SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – Weather forced organizers to cancel the softball tournament on the second day of the Missouri Summer Olympics outdoor games Saturday, but alternative activities kept athletes engaged throughout the day.
“We had a great day of competition and fun yesterday. Today, unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate, and we did have to cancel our softball tournament, which is very disappointing because our athletes and coaches work so hard to prepare for this event,” said Luke Lamb, director of programming for Missouri Special Olympics. “But with the weather and field conditions, safety is our first concern, so it was the right decision.”
Organizers found ways for activities to continue for the athletes on Saturday. A few included discounted entry to Wonders of Wildlife, a dinner and dance social, and their healthy athlete program that focused on informing athletes on healthy lifestyle choices, as well as providing free medical screenings.
“We’ve found that a lot of our athletes aren’t comfortable necessarily going to traditional medical services or have the means to in some cases. So we bring the screenings to them, and depending on the event, we offer different screenings,” Lamb said.
This weekend, organizers offered therapy dogs, dental, hearing, blood pressure, and foot health screenings.
Some of the athletes will compete in the flag football tournament on Sunday, including the Springfield T-ReXes, who have been practicing since the summer for this tournament.
“When we do practice, we practice sportsmanship and how to be a good athlete and a good participant moving forward, even if something doesn’t go our way,” said Robert Lawrence, coach for the Springfield T-ReXes flag football team.
Everyone in the community is invited to watch Sunday’s tournament. Lawrence says it’s a great way to get started with volunteering and supporting Special Olympics year-round.
“We’ll have flag football tomorrow. Come out, watch, have a great time, and come out and watch the sportsmanship and see if you want to be a part of it. If you want to be a part of it, you just hit up a coach or an event staff member and just get signed up,” Lawrence said.,
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