WAVERLY (SNR) – Special Olympics athletes from Villa Marie School in Waverly competed in the State Games held April 1-3.
Thomas and David Thaller participated in ramp bowling, with David earning a silver medal in his division, and Thomas placing fourth in his. In regular bowling, Damian Stacy placed fourth, Mary Janssen placed third, and John Sullivan brought home a gold medal, each in their respective divisions. In order to compete in state bowling, the athletes placed in the top three in their division in the regional competition.
“It was wonderful to see our Special Olympic athletes shine in their events,” said Villa Marie bowling coach Doris Dermann, “and heartwarming to observe the participants cheering for their competitors….
“And of course, there were smiles and excitement when awards were handed out by LPD officers who took the time to come to the bowling alley for this, she added. “A huge sense of accomplishment was felt by all the athletes. A big thank you to all of the volunteers who came out and helped the bowlers during the competition. They were all so kind and encouraging to our athletes.”
The Villa Marie Eagles basketball team, coached by Matt Jilek and Greg Gibney, members of St. Joseph Parish in Lincoln, captured first place at the state tournament held April 2 at North Star High School.
The Eagles beat Beatrice 14-12 in the first round and the Omaha Red Birds in the second round 22-14, making them undefeated in the tournament and earning each member of the team a gold medal.
Volunteer coaches Jilek and Gibney practice with the team every Thursday evening beginning in October.
“You think about how the kids start out as individuals, and then they come together as a team,” Jilek said. “There’s the excitement of taking raw talent and working for months and then watching them use their God-given talents in the game, which is very, very rewarding for Coach Gibney and myself. After seeing the ‘finished product’ on the court, it’s worth every minute of practice.
“Coach Gibney and I appreciate the support from the community—the uniforms, new shoes from the St. Joseph’s Knights of Columbus, practice space at St. Patrick’s gym and a chance to scrimmage with their eighth graders,” he continued. “We also enjoy all the support from the Marian Sisters and the school.”
These were the first in-person State Special Olympics Games since 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was so much fun to be competing again,” Coach Jilek remarked. “We haven’t been able to play for the past two years due to COVID, and we have missed working with the kids.”
