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No rain on parade or pride

Pasco's Special Olympians didn't let sprinkles stop them from enjoying the spirit and spoils of competition.

By MICHELE MILLER
Published February 25, 2005

NEW PORT RICHEY - Britani Lance was flying high and loving it.

The sixth-grader from Hudson Middle School was perched on the shoulders of 21-year-old Adam Schmidt and smiling brightly as she held the Hudson Cougar sign high over head as her team was introduced to a clapping audience sitting in the stands.

Some of the other 675 athletes wore plastic ponchos or draped an extra T-shirt over their heads to stay dry in the falling drizzle. But mostly they, too, were sporting big smiles as they made their way around the track behind the fire trucks and classic Corvettes carrying special guests during the Opening Ceremonies of the 2005 Pasco County Special Olympics.

For the second year in a row the weather threatened to postpone the annual event, held Thursday at River Ridge Middle High School. But no way a little spitting rain could thwart kids like Britani, who was more than eager to go for the gold in the soccer event.

Nor could it dim the spirits of onlookers such as Tom and Ann Mulcahy, who along with friend Joe Mazzariese, came out to watch five of their grandchildren compete.

Two of the Mulcahy's grandchildren are autistic and three have learning disabilities, explained Mrs. Mulcahy.

"I don't mind the rain, not one bit," said Mrs. Mulcahy, who had her camera ready to capture 8-year-old William Mulcahy in action as he ran the Olympic torch around the track.

"How about that, he did a great job!" she said proudly as her gleeful grandson flung himself into the arms of his teacher from Richey Elementary, Phyllis Wesley, and proclaimed, "I did it!"

"We anticipated better weather, but one thing I know, there's no stopping our kids," Valerie Lundin said as she gave out high fives to the parading athletes. Lundin coordinated the countywide event along with Judy Brunner. "We're going to try and get in as much as we can as long as it's safe."

There was definitely a lot to get in.

Of course there were the events: soccer, bocce, cycling, softball throw and the newly added tennis competition. And there were the fun games, such as throwing sopping wet sponges at the faces of River Ridge JROTC students in the Olympic Village.

There were ribbons to be doled out; a blue one for 6-year-old Richey Elementary student Mariah Harris, who couldn't seem to stop touching the edges of the pinned-on prize she won in the 50-yard dash. A yellow third-place ribbon brought just as much delight for her teammate, 9-year-old Laryn Germain.

There also were some hugs to be shared - like the one Seven Springs sixth-grader Julie Hanson got from her former teacher, Todd Hilkene, after pushing her walker over the finish line and tying for first place. There were smiles to be had for parents like Denise and Ralph Philbrook, who watched their 9-year-old autistic son, Ralph, discover the clowns offering some light entertainment.

"This is so cool," Mrs. Philbrook said. "He just loves this. He really looks forward to this."

Andrea Arche, a senior from Wesley Chapel High School, said she was looking forward to competing in the softball throw and 100-meter wheelchair race. But first, she had business in the Olympic Village, where members of River Ridge High's National Junior Honor Society braided colored beads in her hair.

"Competing is fun, but this is where all the action is," she said while getting her new 'do.

This year's competition certainly was special, Lundin said. For the first time ever, Pasco County has a Special Olympics Global Messenger - Hudson High student Elyse Marinelli - who led the athletes in the Special Olympic Oath and will be spending time in the near future doing talks throughout the county.

It was particularly special for Hudson Cougars coach Sarah McKenzie, who had to sit out last year's event while recovering from a heart attack.

This year, however, the 40-year-old was back, along with four eighth-graders from the gold medal-winning soccer team in the state competition in 2002 and 2003. Matthew and Kenny Hubbard, Robert Middleton and Matt Braddon will be moving on to high school next year, McKenzie said. "But they're determined before they leave that they're going to give me the gold one more time."

"It's the greatest experience of my whole life working with these kids. They keep me going," McKenzie said. "They love without any conditions.

"All they want is respect. To watch them achieve and reach their goals, there's no feeling like it."

[Last modified February 25, 2005, 00:52:18]