SOMO NORTH Newsletter

MARCH 2018

NEW OFFICE!!!
We are fully moved in to our new office space and are no longer using the previous
office. Our new address is 702 S. Woodbine Rd., Saint Joseph, MO 64507. Please
make sure all of your families/staff/athletes/etc. know this!

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
Each month, I would like to do an “athlete spotlight” to highlight an athlete in our
north area. Nominations can be sent to Alyssa at cress@somo.org by the 25th of each
month with a description and picture of the athlete! Please share all of the exciting
things your athletes are doing in and out of SOMO! The Athlete Spotlight will be
published in our area newsletter and also put in our North Area Facebook group!

SPRING YOUNG ATHLETE PROGRAM

Parents and Potential Young Athletes,
Special Olympics is gearing up to start another YAP session to provide athletic
entertainment for children with intellectual disabilities between ages 3-7. During this
free program your child will participate in group games and work one on one with a
volunteer. We will focus on gross motor skills such as balancing, running, throwing,
catching, kicking, jumping, and hitting.

We have our dates set for our Spring Young Athlete Programs in Saint Joe and Maryville

Saint Joe:
When: Mondays 3/26, 4/9, 4/19, 4/23, 5-6 pm
Where: Keatley Center
1202 S 28th Street
Saint Joseph, MO 64507

Maryville:
When: Thursdays, 3/15, 3/29, 4/5, 4/12, 2/19, 5:30-6:30pm
Where: NWMSU, 2nd floor gym in Martindale Hall
Questions or to RSVP? Please contact Alyssa at Cress@somo.org
 STATE INDOOR GAMES
Our State Indoor Basketball and bowling tournament will be held right here in Saint
Joe for the next three years. This year, the dates are March 16-17 and will be held at
various venues in Saint Joe. For information about volunteering please go to
https://somo.volunteerhub.com/lp/state/.

New This year: Download our app! Open the app store on your mobile device and
search ‘Whova.’ Once Whova is downloaded, open that app and search ‘State Indoor
Games’ and select it and you’re good to go. The State Indoor Games app has these
feature to enhance your State Indoor Games experience:
• Schedules
• Maps/directions
• Communicate with other parents/coaches
• Photo gallery
• Coupons for local eateries
• Alerts from SOMO
• SO MUCH MORE!

Important Changes:

Family members will need a wristband to attend Victory Village, Dance and Bingo on
Saturday evening at the Civic Arena. These can be picked up at the door. If you'd like
to eat dinner with your team on Saturday evening, you may pay $5 at the door.

Healthy Athletes
4:30 - 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 17 at Civic Arena
FREE Health Screenings available: Healthy Hearing, Special Smiles, Health Promotion,
FUNfitness & Medfest.
FREE Physicals at Medfest

Special Olympics Healthy Athletes is designed to help Special Olympics Athletes

improve their health and fitness. The ultimate goal of Healthy Athletes is to improve
each athlete’s ability to train and compete in Special Olympics as well as in life. Be a
WINNER & Be HEALTHY!

Athlete Input Council

6:30 - 7:15 p.m., Saturday, March 17 at Civic Arena
Please encourage your athlete to attend the Athlete Input Council. This is THEIR
opportunity to tell SOMO staff what worked and didn’t work about the event. We
want to make the games the best for our athletes so we need to hear from them
personally!
5th ANNUAL SHAMROCK RUN
SPORTS CAMP
Athlete sports camp at Mexico Military Academy (MMA) in Mexico, MO will be back
this summer for one last time before we move to the Training for Life Campus.
Applications are available online. Camp will be held from June 17th thru the 22nd.
Please pass onto all your athletes for this once opportunity. Coaches and unified
partners are also able to attend. For more information about camp and the
application, visit www.somo.org/sportscamp.

CALLING ALL TRACK ATHLETES

If you would like to join a track and field team, Kathy Grossman’s track team will be starting
soon! Please contact her for details on how to get signed up. She can be contacted at 816-
279-2503.

Practices are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30 at Central High School.

Ready. Set. Drive It Home Raffle!

We are excited to share that Missouri Automobile

Dealers Association has generously donated a
2018 Ford Explorer for our Drive it Home Raffle
this year. Raffle tickets are $5 each and will be
available for sale starting the weekend of State
Indoor Games. Remember that for every raffle
ticket sold by our athletes/teams, SOMO will
provide a $2.50 credit for State Games
Assessments to be used in 2019! Area finalists will enjoy activities at the new Training
for Life Campus, where we will host the Grand Prize giveaway this year! If you have
any questions, or would like additional information, please contact Stacey at (314)
961-7755 or connect with your area program director.

Charity Miles
Did you know you could support Special Olympics athletes every time you run, walk or
cycle? Charity Miles is a free app that enables you to earn money for charity when you
exercise. Please download Charity Miles to your iPhone or Android today. Earn 25
cents for every mile your walk or run, and 10 cents for every mile you cycle! Every mile
matters!
ALPS UNIVERSITY
Looking for SOMO athletes to succeed outside of Sports in the Athlete Leadership
Program? This program is designed to give our athletes skills and knowledge that
goes beyond the playing field. The next 2018 ALPs University is scheduled for
October 5-6 at Truman State University!

Majors include:
Technology
Governance
Communications
Coaching
Youth Activation
Leadership for Life

ALPS University will be held at least

twice a year so that athletes/mentors
can complete their chosen degree in
two years. If you can’t make this first
year, we’d love to have you next time!

For more information or to register visit www.somo.org/alps

Or email Brandon Schatsiek at Schatsiek@somo.org

Exceptional Rodeo
EXCEPTIONAL RODEO
When: Saturday, April 7, 2018
Where: Civic Arena
Time: 10:00am – 12:00noon
Come and meet the Bull Riders, take a ride, get autographs and stay for lunch.
Please RSVP at (816) 233-6232 by Wednesday, April 4th

Rodeo
When: Friday, April 6th
Time: 7:30pm
Where: Civic Arena
Special Olympics athletes are invited to the attend the Rodeo free of charge, 1 ticket
per athlete and 1 chaperone ticket. Extra tickets may be purchased.
Please RSVP to Melody at (816) 233-6232 by Wednesday, April 4th
Reminders on Physicals
Just a friendly reminder (with everything else on your plates) to please try and make
sure the following is complete on physicals before submitting them to be processed:
 Make sure the physical is on the NEW form with the housing policy info. (form
will be dates 4.23.14 in bottom right corner)
 Has an exam date
 Has a doctor’s signature
 Date of Birth is clear
 Health History section is filled out and signed
 Emergency contact info is listed
 You can CLEARLY read the name of the athlete
 If it is a NEW athlete, make sure the release is attached.

Your help in this will really speed up the process of getting new physicals entered and
updated!
Events Calendar:  Sport Competitions
 Development/fundraisers
February 10- Regional Basketball, Joplin  Other
February 10- Kirksville Polar Plunge

February 17- Regional Basketball, STL

February 17- Saint Joe Polar Plunge

February 22- Coaches’ Meeting, North Area Office

February 24- Lake Viking Polar Plunge

March 2-4- ALPS University, Columbia, MO

March 16-18- State Indoor Games, Saint Joe

March 17- Shamrock Run, Saint Joe

April 8- Area Volleyball, Saint Joe (entries due March 23)

April 14- Area Powerlifting, Saint Joe (entries due March 30)

April 11- Area Swimming, Saint Joe (entries due March 28)

April 21- Area Track, Kirksville (entries due March 30)

April 28- Area Track, Savannah (entries due April 6)

May 17- Ladies Night Out Piccadilly

June 1-3- State Summer Games, Springfield

June 18-22- Sports camp- Mexico, MO

July 1-7- USA games- Seattle, WA

September 28-30- State Outdoor Games, Jefferson City

 TRAINING AND COMPETITION SEASONS
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Alpine Skiing
Aquatics
Athletics
(Track &
Field)
Basketball
Bocce
Bowling
Figure
Skating
Flag Football
Floor Hockey
Golf
Nordic Skiing
Powerlifting
Snowshoeing
Soccer
Softball
Speed
Skating
Tennis
Volleyball

Indicates STATE Competition

Season
Indicates Sport Training Season

If you are a new athlete and are interest in getting involved in one of
these sports, please contact Alyssa at Cress@somo.org
Keep in touch with us:
www.facebook.com/groups/SOMOnorth
Sign up for text alerts by texting SOMO to
51555

Address
702 S Woodbine Rd
Saint Joseph, MO 64507

Phone: 816-233-6232
Fax: 816-233-0130

Email
Alyssa Cress- Cress@somo.org
Melody Prawitz- Prawitz@somo.org