The Richmond County Special Olympics introduced area athletes to bowling in November and are getting ready to have their first competition next month.

The bowling competition is scheduled for March 30, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Strikers Bowling Alley. Chairman Cathy Hoggard is hoping for about 40 to 50 athletes.

The athletes have been training for the event every Tuesday since November at Strikers.

“I think they’re really excited,” Hoggard said about the athletes and bowling. “Some of the athletes have come and bowled before, but quite a few haven’t and they’re enjoying it. The event in November got this all started and the parents and athletes all enjoyed it. It was a good experience and I got a lot of positive feedback.”

Hoggard said the Richmond County Special Olympics planning committee is also gearing up for their annual spring games on May 7 at the Richmond Senior High School track.

The spring games are made up of track and field events and training for those will likely begin next month.

Richmond County DSS director Tammy Schrenker and Roberdel Baptist Church Rev. Chris Smith are both certified coaches for the Special Olympics and will be doing the training for this year’s spring games.

The pair will have training session for coaches March 6 and hope to get enough volunteers signed up this year so that every athlete who wants to train, has a trainer.

Schrenker has been involved in Special Olympics for years because her son Josh Dazey has been a participant. He went to the state games last year and received a gold and a bronze medal in athletics.

“What’s been so good about the expansion of events is that now he has year-round recreation,” Schrenker said. “He’s so excited about the bowling, it’s something he’s really looking forward to.”

Schrenker said her son just turned 18 and is transitioning into adulthood. The expansion of the Richmond County Special Olympics will be a great help in that transition because there are so few activities for adults with disabilities.

“What people need to realize is this is a big deal to those athletes,” Schrenker said. “This is serious to them and they have the same sense of competition we all do. This has given them the fellowship with other individuals with disabilities and it gives them an opportunity to succeed.”

Schrenker said she and Smith are looking for volunteers for the coaching training and that volunteers don’t need to have a background in athletics to volunteer.

“You just need to know the rules and be willing to work with the participants,” Schrenker said. “We welcome everyone to come out and volunteer.”

Athletes must be at least 8-years-old and receive a complete physical from a doctor before they can train or compete.

For more information on becoming a Special Olympics athlete or a volunteer, contact Hoggard at 895-5946 or Jeanine Wall at 652-5050.

Staff writer Eren Tataragasi can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 19 or at etataragasi@yourdailyjournal.com.