Volunteer Opportunities for Sports Classic
2008 Sports Classic in Lincoln is Aug. 15-17. For volunteer opportunities, click on Volunteer tab for additional details.
Bocce Information
Bocce will now be offered at Cornhusker State Games. Please click on Competitions link and scroll down to find rules for competition.
NEBRASKA CHOSEN AS SITE FOR 2010 NATIONAL GAMES
Special Olympics North America has selected Nebraska as the site of the 2010 Special Olympics National Games to be held in late July 2010. These games will bring approximately 4,000 athletes and coaches and nearly 15,000 family members, sponsors and officials to the Omaha/Lincoln area for 7 days of competitions in 14 sports.
This is a great honor for Nebraska and our organization. We expect to hold many of the competitions right on the campus of UNL or that of Nebraska Wesleyan. We will look to the next best facilities in Lincoln or Omaha for the competitions that require us to move off campus such as golf or bowling.
We anticipate the 2010 games will require nearly 8,000 volunteers and will cost nearly $6 million dollars to operate. The responsibility to raise that money and recruit the volunteers will rest with the new 2010 National Games Organizing Committee which is now being organized.
We look forward to the challenge and welcome the 2010 National Games to Nebraska. Click here to link to press conference coverage. Click here to go to Sports Competitions for pictures and Press Release.
CERTIFIED COACHES
Congratulations to Don Harvey of the Northridge Bulldogs for being the first coach to complete all the requirements needed to become a Certified Coach for SONE. Don attended the 2006 NCA clinic, where he went to the Softball coaching sessions. He then logged his practicum hours in softball and completed the Application for Sports Training Certification. Congratulations Don! I'm looking forward to more coaches becoming Certified and I will keep the web page updated as more coacahes complete the certification process.
Dennis Mitchell, Vice President of Sports
Sports Information & Team Information Guides
The Sports Information Guide and the Team Information Guide are now both available on this website located at the bottom of the Sports Competition Page.
Special Olympics Items for Sale
Special Olympics Nebraska has ball caps and golf balls available for purchase. Click here for more information
Gallup Community Builders and Special Olympics Nebraska Team Up to Help Athletes Gain Leadership Insights
Article provided by Cheryl Knight of the Gallup Organization
Strengths . . . education . . . mentoring . . . These essential Gallup philosophies provide associates an environment in which to thrive and do what they do best every day. This core strategy was the first thing that popped into Pam Yerg's mind in 2000, as she sat in a coffee shop discussing her new leadership program ideas with a Special Olympics senior liaison. As area director for the Special Olympics in Montgomery County, Maryland, Yerg knew instantly that Gallup would be an extraordinary partner to the Special Olympics.
"Our two philosophies of embracing strengths were right down the exact same track," Yerg said. And her hunch proved right; during the past 4 years, Gallup Community Builders and the Special Olympics have influenced the lives of dozens of Special Olympic athletes and their families.
Special Olympics is known for providing Olympic-style sports competitions for people with intellectual disabilities. They currently serve almost 1.4 million people in more than 150 countries. Yerg wanted to build a program that built upon sports and included leadership mentoring. She felt that a partnership with a corporate organization was vital to the program's success.
ALPs University Helps Special Olympics Athletes Change the World
The Athlete Leadership Programs (ALPs), also known as ALPs University, was quickly launched. The program's primary goal is to teach Special Olympic athletes workplace leadership skills. The pilot program, which began in September 2001, included eight athletes — 18 years and older — and eight Gallup D.C. associate mentors.
After participants took the Clifton StrengthsFinder, they met once a month, for 8 months, at the Gallup D.C. office for one-on-one mentoring. They studied their Signature Themes, talked about strengths opportunities, and studied effective leadership. Throughout the eight 2-hour sessions, ALPs hosted a variety of guest speakers who talked about StrengthsFinder, speech writing, and other aspects of leadership. The program encompassed group activities and one-on-one mentoring.
In addition to leadership education, ALPs provides leadership opportunities for Special Olympic athletes — including coaching, officiating, and becoming a committee or board member. The program also focuses on public speaking through its Global Messengers curriculum, which teaches public speaking skills to athletes so that they can share their stories and opinions with others.
"Because of Gallup's mission to support leadership and education in our local communities and our commitment to maximize every individual's strengths, no matter who they are, ALPs was a perfect fit," said Heather Mason, Gallup Associate Editor and Special Olympics mentor. "I've been with Gallup for almost 8 years, and being involved with this program has been the most meaningful part of my time here, maybe the most meaningful part of my life. I am so grateful to work for a company that makes this kind of project possible."
ALPs Expands to the Omaha Riverfront campus
The success of ALPs broke new boundaries when Gallup Omaha teamed up with Special Olympics Nebraska to form its own ALPs chapter in September 2004. "Special Olympics Nebraska and Gallup Omaha were inspired by the success of the D.C. pilot program, and so we started our own partnership," said Joyce Werner, director of Field Services for Special Olympics Nebraska.
Werner views her role as a parent, educator, advocate, and cheerleader. "I try to change public attitudes and perceptions relating to people with intellectual disabilities," she said. "I think Special Olympics Nebraska can be the way to positively alter these attitudes, especially when we can partner with an organization such as Gallup. Together we have the opportunity to change the world."
After attending the Special Olympics Nebraska Breakfast of Champions in 2004, Chad Bennett, Gallup Statistical Analyst and athlete mentor, felt compelled to head up Omaha's ALPs program. At the breakfast, a Special Olympics parent and coach made a presentation that inspired Bennett to get involved.
"Larry Crippen, whose son now participates in the Omaha ALPs program, spoke of different perspectives and how when it comes to sports, there are two different perspectives: the coach's and the fan's," Bennett said. "The fan has somewhat of a distant perspective where they watch the game and ask 'why?' The coach has a much different perspective and understands the 'why' because they are much closer to the game and involved in its daily activities."
Before the end of the breakfast, Bennett knew he wanted to be a coach, not just a fan. Current Gallup Nebraska mentors include Krista Anderson, Jane Wood, Lisa Morock, Wyn Wadginski, Paula Walker, Cathy DeWeese, Stephanie Davis, Caroline Thompson, and Chad Bennett. The Omaha ALPs mentors look forward to holding their first graduation ceremony in May 2005.
Clifton StrengthsFinder Brings Athletes a New Level of Self-Awareness
Werner attributes a large part of ALPs' success to the Clifton StrengthsFinder, and the shared Gallup and Special Olympics philosophy of leading with your strengths. "The support, encouragement, and positive attitudes of the Gallup mentors have served to build self-confidence and reinforce the worth of each participant and what they have to say," Werner said. "Each mentor came to this partnership with energy and excitement. They have infused us with their positive spirit and have inspired all of us to be the best we can be — no limits."
Bennett also concurs that StrengthsFinder helps athletes discover and focus on their innate abilities, instead of their disability, and apply it to areas outside of sports. "One of our athletes (Daniel) went to work after taking StrengthsFinder and showed his coworkers his Signature Themes. Daniel said that other people read it and say, 'Yep, that's you,' and you can tell he is so proud of that."
The impact of Community Builders on the surrounding community, and beyond, continues to motivate Bennett. "The spirit of giving at Gallup speaks highly of our people and Gallup's commitment to helping people," he said. "It doesn't surprise me that an organization committed to helping people understand and apply their strengths is also big in giving and volunteerism. Helping is what we do, and it's contagious. You can't help but want to volunteer or give when an organization and its people support and promote such great opportunities."
Yerg, Mason, Werner, and Bennett believe that the future of ALPs University is limitless. In fact, each one says that they hope the program goes global. "I have visions of continuing this partnership in many ways," Werner said. "We can most certainly broaden and deepen the partnership with our mentors. Both the Special Olympics and Gallup are global, so I can see us being the role model for an international partnership."
