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MONTGOMERY RELAY

Text Box: SOMO is committed to developing a Juniors component to all of our sports programs. In some cases the juniors programs will train and compete separate from the Seniors and in some cases, the juniors and seniors will train side by side. It is important that the skill training and competition experience for the juniors be developmentally designed to give them the best opportunity to do their best, learn new skills and have fun! As our juniors age into high school, we will strive to form high school soccer, basketball and softball teams and leagues for them to train and play in so that they can keep the friendships going and growing and continue to improve their sports skills. When our athletes graduate from high school they will be entered into the seniors training and competition programs and have the opportunity for a life-long sport experience. Developing and putting into play so many levels of training and competition in SOMO takes time and the shared talent of many parents and volunteers. If you can help in the management of a team or in coaching or helping out the coach, please contact Pam Yerg. We need you all to help us build heroes!

Text Box: This sport year several of our young athletes have stepped up to play leadership roles in SOMO: Nick Bass, a member of the SOMO Golf Team has made a commitment to volunteer as the team manager for the Floor Hockey Team and spent several hours volunteering at our SOMO hosted golf event. He wants to have his school community service learning hours spent giving back to SOMO! Our TOPSoccer program has the real treat of having two of our SOMO Seniors athletes returning to volunteer as assistant coaches for the kids in TOPSoccer: Valerie Rigeaux and Nicole Tuite are spending time with their mentors Hannah Rich and Jackie Brunn ( The High School TOPS Directors). It is such a pleasure seeing them sharing all that they have learned in Special Olympics with the younger set. Thank you for your time, and well done!

November 2006 Page

Text Box: out of their high school years they will be encouraged to join our SOMO seniors in the 18 year round Olympics type sports that we offer in SOMO. The photo below is from our TOPSoccer program—in its 8th year, and a huge success as SOMO partners with MSI to offer an adaptive soccer training and competition experience from age 6– 18. Several other counties in SOMd are joining the TOPSoccer Leagues and expanding the opportunity for competition and friendships all over Maryland.

PASA ( Potomac Adaptive Sports Association) is a sports program that is offered in partnership with The Potomac Community Center and MCRD. This program gives our athletes and other children with special needs an opportunity to come together with great community volunteers and play basketball in the winter and t-ball in the spring! If you are interested in participating in the SOMO Junior Basketball Round Robin , and do not attend one of the schools that fields a team, you should plan to train on and play on TEAM PASA.. Athletes age 10-14/15 are eligible to sign up for TEAM PASA. We hope to be able to field an elementary team this year in addition to our middle school team.