National Games

2nd Annual Special Olympics USA National Games 

Lincoln, Nebraska  

July 18-23, 2010 

Team Arizona - Hot! Hot! Hot!

From the beginning you could tell that this was going to be a great adventure for all the SOAZ athletes, partners, coaches and families.  The energy coming from Team AZ Hot! Hot! Hot! could be heard right from the beginning – at the first meeting back in January, through training camp, getting on the Swift plane, through the whole week of competition - all the way until we landed back home on July 24th!  What an enthusiastic group!

Competition began on Monday July 19 with Powerlifting, where Romeo Ayalin brought out the Silver medal in his deadlift and 2 participations ribbons in his bench and combination.  Leslie Drake pulled out 3 Silver medals in her deadlift, bench, and combo.  It was at this event that Team AZ was able to come together as a group, showing off their Olympic spirit  and cheering not just for their own team but for ALL the competitors that were there! 

Preliminaries and divisioning rounds also began on Monday for Track and Field, Aquatics, Bocce, Unified Flag Football, and Soccer.  By the middle of the week, the 4-person Bocce Team (Robyn Peterson, Patricia Culver, Brent Peterson and Gary Hardt) came out wearing the Gold.  By Thursday the Doubles Bocce Team of Patricia Culver and Robyn Peterson came out with the 4th place ribbon, and Brent Peterson and Gary Hardt pulled out yet another Gold.  That evening Team AZ joined together again to support the Unified Flag Football team during their triumph in getting the Gold!

By Friday all of the Athletics, Aquatics and Unified Soccer athletes had taken in all of their medals.

Although Unified Soccer had a tough week, through all the hardships, injuries, and the tough competition, every member of Team AZ came out showing sportsmanship, courage, and teamwork.   Athletes and Partners worked together, played together and had fun together.  In the end, they came out wearing the Bronze medal after beating Florida 3-1 in the final game. They embodied the spirit of the game and really made everyone at Special Olympics Arizona proud.

With so many highlights from the week the best one to leave Nationals with is that everyone on Team AZ brought home a medal of some sort.  Final medal count GOLD – 9, SILVER – 13, BRONZE – 7.

The week of Nationals will be highlighted forever in the minds and hearts of everyone who participated.  Thank you to all of our coaches, partners, athletes and families for supporting one another on so many different levels. Great job Team AZ!

Team Arizona - Hot! Hot! Hot!

Final Medal Count

GOLD - 9

SILVER - 13

BRONZE - 7

Aquatics

Athletics

Bocce - Four Member Team - Gold Medal

Flag Football - Gold Medal

Powerlifting

Unified Soccer - Bronze Medal

* Coach Alternate:  Debra Johnson