The 2017 Gator Powerlifting Team, from left to right, Kathleen Millar (Mundelein), Mike Sener (Evanston), John Walti (Libertyville), Miguel Lara (Highland Park), Randy Huffmaster (Highland Park), William Fisher (Highland Park). Not pictured: Bryan Parent (Wilmette)
Fifteen NSSRA Gator athletes will travel to Bloomington-Normal to participate in Illinois Special Olympics’ annual State Summer Games on June 9 to June 11.
The Gators will compete in bocce, powerlifting, swimming, and track and field. To qualify each athlete was required to win first place at each sport’s respective regional competition. NSSRA is sending one bocce player, one swimmer, six track and field athletes and its entire seven-member powerlifting team to compete in the Summer Games.
NSSRA’s athletes won 33 gold, 17 silver and seven bronze medals in qualifying competitions, with some athletes qualifying for more than one event.
“All the athletes have done an amazing job this season and have worked very hard,” said Jerod Mikkelsen, NSSRA Recreation Specialist for Gator Athletics. He continued, “A lot of credit definitely has to go to the coaches for these sports. They have done a great job training all of our athletes and helping them each succeed.”
The Gators range in age from 11 to 57, and all 15 athletes are returning competitors. Six coaches will accompany them to the competition. “Mike Sener was a new addition to the Gator Powerlifting team this season and he has done a great job,” said Mikkelsen. “He qualified for both bench press and deadlift for the Summer Games, and we are very proud of his efforts and his consistent growth this season.” Speaking of the incredible coaching staff, Mikkelsen added, “First year coach Maureen Nemmer will be traveling with six athletes from our Track & Field team. She has done a great job helping out with drills and her hands-on approach has helped us have an effective season.”
NSSRA’s team of coaches has steadily worked with the athletes throughout their respective seasons, challenging them and pushing them toward the goal of the State Summer Games.
Mikkelsen concluded, “All the athletes have put in so much time over the weeks leading up to games to keep their skills sharp. Everyone is very excited and striving to do the best they can. It has become a tradition during our end of practice stretches to replace the number ‘8’ with ‘state’. It’s served as extra motivation for the athletes and to say they are eager for the upcoming trip would be an enormous understatement.”
The Illinois State Summer Games are held annually at Illinois State University, attracting over 4,000 athletes from districts throughout the state.
NSSRA Gator Athletes
Bocce
Vickilynn Shaw, Highland Park
Powerlifting
William Fisher, Highland Park
Randy Huffmaster, Highland Park
Miguel Lara, Highland Park
Kathleen Millar, Mundelein
Bryan Parent, Wilmette
Mike Sener, Evanston
John Christian Walti, Libertyville
Swimming
Jay Slotnick, Northbrook
Track & Field
Samuel Green, Winnetka
Thomas Jachtorowycz, Glenview
Dianna Mann, Highwood
Jackie Richardson, Highland Park
Alison Shapiro, Highland Park
Luke Toussaint, Glenview
Submitted by NSSRA.
NSSRA provides and facilitates year-round recreation programs and services for children, teens and adults with disabilities who live in the partner communities. NSSRA is an extension of ten park districts, two cities and one village in the northern suburbs of Chicago. This partnership includes the Park Districts of Deerfield, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Kenilworth, Lake Bluff, Northbrook, Northfield, Wilmette and Winnetka; the Cities of Highwood and Lake Forest; and the Village of Riverwoods. NSSRA has been creating an environment of belonging through play since 1970, and has the distinction as the first Special Recreation Association in the country. For more information about NSSRA and the programs and services they provide visit nssra.org.
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. Special Olympics Illinois, part of the global Special Olympics family, opened its first games at Soldier Field in 1968. In the years since they have grown to provide opportunities for over 20,000 Illinois athletes with intellectual disabilities in all 102 counties. For more information about Special Olympics Illinois visit soill.org.