The Greeley Panther Bowling Team took 10 athletes to participate in the Special Olympics Colorado State Bowling Competition in Englewood. Individuals from the team came home with two first-place gold medals, six-second place, and two third place. The Greeley Panther Bowling Team is part of the City of Greeley Recreation Bowling Club that meets at Highland Park Lanes on Thursdays to hone their skills and enjoy a little friendly comradery.
A day to remember for many of the athletes, participants played two games and combined them for their final scores. The Greeley Panthers team members competed in both singles and assisted ramp bowling and all athletes scored over 100, many surpassing 200. Athletes were excited for the opportunity to compete again, after a year without organized play and even more thrilled with their performance.
Greeley Panther Bowling Team results:
First Place Shannon Cameron 231, Dillon Hergenreder 180
Second Place John Neal 227, Donna Bruckner 217, AJ Schmidt 211, John Locke 185, Jeff Davis 149, Jacob Horner 133
Third Place Megan McDonald 129, Lincoln King 112
Special Olympics Colorado is the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Participation encompasses 21 sports, unified leagues, athlete leadership programs, inclusive health practices, and young athlete development. They also offer opportunities for individuals and businesses to get involved by volunteering or donating their time and resources.
At the local level, the Greeley Recreation Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation (AIR) staff provide activities and services to individuals in the community who have varying levels of physical or intellectual abilities. Greeley offers unified sports leagues, events, and activities to enhance the lives of residents and give them opportunities to engage with others.
Certified therapeutic recreation specialists (CTRS) coordinate the Greeley Recreation AIR programming and lead staff and volunteers. Therapeutic recreation uses activity-based interventions to address individual needs as a means to improve physical and psychological health. Volunteers are an essential piece to running successful adaptive recreation programs. Find out more about Greeley Recreation Adaptive Programs or contact Kassi Decuir, AIR Coordinator, at 970-350-9779 or kassi.decuir@greeleygov.com for details.