Special Olympics Massachusetts (SOMA) is excited to announce its newest Young Athletes program. In partnership with Tabor Academy in Marion, MA, this program will bring developmentally appropriate active play to families in the South Coast region. Special Olympics Young Athletes™ is a unique sport and play program for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The focus is on fun activities that are important to mental and physical growth. Through the program, children between the ages of 2 and 7 years will be introduced to games and active programs designed to develop motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
The program at Tabor was born of a partnership between math teacher, Tim Cleary and Senior, Molly Bent. Mr. Cleary joined the Tabor faculty in 2015 coming from Suffield Academy (CT). Speaking on his involvement in Special Olympics, Mr. Cleary said “I was lucky enough to work with a passionate group of students at my last school as we brought Special Olympics programming to campus in a meaningful way. When we made the decision to bring our family up to Marion and Tabor Academy, I knew this was work I wanted to continue.” He added, “It is a great chance to use the beautiful facilities that Tabor has for a population that sometimes struggles to find field or court space. Not only that, it gives Tabor students an opportunity to learn about life through a different lens.” As it turns out, the Tabor community is excited about this opportunity to give back. Cleary remarked, “Over 120 students wanted to be part of our Special Olympics group. Everyone at Tabor has been so supportive of us moving forward with this important work.”
The other driving force behind the program is Tabor Senior Molly Bent who said, “When Mr. Cleary mentioned that he wanted to start a Special Olympics program here at Tabor, I thought it was a great idea. I think the Tabor community will bring a lot of enthusiasm when helping out with the Young Athletes. And I also think they will really enjoy the opportunity to work with these kids – it’s almost impossible to leave something like this without a smile on your face.” Molly’s sister, Sarah, is an 11 year-old with Downs Syndrome who visits campus to see Molly play sports. It was the welcoming nature and culture of caring that gave Molly confidence that Tabor would be a good fit for the program explaining, “Every time she [Sarah] comes to Tabor, the community is always so nice to her. My friends love to come up to her and say hello, and just a few weeks ago, two students and a teacher walked her to my soccer game when they saw her walking near the wrong field.”
This is not Molly’s first experience with Special Olympics Massachusetts. Ten years ago, Molly’s mother started participating in the Hyannis Jolly Jaunt – a 5K race to benefit Special Olympics Massachusetts. Her team is “Sarah’s team,” in honor of her daughter. “Our family and friends have been incredibly supportive and many of them are members of our team each year. My soccer and basketball teammates at Tabor, as well as some other students and teachers, have ran for Sarah’s team the past two years. It is such a fun event!” said Molly.
This program is kicking off with free “Open House” sessions this fall. Please join us from 2:00 – 3:00 pm on November 8, November 15, December 6 and December 13 at Cardinal Cushing Centers, 405 Washington Street, Hanover, MA. A full eight-week program will begin in January 2016. Additional information can be found at www.specialolympicsma.org/youngathletes.