Special Olympics Lakewood Honored by City Council
Special Olympics athletes and organizers in Lakewood have made a tremendous impact, and the City of Lakewood took notice. In celebration of the city’s 65th anniversary, Special Olympics Lakewood was among the nonprofit programs honored as the City Council named “Lakewood Volunteer Civic Organizations in Service to the Community” its newest Legends of Lakewood. The ...
2020 Guardian Bowl: Fundraiser Postponed
Editor's note: This post has been updated as of March 12 amid growing concern of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The Guardian Bowl, originally scheduled for March 14 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, has been postponed. We will provide an update on the new date for the event by April 3. Read the full, official ...
Looking Ahead: 2020 Big Bear Polar Plunge
By Christine Baik and Tracy McDannald It’s almost time to pull out those festive costumes and speedos—even if the forecast says otherwise. Special Olympics Southern California’s Big Bear Polar Plunge will take place Saturday, March 7 at Big Bear Lake to help raise funds for Special Olympics Inland Empire. Fundraisers, known as Plungers, often get ...
INSIDE SOSC: Special Olympics Returns to Capitol Hill, and More
Special Olympics athletes, organization leaders, Unified Sports partners and family members from across the country made the trip to Washington D.C. last week to participate in Special Olympics' annual "Capitol Hill Day." Special Olympics Southern California chairman Kelly Johnson and athlete/staff member Dustin Plunkett were among 260 delegates representing 46 states and the District of ...
INSIDE SOSC: Competition Breeds Friendly Rivalries
Special Olympics Southern California competitions throughout the year often lead to familiarity among the teams. Think about it: Year-round sports, often featuring the similar groups of athletes in each region, create a bond over time. A case can be made that it's no more apparent than in the winter floor hockey season. Nine teams featuring ...
Join Joseph’s Journey: Special Olympics Transformed My Life
Editor's note: "Join Joseph's Journey" is a blog written by Joseph Gorin, a Special Olympics Southern California athlete and member of SOSC's Board of Directors. Joseph, who has cerebral palsy, started training and competing with Special Olympics in 2003. Back then, he was a quiet kid who would barely look people in the eyes. Now, ...
From Student to Mentor
Mike Dyer wants to help Special Olympics Southern California athletes reach the same thrills he experienced during his time as an athlete. A right shoulder injury in 2018 and a pair of surgeries may have cut his time on the basketball court short, but Mike had a plan in place years prior to transition into ...
2019 Year in Review
As 2020 quickly approaches, let's take a look back at 10 highlights involving Special Olympics Southern California and its athletes from the past year. 10. Championship events Sports help Special Olympics athletes level the playing field in their quest to be treated equally, so why not start the list there? It was another successful year ...
San Diego Law Enforcement Take Chiefs Challenge
By Marvin Poquiz This past September, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) won the latest Special Olympics San Diego region’s Chiefs Challenge. This means the law enforcement agency earned the right to carry the Flame of Hope in all of the San Diego region’s competitions for the next 12 months. What is the ...
SOSC Coach Teaches ‘The L.A. Way’
By Ryan Lefever In the city of angels, there’s one thing that’s making a difference in a special way. Cristian Ortiz, 39, is the head coach for the LAFC Special Olympics team and the L.A. Galaxy Unified soccer team. He has coached with Special Olympics for six years, and he also is an adaptive physical ...