Rolling into high gear

Basketball, swimming, track and bowling on county’s roster of tournaments About 360 athletes, coaches, volunteers will participate in tourney

NORRISTOWN » April is a busy month for the athletes, coaches and volunteers of Special Olympics Montgomery County. Competitive and developmental swimmers have already participated in meets held at Boyertown YMCA and Upper Dublin High School. Next on tap is this Saturday’s SOMC basketball tournament at Montgomery County Community College, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, and the Equestrian Show at Sebastian Riding Associates, 3589 Water Street in Collegeville.

The hoops tournament will showcase the following teams: North Penn Knights A & Knights B; Conshohocken Stars 1, Mighty Mites, Stars 3, Stars 4 and Stars 5; Abington Rockets A & Rockets B; Ambler Mayhem; Troublemakers and Molecules; Quakertown Panthers,Tigers and Lions; Pottstown Eagles 1 and Eagles 2; Lansdale Titans; Royersford Tigers.

Conshohocken Stars head coach Fran Brett said about 360 athletes, coaches and volunteers covering several MCCC courts. And he encourages everyone to take part in the festivities.

“Be a fan and watch the best local athletes in the world compete and the most dedicated coaches and volunteers found anywhere in the world,” offered Brett.

The following weekend, on April 21, the Kiwanis Clubs of Glenside and Hatboro Horsham is proud to

present its 40th annual Special Athlete Basketball Tournament at Hatboro Horsham High School, 899 Horsham Road, Horsham. This year’s tournament is dedicated to the memory of Jon Fox, who was a dedicated public servant and member of the Kiwanis Club of Glenside.

Moving into May, the County Invitational Track Meet will take over Plymouth Whitemarsh High School on May 19, with competitors coming from all over the region.

On May 20 the County Tennis Tournament will be held at Gwynedd Mercy University, 1325 Sumney Town Pike, Gwynedd Valley.

According to head tennis coach Mansee Patel, the participating teams will represent Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties and opening ceremonies will be held at 2 p.m. Following the competition there will be medals presentation, closing ceremonies and then a pizza party.

Special Olympics Montgomery County serves more than 1,200 athletes who participate year-round in 20 sports at 44 locations throughout the county. Sports programs available to athletes include: Swimming; basketball; bocce; bowling; equestrian; figure skating, flag football; floor hockey; golf; gymnastics; long distance running/ walking; power lifting; skiing and snow shoe; soccer; softball; tennis; unified softball; volleyball; track and field; and the young athletes program (for children 2 ½ to 7 years old).

Scott Otterbein, who serves as Special Olympics Pennsylvania Track and Long Distance Running Sport Director, as well as head coach of the track and field and long distance running programs, confirmed that the spring season is the most active for SOMC.

“During March, April and May SOMC provides 8 of the 16 local county tournaments making it our busiest time of the year,” Otterbein said. “And with the swimming, basketball and track and field tournaments having the largest attendance of the year most athletes ‘are doing something!’ Hats off to the head coaches organizing these tournaments and thank them when you go to cheer your favorite athlete.”

To learn more about these programs, or to volunteer for these programs, go to: https:// www.specialolympicsmontco.org/

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOMC Bowlers from SOMC take aim during the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Eastern Bowling Sectionals in Allentown earlier this year.

Athletes and coaches prepare for one of the heats in the 25-yard freestyle.