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SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – As part of its soccer championship weekend, the Cascade Collegiate Conference held a Special Olympics Soccer Clinic on Friday, November 13.
The event featured over 75 CCC student-athletes and coaches, primarily from teams that qualified for the conference finals, and a group of Special Olympics’ athletes.
During the event, Special Olympians and student-athletes split into four groups to stretch and then rotate through different skill development stations. The Olympians were taught passing, dribbling, shooting, and specific foot skills by CCC coaches and ran drills with the student-athletes.
While the night ended in a full scrimmage, the highlight was probably a penalty-shot contest, reminisent of how two of the four CCC semifinal games were won the day before.
The atmosphere started a little bit quiet, but both the Olympians and student-athletes got acclimated quickly. By the end of the night, high-fives, and hugs became commonplace.
Not only did the night’s events give the Special Olympians a chance to showcase their skills and interact with college athletes, but it also provided an opportunity for the student-athletes of competing CCC schools to come together for a common cause in the midst of the conference playoffs.
Tournament host Northwest Christian University has a long standing relationship with the Lane County Special Olympics organization as part of their NAIA Champions of Character endeavors. Organizers hope that this event becomes a traditional part of the CCC soccer tournament for years to come.
NCU Athletic Director Corey Anderson said, "What Special Olympics provides their athletes, coaches, and communities is special and rewarding, and enables many athletes to participate and excel in athletics. This participation in both individual and team sports is a great basis for an athlete's self-awareness and self-confidence. To be directly involved in this event is a great honor for all of us at NCU and in the Cascade Conference."