News
History being made at the Winter Games
Scott Wagar
01/27/2015
With a winter park in Bottineau’s own backyard one would expect the community to have a team for the Special Olympics North Dakota’s Winter Games. However, in the entire history of SOND, Bottineau has never had a team participate in the winter games. That is until now.
For the first time in the history of Bottineau, members of the local community organized a team for SOND’s winter games this year.
Why Bottineau has never had a team participate is uncertain, but when the adaptive recreation program coordinator of Annie’s House and the Bottineau Winter Park, Michael Cerkowniak, discovered this piece of history and he went to work to change its history.
Cerkowniak went to Gail Wondrasek-Lane and asked if she would start a team to participate in the winter games of SOND.
Wondrasek-Lane, who is a gym and history teacher in Bottineau’s public school district, and one of the best known volunteers in the Bottineau community, went right work to make it happen.
For Wondrasek-Lane, it was December and just weeks before the SOND’s winter games were to start, but in that short period of time Wondrasek-Lane put together a nine member team and started practices.
The team is made up of seven snowshoers and two alpine skiers. Wondrasek-Lane also brought together seven unify partners, or student assistants/helpers for the team, and added Lori Kittleson as an assistant coach and her daughter, Alicia Wondrasek, as a ski instructor.
The team is made up of Aubreyonna Bull, Rainann Bull, Eli Derr, Mariah Harris,Tyler Mattern, Austin Ovitt, Kaitielyn Ovitt, Diego Fabian-Vasquez and David Yourk.
The unify partners are Jayden Beaver, Sai Canales, Therese Haberman, Cody Monson, Nina Costa, Nikoli Schoenborn and Jewel Stewart.
As the team organized, Wondrasek-Lane gave the team an appropriate team name the athletes and their trainers could get behind and make them push hard for victory in a fun way.
“I told the athletes I wanted a different name and since they were all students at Bottineau Public Schools, Special Olympic athletes and had unified partners, I thought if we used the name “Special Ops” it was like we were on a mission,” Wondrasek-Lane said. “The name was to help them learn to ski and snowshoe and do the best job we could do while having a lot of fun.”
The team’s hard work paid off because the athletes competed well in their events.
“I was proud of all my athletes,” Wondrasek-Lane said. “Austin and Kaitielyn Ovitt placed first and second in their two alpine ski races.
“Eli Derr, Tyler Mattern and Mariah Harris placed first in the 100 meter snowshoe events and also placed in the 200 meter,” Wondrasek-Lane said. “Sisters, Aubreyonna and Rainann Bull, placed high in their two events, while the younger athletes like Diego Fabian-Vasquez and David Yourk also placed in their two events. All the athletes and the unified partners placed second, third and fourth in the 100 meter snowshoe relay race.”
Wondrasek-Lane stated that she was pleased with Bottineau’s first team to ever participate in the Special Olympics North Dakota Winter Games.
“It’s a great day,” Wondrasek-Lane said. “They had fun in the competitions.”
She added that she couldn’t have done the state Olympiad without the assistance of many people.
“I need to thank Lori Kittleson for assisting me with the athletes and high school student, Jayden Beaver, for being my floater and helping with all the students,” Wondrasek-Lane stated.
“Amanda Vasquez Schwab also deserves a big thanks for buying all the students’ flags with their names on them. And, a special thanks goes to Lori Erickson’s second grade class for making signs and welcoming all the teams on Friday afternoon,” she continued. “A big thanks also goes to the Bottineau Winter Park for the use of the snowshoes and hosting the State Specials Olympic Winter Games.”
Wondrasek-Lane also encourages others to get involved in Special Olympics North Dakota.
“I would like to invite other students and adults from Bottineau County who qualify for Special Olympics to join the “Special Ops” Team. I would like to put together a group of people who are interested in helping the Bottineau Special Ops Team for chaperoning, fundraising and training the athletes,” Wondrasek-Lane said. “I can be contacted at Bottineau High School at (701) 228-2266 or at (701) 228-2625.
At the present time, I would also like to put together a track and field team,” Wondrasek-Lane said. “And, Special Olympics North Dakota needs someone in Bottineau to coach a basketball team for the state competition at Minot in March. I would recommend coaching to anyone who likes working with young people. It is great to see these special athletes work so hard and push themselves beyond their disabilities.”
Wondrasek-Lane added that a Bottineau team will be back next year and that she is looking forward to her Olympians participating once again.