The Special Olympics visited Cal State Long Beach last weekend with more than a dozen teams from all over Southern California competing. This event was the 41st Special Olympics for the Southern California Chapter.
“Most of the volunteers and coaches have a family member with a disability,” said Long Beach head coach Claudia Paquette.
Team Long Beach brought more than a dozen athletes to compete in the two-day sporting event that covered competitions ranging from track and field to aquatics to basketball.
There are several requirements to become a team athlete but Paquette said she holds one factor in especially high regard.
“Commitment is number one,” said Paquette, who also teaches at Kettering Classic Elementary. “I don’t care about ability, I care about heart.”
Eunice Kennedy Shriver started the Special Olympics in 1963 as a day camp for people with intellectual disabilities to provide them with the therapeutic effects of physical fitness and sports. In 1968, she organized the first International Special Olympics Games, where 1,000 athletes from the United States, Canada and France competed. That year, the Special Olympics was founded as a nonprofit organization. The California Chapter for the Special Olympics was formed and co-founded by Olympic Gold Medalist, Rafer Johnson, during the same year.
Tim Holmes started as a volunteer before he “stepped up” as an athlete, Chanay Holmes, Tim’s mother, said. Now, he has been competing for three years.
“I’m going to do good,” said Tim Holmes, who competed in the running long jump, 200 and 400-meter race. “The long jump is my favorite because I get to jump in the air.”
“I’ve been here almost 20 years,” said Lorna Murakami, who took silver in the 25-meter freestyle on Saturday. “I volunteer at the Long Beach Special Olympics office and help them get ready for summer.”
Carol Bonvino has been competing since she was eight, and this year marked her 35th year in the Special Olympics. Bonvino competed in the 25 and 30-meter race and the shot put.
“Shot put is my favorite,” Bonvino said. “I train by riding my stationary bike and swimming.”
Father and son team Ray and David Irvine have been coming to the summer games for the past 14 years.
“It’s nice for the athletes to exercise and have a social gathering,” said Ray Irvine, an assistant coach for team Long Beach. “It’s more than just sports, there’s a social effect as well. I’m sure they’re all here to win, but they’re all going to give 100 percent.”
David Irvine, who competed in the shot put, 50 and 100-meter race and the relay, spoke about the sense of teamwork that goes into the games.
“I’ve been training with Tim [Holmes] and we’re the fastest team here,” David Irvine said. “Tim’s our anchor.”
Team Long Beach took silver in the relay race Saturday afternoon, coming from last place during the final stretch of the four-man relay race.
“We’ve worked really hard to get here,” Paquette said. “We train all year and go to weekend competitions. This is just the icing on the cake.”
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