I subscribe to an email from Gahanna Special Olympics despite I am not one of their athletes, but I am still an athlete for Franklin County Special Olympics.
Here are the updates from Special Olympics Ohio:
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After Winter Games 2027, they will be going back to the old way where athletes can compete in both swimming and basketball at winter games!!
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A Junior Athlete program is coming at some point (to fill the gap between Young Athletes and regular programming).
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SOOH will be scheduling one on one meetings to discuss the develop of succession plans.
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There will be a regional bowling competition next year.
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There MIGHT be a quota drop day after regionals but probably not anytime soon.
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Grove City lost their accreditation - athletes moved to Groveport.
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There will be a pickleball exhibition in the fall.
I wanted to thank Gahanna Special Olympics for the updates from Special Olympics Ohio. I have been advocating for the reinstatement of regional bowling tournaments and I am happy about but not ready to declare victory yet. I will keep on working on bringing back the State Team/Unified Bowling Tournaments in the Fall because if the athlete does not bowl at the Summer Games, they can be eligible for the Team/Unified Bowling Tournament along having a regional tournament too. Also, there will be Cornhole too. I want the State Swim Meet to be its own separate event again like early-mid December or Mid-Late March or Early April (not to conflict with Easter and Passover) so athletes can focus on swimming instead of worrying about competing in another sport that conflicts with swimming. I will continue to suggest new sports like Open Water Swimming, Triathlon, 3x3 Basketball (Team & Unified), and Cross-Country Skiing for Special Olympics Ohio; along with bringing back Figure & Speed Skating on ice for the Winter Games; Roller Skating and Long Course Swimming (50-meter) at the Summer Games and Cycling (Bicycle) at the Fall Games. More updates pretty soon about Special Olympics Ohio and update you about my Bocce progress.