Message from the Area Director:I would personally like to thank you for your interest Special Olympics Grand Forks (Area 5). Our goal is to provide an atmosphere where everyone can have fun and learn the valuable lessons that sports can teach, giving continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. The very fact you are out trying makes you a champion. The Special Olympics oath is “Let me win, but if I can not win, let me be brave in the attempt.” Any athlete can excel to a higher level if they are willing to give it their best effort. Families play an important role in the success in the Special Olympics Grand Forks program. It is critical for you to contribute to a positive, supportive environment in as your family member participates in Special Olympics. From there, family involvement can be as little or as much as you wish. Some family members choose to cheer on their team as a fan, which is the norm for many new families. Some parents choose to get more involved by: coaching, helping with fundraising, chaperoning, or more. If you are interested in becoming more involved, please talk to myself to see what might interest you. Special Olympics Grand Forks offers many different sports throughout the year. We compete through Special Olympics North Dakota (SOND). SOND offers five sports seasons. Special Olympics athletes may choose one sport to participate, or compete in all five seasons. While Special Olympics Grand Forks would love to see each athlete participate in all five seasons, it is not required. Athletes have the opportunity to choose which seasons fit them best. I welcome you to Special Olympics Grand Forks (Area 5) and look forward to getting to know you and your family. Please click through our webpages for additional information that I hope you find useful to learn more about our program. Meredith Baumann |
