This was the first time many of the Special Olympics Kaua‘i athletes had ever trained and competed in soccer, said Special Olympics Coach Tamarine Mapuhi Sunday during The Ride, which benefited the Special Olympics Kaua‘i program. Recently, 16 Special Olympics
This was the first time many of the Special Olympics Kaua‘i athletes had ever trained and competed in soccer, said Special Olympics Coach Tamarine Mapuhi Sunday during The Ride, which benefited the Special Olympics Kaua‘i program.
Recently, 16 Special Olympics Kaua‘i athletes from Kapa‘a and Kaua‘i High schools competed at the Aukake Games on O‘ahu.
Under the coaching of Mapuhi, Melissa Peck and Leona SaMcDermott, the athletes formed two teams, the Crouching Tigers and the Speed Runners.
“This was the first time most of these athletes had ever trained and competed in soccer,” Mapuhi said in an email. “They were such troopers, playing a total of six games in two days.”
The two teams finished with one, the Speed Runners, earning the silver medal, while the other dropped a sudden death match, 4-3.
Leading up to the sudden death playoff, Carlos Solorio-Perez, captain of the Crouching Tigers, netted three goals to lead the Tigers to overtime play.
“They showed so much determination, positive attitude and really inspired greatness in everyone,” Mapuhi said. “They were exhausted, sunburnt, sweaty, some had cuts and scrapes, but they never gave up.”
Mapuhi said she and the other coaches want to express their pride as well as their congratulations to the Special Olympic Kaua‘i athletes for all their hard work.
Team players include Bradley McDermott-Sa, Emily Sullivan, Solorio-Perez, Divine Navalta, Sarah Peck, Randy Bristol, Deziree Tacub, who earned Most Valuable Goalie honors, Billie Jean Waiwaiole, Lucas Moore, Pualani Rapozo, Elaine Kato, Makani Kapua, Dylan Wasano, Surina Brustowicz and Kalea Snyder.
For the past 40 years, Special Olympics has grown from a modest program serving local athletes to become the world’s largest movement dedicated to promoting respect, acceptance, inclusion and human dignity for people with intellectual disabilities through sports.
Special Olympics is a movement through which the power of sports transforms the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and also unites everyone by fostering community-building and a civil society.
To enroll an athlete, or for more information, call Jocelyn Barriga at 652-8662.
