Mainers at Special Olympics

The Special Olympics Maine state office has announced the names of 35 Special Olympics athletes and 10 coaches who will participate in the first ever Special Olympics National Games July 2-7 in Ames, Iowa.

More than 3,500 athletes will compete in Olympic-style sports such as bocce, bowling, basketball, soccer, aquatics, athletics and golf.

The Maine contingent will leave the state on Friday, June 30.

Special Olympics began in 1968 when Eunice Kennedy Shriver saw a need for an athletic program for persons with intellectual disabilities.

Special Olympics is a year-round athletic training and competition program for persons of all ages who have intellectual disabilities. In Maine, nearly 3,000 athlete participate in the events.

For information on the National Games or on Special Olympics Maine, call Lisa Bird at 839-5578 or visit www.2006nationalgames.org.

Area athletes and coaches selected are:

Soccer: Coach Duane Peoples, Bangor; athletes Molly Berry, Hermon; Anthony Ring, Hermon.

Basketball: Coach Craig Deschaine, Bangor; athletes Jason Dean, Hermon; Robert Morris, Carmel; Chris Oster, Hermon; Nick Post, Hermon.

Aquatics: Athlete Cailynn Goss, Holden.

Bowling: Athletes Stephen Ritz-Perkins, Holden; Kelly Welton, Stetson.

Athletics: Athlete Aaron Putnam, Old Town.

Bocce: Coach Lorinda Scott, Bangor; athlete Susan James, Unified Partner, Carmel.

Golf: Athletes Chris Jordan, Unified Partner, Brewer; Robert Jackson, Brewer.

University of Maine graduate Jacqueline Perkins Schroeder has been chosen as the head track coach representing Arizona in the 2006 Summer Special Olympics. She is the daughter of Gerald and Joyce Perkins of Orrington and the granddaughter of Raymond and Louise Perkins of Orrington.

Schroeder and husband Stephen live in Flagstaff, Ariz., where they work with developmentally challenged and special needs individuals for the Hozhoni Foundation, she is an adjunct therapist working with special needs individuals ages 18 to 80.

Schroeder organizes extra-curricular activities for the foundation. She teaches and coaches a variety of activities and sports including arts and crafts, cultural dining, bowling and swimming. She also organizes day and weeklong hikes and camp-outs with an annual three-day rafting trip on the San Juan River.

Citing her dedication, successful hard work and commitment, the Special Olympics committee chose Schroeder as head track coach for Arizona. She will take a team made up of the state’s top special needs athletes – including several of her own competitors.

Boys Youth Soccer

HAMPDEN – The Blackbear United U12 Boys Youth Soccer team has qualified for the Regional Tournament in Virginia Beach, Va. Maine will be the host of the tournament for the next two years.

The U12 boys team members are: Seth Anderson of Hancock, Stephen Berenyi of Levant, Derek Creviston of Bar Harbor, Michael Curtis of Ellsworth, Finn and Pierce Ducker of Winslow, Logan Dyer of Ellsworth, Holden Fender of Bar Harbor, Chapin Frost of Bangor, Ricky Jones of Glenburn, Tyler Prince of Bar Harbor, Joe Ross of Bangor, Malcolm Steele of Hope and Windham Veevaert of Swanville. The team coach is Seth Brown, newly appointed Husson men’s soccer coach, and MJ Ball.

Region I consists of 13 states; Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Eastern New York, Western New York, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania West, Pennsylvania East and Rhode Island. In each age group – 12-18 – the state cup winner represents his or her state at the tournament. There is a boys and girls division. The tournament lasts six days and begins June 29 with an opening ceremony followed by preliminary play and the playoff round. The tournament ends on July 4.

“This is such a great accomplishment for this team,” said MJ Ball, director of operations for Blackbear United. “This is the third team we are sending to regionals in the past four years. Lots of people have been tuned into the USA and the World Cup – well, this tournament is our world cup. It’s that competitive with more than 300 teams in attendance. The last two teams we sent were 17 boys and 18 girls. To get to the regional tournament at such a young age is fantastic and shows the talent level in Eastern Maine.”

The players and staff are seeking donations from local businesses to help defray the travel costs of this trip. The estimated cost is more than $1,000 per family with hotel, travel and food during the six-day tournament. Apogee Web Consulting has donated $5,000 and the Holiday Inn on Odlin Road donated the tournament entry fee.

Those who wish to make a donation should make checks payable to Blackbear United and mail to Blackbear United, 136 Main Road North, Hampden, ME 04444.

To learn more about Blackbear United, visit www.blackbearunited.com.