Taylor Matthews is pictured delivery the kits to Ms. Emily Schmidt's Classroom at LIFE Academy. Photo submitted by Special Olympics Illinois.
For Immediate Release
EIU’s Student Council For Exceptional Children Donates Special Olympics Practice Packs to LIFE Academy
With the coming of the warmer, spring weather, Track and Field teams throughout Illinois have begun practices, including the Special Olympics Illinois Region I Track & Field teams, who will be participating at the 40th Annual Spring Games at Eastern Illinois University O’Brien Stadium on Friday, April 26th. All Special Olympics athletes are expected to practice their Track & Field events with their Special Olympics coaches in order to learn the rules of the sport, train on proper sport technique, and prepare their bodies for the sport to prevent injury, just as any athlete would be expected to do prior to competition. LIFE Academy, one of the largest Special Olympics teams, is doing just that with the support of Eastern Illinois University Student members of the Student Council for Exception Children.
EIU Student Council for Exceptional Children made 10 Special Olympics Kits for the classrooms at the LIFE Academy in Mattoon. EIU Student and Special Education Major, Taylor Matthews, led the project purchasing and putting together the ten kits which each included: softballs, tennis balls, track measuring tape, stopwatch, tape for start lines, clipboard/pen for documenting times and distances. The purpose of the practices kits was to allow the Special Olympics Coaches, fondly called Teachers, to easily grab the kits and take their students to practice for the upcoming Spring Games at EIU.
The 40th annual Spring Games takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Friday, April 26, at Eastern Illinois University O’Brien Stadium in Charleston. The public is invited to watch the competition and experience the joy of achievement by Special Olympics athletes. Athletes will compete in the 50-, 100-, 200-, 400-, 800- & 1,500-meter runs; standing and running long jumps; shot put; mini-javelin; tennis and softball throw; high jump; 400- and 800-meter wheelchair competitions and assisted races, as well as the pentathlon. Athletes compete in divisions based on ability level.
Because of the ingenuity of Taylor and generosity of the Student Council for Exception Children, along with other philanthropic organizations, Special Olympics athletes experience the joy of sports, gain physical health improvements, develop positive social interactions with teammates and coaches, and feel empowered.
