Hours of practice, dedication, and teamwork culminated in the game of the year for a group of Central Coast athletes recently. The annual Special Olympics Southern California Regional Floor Hockey competition took place Saturday, Oct. 24, in the Santa Maria High School gymnasium. And while it was a competition, it was more about fun and enjoying the experience, organizers said.
About 150 athletes from Santa Barbara, Northern Santa Barbara County, and San Luis Obispo County participated in the competition. Special Olympics Southern California Northern Santa Barbara County Operations Coordinator Nicolas Chavez called the event a success.
“It was a perfectly executed competition,” Chavez said. “Everyone demonstrated great camaraderie and sportsmanship.”
The regional floor hockey competition is held once a year at either Santa Maria or Pioneer Valley high schools. The Northern Santa Barbara County delegation is one of nine regional programs of Special Olympics Southern California, whose mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competitions for athletes with varying disabilities, in order to give them opportunities to develop physical fitness and experience the emotional and intellectual experiences sports provide.
Chavez said the games are a great way to boost the athletes’ confidence, self-esteem, and social skills. Special Olympics offers 12 year-round sports—aquatics, track and field, basketball, bocce, bowling, floor hockey, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball.
Kyle Marsalek, coach of the Northern Santa Barbara County Ducks floor hockey team, said that the athletes enjoyed finally getting a chance to put to use all their hours of practice during the competition.
“The main thing is for the kids to have fun, and I’m pretty sure all the kids had fun,” Marsalek said. “They competed really well; they played their hearts out.”
Marsalek said the athletes put in a lot of practice in preparation for the game. They practice once a week for an hour and a half focusing on fundamentals, strength, and sportsmanship.
Occasionally, Marsalek said, he can tell when the athletes get down about getting beat but overall the experience is a satisfying one for them.
“I think it gives them a sense of accomplishment. It’s exciting. Their parents are there, the fans are there, and they’re getting cheered on,” Marsalek said.
While the regional floor hockey competition is held once a year, there are many other events that take place two to three times a month. Chavez said that teams playing sports like volleyball or tennis have tournaments and competitions throughout the year.
Shelly Cone can be reached at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Oct 29 – Nov 4, 2015.