Whether it was their first year or 40th, Special Olympics athletes participating in Saturday's games said they enjoyed the chance to compete and play as a team.
Special Olympics Missouri Outdoor Games welcomed hundreds of athletes to Jefferson City this weekend to compete in softball, T-ball, bowling, bocce ball, golf, tennis and flag football at Binder Sports Complex and American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.
Fifteen-year-old Grace Theroff participated in Special Olympics for the first time this summer, playing softball and bocce ball, and she's already looking forward to next year.
She was accompanied to Saturday's games by her mom, Susie, who said the games are a great way for her to play competitively as well as meet new friends. Grace is a freshman at Helias High School.
"This is a good opportunity for her to keep playing, stay healthy and be social," Susie said.
As the games were underway, other athletes could check out the SOMO Healthy Athletes Program, where stations were set up to accommodate the needs of the athletes who had intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Carol Griffin, SOMO partnership manager and developer, said the program provides athletes free screenings in a fun environment.
The program offers dental screenings and one-on-one tutorials for brushing through the Special Smiles program, physical exams are also provided to assess athletes' strength, balance and flexibility. In addition, trained professionals discuss healthy behaviors, diet and nutrition, and foot exams are provided by podiatrists through the Fit Feet program.
In 2016, SOMO held 1,246 screenings at the Outdoor Games, plus 357 screenings at Area Games, totaling 1,603 free health screenings for athletes, according to the SOMO website.
"Healthy Athletes means a lot to me," said Allen Tobin, a SOMO athlete of 34 years. "And for other athletes like myself, who don't have insurance, Healthy Athletes does a lot for us and makes us a better athlete."
Tobin said because of the program, he has received hearing aids, new glasses and orthopedic running shoes.
Health care providers from across the state were present at the games including some from Capital Region Medical Center.
"The thing I noticed the most about the athletes here is that they don't want to let their team down. It seems like there's much more camaraderie among these athletes," CRMC nurse Debbie Ousley said.
This was Ousley's first year volunteering at the games, along with two other nurses.
Another CRMC nurse, Lori Holtmeier, added, "We all came because we're really impressed with the athletes and just wanted to give back."
Physical therapy students from University of Missouri were also present volunteering to help the athletes with physical exams in the FunFitness Healthy Athletes program.
"This is cool that all these people here are really wanting the betterment of health for the athletes knowing that they may not receive services as they need to regularly," MU student Brooke Wilde said. "I would definitely do this again."
Steve Wilmesherr, sports director from Franklin County, said his son started as athlete in the special Olympics in 1986 and, 36 years later, is still competing.
"Special Olympics mean a lot more than sports, it's a social activity," Wilmesherr said.
Longtime SOMO coach Barb Laberer added: "As a mom, I just love to see my daughter do things that everyone else gets to do. Sometimes they don't get to do it at school and in the general population, but here, they get to be themselves. It's fun to watch that."