Auburn Parks and Recreation will be sponsoring the Lee County Special Olympics teams as they begin their weekly practices this fall.
The Lee County Special Olympics program has been active for 14 years and currently offers a variety of sports to eligible participants. The program offers events in athletics, aquatics, basketball, bowling, cycling, flag football, golf, power-lifting, softball and volleyball. Participants who are 8 years old and older who live in Lee County can register for any of the events on a local or regional level.
Elizabeth Kaufman, Lee County’s Special Olympics director, is responsible for connecting with other directors, organizing fundraisers, managing local and state tournaments and coaching a few of the sports.
“I’ve volunteered with Special Olympics since I was in high school,” Kaufman said. “What drew me to continue volunteering was to see the camaraderie that was formed and the positivity that was spread. There’s certainly competition, but the athletes cheer each other on, and they congratulate each other with hugs and high fives no matter what.”
Lee County Special Olympics will host many events and tournaments throughout 2018 and 2019. One of the highlighted events for this year is the Special Olympics Iron Bowl, held on Nov. 18 at Duck Samford Stadium. The event is part of a rivalry series between the Lee County and Tuscaloosa Special Olympics teams.
“We’re really excited to host this event,” Kaufman said. “We’re inviting the entire community to come and cheer us on.”
Auburn Parks and Recreation and Lee County Special Olympics will also be holding fundraisers to further support the Special Olympics Teams. One such fundraiser is the seventh annual Polar Plunge. On Jan. 26, 2019, at Samford Pool, citizens can pledge money to dive into the freezing cold water in support of the Special Olympics teams. Last year’s Polar Plunge raised over $13,000 for the Special Olympic teams.
Zac Crutchfield and Rodney Farmer, two volunteer coaches for Lee County Special Olympics, spoke about their involvement on the teams and how the athletes receive support.
“During practice, our major goal is for everyone to be included, to play and to have fun,” Crutchfield said. “At the same time, we also want them to create better communication and coordination skills.”
“I’ve had a lot of positive interactions with every one of them, and it’s always humbling to be involved with those who have physical or mental disabilities,” Farmer said. “We want to help them realize that they don’t just have to be a spectator. They can participate, too.”
In addition to the traditional sporting events, Lee County Special Olympics offers unified teams. Unified teams call upon peer athletes to play with, mentor and support Special Olympic participants. The unified teams are designed to build stronger relationships with the participants and encourage a higher level of play.
Auburn Parks and Recreation is currently searching for more coaches, volunteers and peer partners to aid the Special Olympics participants throughout the year.
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