Special Olympics athletes honored at awards banquet
TINICUM » Delaware County Special Olympics recognized athletes of all ages, from swimmers and golfers to volleyball, soccer, basketball and tennis players, at the 2017 Ric Koehler Sports Banquet, with each athlete getting a personalized “thank you” note from their coaches and program managers.
Held June 16 at the Lazaretto ballroom, the banquet is held to honor the memory of Ric Koehler of Haverford, who started the Special Olympics program in Delaware County and led the organization until he passed away in 2013.
The 2017 banquet also featured a tribute to the late soccer coach Bob Davidson of Haverford, who volunteered for 10 years, before passing away suddenly on June 8.
The Delaware County Special Olympics committee recognized several athletes and volunteers: Celestine Diaz, a swimmer from Newtown Square, was named the Young Athlete of the Year; Weronika Slupianek, a swimmer and volleyball player from Newtown Square, was named Female Athlete of the Year; Maurice Gillis, a basketball and volleyball player from Aldan, was Male Athlete of the Year; coach Ronnie Barton of Sharon Hill earned the 2016 Volunteer of the Year Award; and coach Kathryn McKeown of Haverford was named 2017 Volunteer of the Year.
The Delaware County Special Olympics program provides athletic training and competition for athletes of all ages in various sports at venues throughout the county.
The summer/fall session of athlete trainings gears up in July. Individuals interested in participating as either an athlete or coach can visit the website and register at www.sodelco.org. Coaches are needed in all sports including soccer, track and field, bowling, bocce, golf and swimming.