November 08, 2002
Friday - 12:50 am

The 2002 Special Olympic Bowling tournament was held November 1st and 2nd at the Ketchikan Entertainment Center.

The event opened with the Special Olympian athletes and their unified partners marching together into the bowling alley.

Trapper Bishop photo by Gigi Pilcher

After the processional, all the athletes were led in reciting the Special Olympic pledge by Holly Turley.

Trapper Bishop had the honor of lighting the torch to signal the start of the games.

Ketchikan Special Olympics Coordinator, Kathy Fitzgerald reported that this year's total of 21 Special Olympian athletes and 8 unified partners youth is the largest number in local history.

Unified partners are youth volunteers who partner up with Special Olympian athletes. Other volunteers were there to cheer while others assisted with score keeping and setting up for the award ceremony.

Unlike other sporting competitions, the Special Olympians focus on encouraging their competitors and cheering for each other. Having fun and doing their very best was evident in the cheers and clapping that went on throughout the tournament. There were no tears nor agony of defeat, only smiles and laughter.

The tournament ended Sunday evening with a pizza party for the athletes and volunteers and awards were presented to the athletes by Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assemblyman Dick Coose who was assisted by games official Elder Parady.

Team Ketchikan will travel to Anchorage for the State Special Olympics Bowling Tournament November 14th through 18th.

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