On Saturday, May 7th, 2016, the Mariposa Miners, for the first time ever, will host the Regional Track and Field Meet at Mariposa County High School’s upper track. Scores from this meet will determine the athletes’ divisions in SONC’s Summer Games this June at UC Davis.
They are expecting over 100 athletes and over 100 volunteers. This includes athletes from Mariposa, Merced, Tuolumne and Stanislaus Counties.
The public is invited to join them and cheer on these amazing athletes. The opening ceremony will start around 9:30 a.m. with events starting around 10:30 a.m.
For more information, check out the Mariposa Miners Special Olympics Team Facebook page.
History of the Special Olympics… What are the Special Olympics?
In the 1950’s and 60’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver started a summer camp at her home for Intellectually Disabled (ID) children. “Shriver Camp” was the beginning of independence for these individuals who were mostly institutionalized. Shriver decided to see what they “could” do thus began a national fitness program which eventually started the “Special Olympics” competitions.
As Eunice and her army of young advocates began to raise awareness about the abilities of citizens with intellectual disabilities, barriers began to tumble. The old way was only to see their limitations. She believed people with intellectual disabilities didn't have to be locked away in rooms. They can socialize and participate in summer camps without being a danger to themselves or others.
They have talents and dreams and aspirations just like everyone else.
Thus, the progression toward not only children but adults with intellectual disabilities participating in organized athletics became inevitable, if overly due.
The first Special Olympics games were held July 20, 1968 at the Soldier Field in Chicago with 1,000 athletes from 26 US states and Canada.
There are now over 4.5 million athletes in 170 countries participating in 94,000 events each year.
Special Olympics Northern California (SONC) is changing the lives of thousands of athletes. One of their mottos is: “Preparing for life through sports.”
Mariposa County has had a Special Olympics team for over 16 years. The Mariposa Miners was started by Susan Crain and the Mariposa Kiwanis Club. Susan had a special needs daughter who had participated in Special Olympics when they lived in Texas and thought it would be good to start a team here.
The Miners participate in Field and Track, Basketball, and Bocce Ball. They had a bowling team but had to disband due to Oakhurst’s bowling alley closure. This year they are adding tennis and softball to their sports program.
