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Athlete Corner


 
Children and adults with intellectual disabilities who participate in Special Olympics develop improved physical fitness and motor skills, greater self-confidence and a more positive self-image. They grow mentally, socially and spiritually and, through their activities, exhibit boundless courage and enthusiasm, enjoy the rewards of friendship and ultimately discover not only new abilities and talents but "their voices" as well..


 

The Special Olympics movement aims to achieve quality growth by creating innovative opportunities to bring the Special Olympics experience to more of the world's 170 million people with intellectual disabilities. At the same time, Special Olympics will work to create positive public attitudes toward a population that is often rejected or forgotten. Specifically, Special Olympics increase the number of athletes participating worldwide to 2 million by the end of 2005, while steadfastly maintaining the quality of the program.


We will promote global athlete leadership and dedicate the movement to empowerment and dignity, not charity. We will change negative attitudes and misperceptions about people with intellectual disabilities, replacing stigma and rejection with an emphasis on potential, ability and acceptance.

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On Sunday, April 2nd, 2006, twenty four Special Olympics Massachusetts athletes teamed up with members of the Kodak All-America Basketball team for a Youth Education through Sports (YES) Clinic at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Female basketball players Tammy Braverman, Patty Bekkenhuis, Annette Adessa from the Lynn Lions, Maylyn Fritz, Kathleen McElaney, Kristin Verga, Nikita McOmber, Linsay Gibbs, and Elizabeth MacQuarrie from the Danvers Dawgs, Karen Powell, Cindy Wadon, Leslie Cusack, Deloris Carew, Psyche Boodham, Katherine Sally from the SNARC Eagles, and Amy Slater, Mary Anne Lyons, Suzanne Michaud, Kathleen Yudis, Jennifer Porter, Jamikka Pitts, Ana Cruz, Theresa Nelson, and Sarah Egan from the Cardinal Nets represented SOMA and their teams in a one-hour clinic lead by the University of North Carolina Ashville coach, Betsy Blose. After learning new skills and perfecting old techniques, the athletes were able to scrimmage each other and put what they learned into play. The YES Clinic offered the SOMA athletes a once and a lifetime opportunity to not only meet, but also play along side of some of the best collegiate female basketball players in the country.