CRESTVIEW — There were spares, strikes, splits and, yes, a few gutter balls, but more important, lots of cheers, hugs and high-fives as North Okaloosa County Special Olympics athletes bowled at Shoal River Lanes.
Twenty athletes participated in the Sept. 27 tournament, with 13 qualifying for the Oct. 15 area competition.
Several special needs athletes bowled. Some, such as recent Richbourg E.S.E. School graduate Lily Murph, used a ramp to launch the balls from their wheelchairs or while supported by volunteer aides.
As he spun his ball down the lane, John Lawrence jumped up and down in excitement as a strike seemed likely. Though one pin was left standing, John was pleased with his performance.
“I did good!” he said.
“You sure did, John,” interim Okaloosa County Special Olympics Director Cherie Cain said, receiving a big hug by way of thanks.
SOCIALIZATION TIME
“This is their socialization time, too,” Special Olympics volunteer Kathy Ellis said. “They don’t always have friends like some of us do. They look forward to this. It’s their time to get together.”
The athletes ranged in age from teens to 74-year-old Marjorie Waillsey, who placed second in her division. Athletes are ranked in divisions based on their age, gender and ability, Caine said.
For senior Jerry Bolton, who placed first in his division, Special Olympics bowling provided a new lease on life, Cain said.
He had been ill, stopped eating and doctors worried that he would die, but when he learned his friends were bowling, he wanted to join them.
Soon he experienced an astounding rebound, Cain said.
“Even the doctor said he’s amazed,” she said. “He came back to life. His will to live and not feel sorry for himself came back. Bowling was his whole quest.”
AREA TOURNAMENT
The Crestview tournament winners will proceed to the Oct. 15 four-county area games at Oops Alley in Milton. There they’ll have the opportunity to advance to the December state tournament, and maybe the summer nationwide Special Olympics.
“We start basketball next,” Cain said. “We’ll have the area games Jan. 7 at Northwest Florida State College,” with teams from Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties participating.
“The athletes know when the kids go back to school, the bowling starts, and when it starts getting cold, the spring games begin,” Ellis said.
Cain said the North Okaloosa Special Olympics will be rebuilt following a slump in participation, not by athletes but by people who make the games work.
“We need coaches and volunteers,” she said. “We can’t have the program without them.”
For the athletes, disruptions to the program that contributes so much to their wellbeing would be tragic, organizers said.
Especially now that Lily, John and Jerry won in their divisions and will join 200-some fellow athletes in Milton.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: ‘I did good!’