend this meeting.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR FALL SPORTS

Volunteers are needed for the following sports and we ask if you are interested to please contact the individual coordinators listed below ASAP for specifics or you can contact Beth Greenberg, the volunteer coordinator at bjb410@comcast.net  cell 301-233-1296 for general info.

• CYCLING - Began Sunday July 27th @ Lake Elkhorn, 10:00 – 11:30 am. contact Cheryl Decker, zachandcheryl@verizon.net
• GOLF SKILLS- began Thursday July 31st @ Hobbits Glen GC, 6:00 – 7:00 pm. contact Cindy Vidmar,  vidgang@msn.com
• GOLF - began Thursday July 31st >Timbers of Troy GC, 5:30 – 7:00 pm. contact Howard Mooney,   mooneyfamily1@aol.com
• POWERLIFTING- begins Thursday's and Sunday's Aug. 7th  @ Quest Fitness, 7:30 – 9:00 pm. contact Bill long,  blong716@aol.com
• TENNIS- begins Saturday Aug. 16th @ Athloton HS,10:00 – 11:30 am. contact Sonal Parikh , sonalparikh1@gmail.com
• CROSS COUNTRY RUNNING- begins Saturday Aug. 23rd @ Centennial HS, 9:00 - 10:00 am. contact Ann Worley annworley@comcast.net
• SOCCER-begins Saturday Aug. 23rd @ Homewood Field, 2:30 - 4:00 pm. contact Cheryl Kemp  clkemp77@gmail.com
• VOLLEYBALL-begins Monday August 25th @ Mt. Hebron HS, 7:00- 8:30 pm. contact Russ Young, russtace@comcast.net

NEXT VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONS

Tuesday August 19, 2008 and Sunday September 14, 2008

Special Olympics requires all volunteers including family members who have direct contact with athletes during sports training, to attend a volunteer orientation. The volunteer orientation not only goes over volunteer responsibilities and protective behavior but also goes over a preliminary introduction to SOHC who we are, what we do,  and what we need. 

In preparation for the spring sports season, Special Olympics Howard County will be conducting a volunteer orientation on Tuesday August 19, 2008 from 7:00-8:30 as well as Sunday September 14, 2008 from 1:30-3:00.  PRE-Registration is required and you are asked to contact Beth Greenberg, our volunteer coordinator, for specifics.  bjb410@comcast.net / cell 301-233-1296.

ATHLETICS WRAP-UP REPORT BY JOE BOBINSKI

We had another successful season this year. Practices were held on Wednesday’s and Saturday’s from March until June at Oakland Mills High School. A total of 60 athletes signed up this year with 34 finishing out the season at state games in June. We participated in three qualifiers; Annapolis, Montgomery and our own at Wilde Lake High School. The meet from this year forward will be known as the Justin Gregg Memorial Athletics and Bocce Competition. I served as Acting Head Coach with support from Katie Gambale this season while we wait the enthusiastic return of Coach Kamran in 2009. For the first time registration had to be cut off due to the overwhelming numbers of athletes wishing to participate. No athlete received a participation ribbon a states. Most athletes had run their best times despite the heat. At the end of the year party we presented several awards. The three Jan Brown sportsmanship awards went to Jesse Carrico, Long Distance, RJ Phillips Middle Distance and Nathan Cervelloni - Short Distance. This award is named in the memory of one of our coaches. The Tracy D Rehborn Jr Most Improved Athlete went to Joseph Bobinski Jr. This award is in memory of Kim Bobinski’s father and Joey’s grandfather. Specific criteria is used for each of these awards and the coaches decide who should be recognized.

FIGURE SKATING WRAP-UP REPORT BY JUDY PROIA

We had our best skating season ever with our thanks for the wonderful donation of a full sheet of ice from the Learn to Skate Director Denise Cahill and Clai Carr and Tom Hendrix of The Gardens Ice House in Laurel, MD on Saturday mornings.  With the added ice use many of our skaters were able to learn and practice individual Freestyle programs and advance to programs with music for competition.  We started in late Oct. with practices on Sat. and had our first competition with Virginia Special Olympics Winter Games at Ashburn Ice Rink in early January.  All of our skaters brought home medals and had a fun time!  We then did the Bowie Valentine Invitational with the Ice Skating Institute in February and all of our skaters brought home Gold Medals!  Our families decided on their own to register their athletes for the United States Figure Skating Association May Day Open on May 11th at the Gardens Ice House reintroduced this year for Special Olympic athletes.  We had one of our Volunteers bring a whole cheering section of his friends and our athletes competed in the left front rink for all spectators to see!  Again, they brought home many medals! Thanks to all of our wonderful Coaches and Volunteers including our families that make this program possible for our athletes!  I am so proud of all of our athletes that worked so hard and showed so much progress this year in their skating! 

Thanks Judy.  On a sad note, Judy's mother, Bertha M. Kwapien passed away last week at the age of 93.  A small funeral was held with immediate family and friends.  Judy said her mother enjoyed watching and cheering on Katie in her Special Olympic sports.  Those wishing to remember her mother may make a donation to any Catholic Charity of their choice or to Special Olympics Howard County.  - Bob 

CHANGE IN BOWLING TIMES

Bowling will start on Sunday, November 2nd, but will be held from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm vice our usual time of 4:00 - 6:00 pm.  Normandy lanes was no longer offering the afternoon slot as an option for our group.  The good news is they did reduce the price they are charging and we can expand to use all the lanes at the facility.  

SPORTS POSITIONS OPEN AT SOMD

There are multiple positions available as Sports Director at SOMD.  They have restructured the Sports Program Department and this is the first step in a dedicated approach to raising the bar even higher in the areas of Competition and Training.

Special Olympics Maryland is already regarded across the United States as a leader in these areas and they wish to continue looking forward and to design innovative approaches to the management of both areas.  These positions will allow us the flexibility not only to continue to provide the highest level of competitive and training experiences for our athletes and coaches but also the ability to respond to the on-going changes that are always present in the field of sports event management.

If you have any questions or require any further information contact Jason Schriml at (w)  410-789-6677 ext. 118, (m) 410-615-2435 or email jschriml@somd.org.

Qualified candidates should submit resume to: resume@somd.org  with the subject line SOMD Sports Director Position. The Application process will remain open until the position is filled. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience/qualifications. This is a full-time exempt position with benefits. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, short- and long-term disability insurance, 403(B) retirement plan and life insurance.