Athletes vie for spot at state championship meet
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. » Michael Churchill coaches his son, Curtis, for the Saratoga Wildcats. Saturday, the Wildcats joined 37 other teams competing in the New York State Regional Special Olympics at Shenendehowa High School.
Churchill had three teams compete Saturday with 24 players in total. The team practices once a week at Galway High School. Churchill is currently in his fifth year coaching.
“It’s a passion for me. I absolutely love it,” Churchill said.
Throughout the high school campus, nearly 1,000 people competed, volunteered or coached among sports like volleyball, swimming, track and field and basketball.
“It just grows every year, and it is important to these athletes. We offer really credible sport competition, so we are following the highest level for these guys,” said
Programming Specialist Danielle Armstrong. “They come in and have to know all of the rules and follow them all. For us, this is a really big event where they are all coming together to show their best for what they’ve got.”
Teams Saturday could qualify for next month’s State Championships at Siena College.
Armstrong explained from June 15 through June 17, more than 1,500 athletes, 500 coaches and 1,500 volunteers will gather for States.
Churchill himself didn’t know what to expect when his eldest son, Drew, joined a team years ago.
“I sort of had in my mind this conception of special Olympics was, dribble a little bit and throw up a shot and that’s about it,” Churchill said. “The first practice I went to, they’re doing laps, doing lay ups and the coach is yelling at them. I walked away saying, ‘wow this is the real deal.’”
Frank Finch had the duty
of directing the track and field portion of the day. The rainy weather tried its best to interrupt, but Finch and other Special Olympic coordinators situated selected field events indoors.
Finch, who has plenty of experience operating track and field events at a high school level, called Saturday the biggest event of the year for many of the athletes.
“It takes on special importance, and you feel very good about it,” said Finch.
Armstrong said athletes competing Saturday have trained for eight weeks to showcase their skills.
For Churchill’s Wildcats, they began practice in February. Churchill said Saturday is such a big weekend for the players.
“High level competition and just the passion. The game is over, they’re hugging each other and high fives all around,” said Churchill. “It’s just incredible. I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been great for my athletes.”
Churchill not only teaches his players the game of basketball, but there’s more to the competition than just competition.
“It’s more [teaching them] about life,” Churchill said.