Baseball | 4/22/2016 12:02:00 PM

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Methodist University Department of Athletics welcomed Special Olympics Cumberland County (SOCC) to Monarch Stadium on Friday afternoon for its annual Spring Games.
Special Olympians from across Cumberland County were joined by a contingent of Methodist student-athletes, as well as members of the Methodist University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), for a day of field competition.
 
More than 250 athletes from 12 different Cumberland County schools and group homes, as well as a few individual participants, traveled to Methodist to compete.
 
The Olympians showed off their skills in volleyball, soccer, basketball and a variety of track events and were awarded ribbons and medals for their hard work.
 
"The kids look most forward to the day they get their medals, they love their shining moment," program coordinator Jeremy Mincey explained. "A lot of them do work with their afternoon P.E. teachers, some compete in intramurals to work on some of the skills, but mostly it's just this one-day event where they get to strut their stuff."
 
Katie Flournoy, a sophomore member of Methodist's cross country team and 2015 Methodist Scholar Athlete, has been a volunteer for this event for the past two years. "My favorite thing about working the Special Olympics event is seeing everyone's faces light up with joy," said Flournoy. "I worked Special Olympic events all throughout high school, so coming to Methodist and to be able to continue doing so means a lot to me."
 
Methodist's partnership with Special Olympics is a part of an NCAA Division III initiative. The Division III SAAC initiated a partnership with Special Olympics at the 2011 NCAA Convention, and the official launch of the pairing came on August 1, 2011. The purpose of the partnership is to improve the lives of Special Olympics athletes through their involvement with Div. III student-athletes, and to foster a mutual learning experience between the two groups; provide a platform for recognition of Special Olympics athletes; and to raise awareness about Special Olympics and the programs and services offered.
 
Special Olympics Cumberland County helps more than 500 athletes train year-round in 14 different sports and compete in local, regional and state-level events.
 
"A lot of people think that the track event is the main Special Olympics event but we do 14 sports throughout the year," Mincey explained. "They do team practices and they compete at a state level. It's set up like a traditional sports organization, we do about four or five each season. Today's event is definitely the kickoff to expose them to the sports, and bring them in so they are willing to compete on the teams."
 
The SOCC offices are in the Dorothy Gilmore Therapeutic Recreation Center on Purdue Drive in Fayetteville, a Parks and Recreation facility. For more information on how you can get involved as a volunteer, CLICK HERE.
 
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