SOMN softball and flag football highlights

Special Olympics softball is a fun but short season with only one competition - the Summer Classic Games.  We are so very spoiled that this event- and also the state flag football event- are hosted in our city!

Brett usually plays 3rd base, and Bryan is one of the coaches for his team. Brett is a good hitter, and he's looking forward to joining the high school's adapted softball team (Thunderbolt's) this spring!

Unified sports are one of my favorite things about Special Olympics.  It brings people who might not typically interact in daily life together and uses the shared enjoyment of athletics as a way to build relationships and uplift the movement of inclusion.

In unified flag football, three athletes and two non-disables "unified partners" play on the field at the same time.  There are many rules about who can do what on the field in an effort to keep the focus on building up and supporting the athletes.  The main and obvious rule is that a unified partner can't pass the ball to another unified partner.  As you watch the video, you can see how the unified partners from BOTH teams are working to create an experience where the athletes get to shine - while still enjoying the true spirit of competion.   

Brett loves being the quarterback but gets to play all the positions.  Lydia was a unified partner for a second year and we also recruited Bonnie's son, Matt.  He was a great addition to the team!   

Next weekend we will again be participating in the Frozen 5k and Polar Plunge to raise money for Special Olympics Minnesota!  We have a team - the Oreo Dunkers.  It's the five of us plus Bonnie and Taylor.  We named our team the Oreo Dunkers because Brett loves oreos so much that he named his guinea pig "Oreo" and he also has aspirations to someday dunk a basketball.  Visit our page to contribute to our fundraiser!

Reggie's baseball highlights (2023)

I made it through 2023 with all the "news" but I still have a handful of highlight videos to post from summer and fall sports.

In celebration of Reggie's first baseball practice of the 2024 season, I am posting his highlights from the 2023 season!  He had his first practice last night!

Last summer was Reggie's first summer playing WAA (city league) travel baseball.  We've bounced around a lot with baseball.  This next season, he will play with basically the same teammates and coaches.

Reggie mostly played center field and also did some pitching, third base, and left field. Despite a patchy season, the team managed to advance to both state tournaments. But the big travel tournament of the season was to Wisconsin Dells.

We've had an unusually mild winter, but I have to admit that putting this video together has made me very eager for spring!  I will always love a summer evening at the ballpark, and watching my boy play makes it even better!