Valley athletes shine at first-ever Special Olympics Fall Games

For the first time in its 34-year history, Special Olympics Alaska (SOAK) organized a State Fall Games, which were held Sept. 6 in Anchorage.

The inaugural Fall Games included the sports of bocce, equestrian and golf, with competitors coming from Anchorage, the Valley, Kodiak and Fairbanks.

The Fall Games have evolved from single state tournaments. Since the early 1990s, SOAK organized a separate State Equestrian Tournament in August or September. Last year, SOAK organized its first State Golf Tournament, which coincided with the equestrian event.

The addition of a third sport -- bocce -- created the dynamics for a full-fledged fall games, and organizers got busy. Bocce was first introduced as a non-competitive clinic at the 2000 State Summer Games.

About 100 athletes, coaches, partners, family members and SOAK supporters gathered at the Chamberlin Equestrian Center on Abbott Road for the Opening Ceremonies. While Valley athletes didn't compete in the equestrian or bocce events, the Valley was well represented in the golf tournament, held at Tanglewood Lakes Golf Course in south Anchorage.

The 32 participants were paired into 16 unified teams.

Unified sports is a Special Olympics program that puts together athletes and members of the community to compete side by side in team sports.

The Fall Games competition is one of four SOAK state events held throughout the year. State Summer Games are held in June, State Winter Games are held in March, the state bowling tournament is held late November.

Valley participants in the first-ever

Fall Games

Athletes

Krystina Collins, silver medal; Andre Coulombe, gold medal; Devin Helmick, gold medal; Claryton Mark-Gahley Jenson, bronze medal; Aaron Kulhanek, fifth-place ribbon.

Unified partners

Art Coulombe, silver medal; Alyn Dunaway, gold medal; Dwayne Jenson, bronze medal; Luke Jolivette, fifth-place ribbon; Butch Ulrich, gold medal.