CHAMPION ATHLETE; CONEJO WINNER TO PLAY BOCCIE IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS.Byline: Cecilia Chan Daily News Staff Writer For weeks, medalist Monica Lopez has practiced her aim and worked to strengthen her bowling arm in hopes of taking home the gold at this weekend's boccie ball Noun 1. boccie ball - wooden ball that is bowled in the Italian game of bocce bocce ball, bocci ball ball - round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games; "the ball travelled 90 mph on his serve"; "the mayor threw out the first ball"; "the ball competition. The Italian lawn bowling lawn bowling: see bowls. contest is one of seven sports featured at the 30th annual Special Olympics Southern California Summer Games in Long Beach. ``Boccie boccie or bocci or bocce (from Italian bocce, “balls”) Game of Italian origin, similar to bowls. It is played on a long, narrow, packed-clay court enclosed with boarded ends and sides. is fun,'' said Lopez, 27, who is developmentally disabled. She also enjoys track and field events, volleyball, and softball. Lopez and three others from Thousand Oaks - Michael Whitmore, 18, Todd Reeve, 17, and Reeve's brother Mark, 24 - will be playing boccie in the games at California State University Enrollment  , Long Beach. They will be among 1,400 Special Olympians from 11 counties in sports including basketball, golf, gymnastics, tennis, aquatics, and track and field. In a box in her bedroom, Lopez keeps a handful of medals and ribbons to show for her prowess on the athletic field. The only sport that doesn't interest Lopez is basketball, explained her mother, Wanda Lopez. She said her daughter Monica, a graduate of Thousand Oaks High School Thousand Oaks High School is a high school established in 1962 and located in Thousand Oaks, California. It is a California Distinguished School, and offers curriculum at all levels for Thousand Oaks students. The mascot is the lancer. , has been participating in the Special Olympics since she was 8. ``It shows her she can accomplish something. She can compete and win. It gives her a lot of esteem and makes her very happy. ``She loves to compete, and she loves to win,'' said Wanda Lopez, who trains on a four-person team with Monica and says they have logged in more than the eight hours of required practice. ``She's actually getting very good,'' said Wanda Lopez, who also coaches. ``She has her own mind and decides what she wants to do.'' Monica, who has a twin brother and two older sisters, has always been competitive. ``She likes to be the star, the lead,'' her mom said. When she is not practicing for a tournament or bowling with the Conejo Champs, she works for the Conejo Parks and Recreation District in the summer and at the California Lutheran University Mission statement The University's mission statement is as follows: "California Lutheran University is a diverse, scholarly community dedicated to excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies. cafeteria during the academic year. Is Lopez nervous about the contest? ``Yes,'' she said. ``I am also excited to go to Long Beach.'' A ceremony today will be a prelude to the Special Olympics on Saturday and Sunday. As in the international Olympics, athletes have the chance to win gold, silver and bronze medals. Special Olympics Southern California serves nearly 13,000 developmentally disabled children and adults, 8 to 80, in its 11-county region. Competition is held at area, region and chapter levels throughout the year. The program offers year-round training and competition in 21 individual and team sports such as cycling, Alpine skiing and horsemanship horsemanship: see equestrianism. horsemanship Art of training, riding, and handling horses. Good horsemanship requires that a rider control the animal's direction, gait, and speed with maximum effectiveness and minimum effort. . Eunice Kennedy Shriver Eunice Mary Kennedy Shriver (born July 10, 1921 in Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S.), is a member of the Kennedy family. Her father was Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., and her mother was Rose Kennedy. , President Kennedy's sister, sparked the concept of Special Olympics 30 years ago when she began a day camp in her yard for children with developmental disabilities developmental disabilities (DD), n.pl the pathologic conditions that have their origin in the embryology and growth and development of an individual. DDs usually appear clinically before 18 years of age. . Today, Special Olympics is a worldwide nonprofit program, serving more than 1 million children and adults in the United States and more than 150 foreign countries. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color) Monica Lopez, 27, of Thousand Oaks shows a bundle of sports medals she has won. Andy Holzman/Daily News |
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