SPECIAL OLYMPIANS GIVE 100% AT GAMES.Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Daily News Staff Writer Bringing together teams from across Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, , the four baseball diamonds at Los Cerritos Middle School hosted games Saturday for the 1998 Ventura County Special Olympics Special Olympics International sports program for people with intellectual disability. It provides year-round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type summer and winter sports for participants. Softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' Tournament. The teams, 13 in all, were made up of players with a wide variety of abilities - from those in wheelchairs batting with a designated runner, to those who might be able to play for their school's varsity squad. ``All this time I've been cheering, and now I hit it,'' said Meghan Tresback, a young member of the Thousand Oaks-based Conejo Recreation and Park District team, as she beamed at her coach from first base. Meghan was one of 180 disabled athletes and other players, coaches and volunteers at the tournament. Some of the teams played a highly competitive game of softball, while others played a more mild game of tee ball Tee Ball or T-Ball is a sport based on baseball and is intended as an introduction for young players to develop baseball skills and have fun. The name Tee Ball is a registered trademark while T-Ball is the generic name, although many sources use Tee Ball as a generic name. . ``I scored it in, did you see me?'' Bruce Sackett, also of the Conejo team, shouted shout n. A loud cry. tr. & intr.v. shout·ed, shout·ing, shouts To say with or utter a shout. Phrasal Verb: shout down To overwhelm or silence by shouting loudly. as he ran back to the dugout dugout: see canoe. after a triumphant run around the bases. With his run, the score was Conejo 4, Manatees 0. Soon though, after all of Conejo's players had been at the plate, it was their turn in the outfield and the Manatees from Ventura stepped up to bat. Sackett took second base to get in on the action, and he didn't have to wait long - the first batter up hit a line drive right to him. He scooped it up and ran over to first base, where his teammate was waiting. He tagged the runner out before she reached the base. ``Bruce will do it all,'' said Sarah Sandoval, a recreational specialist for the Conejo Recreation and Park District. ``He could be the only one out there.'' Ventura County Special Olympians range in age from 8 to 80, but generally the players in Saturday's games were between 25 and 45. The teams hailed from all over Southern California, from San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. to Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. . Their goal, organizers said, was not necessarily to win the gold, silver and bronze medals, but to have a good time. ``It gives them a chance to participate athletically regardless of their disability,'' said Chellis Rogers, recreation specialist for Special Olympics. ``They make new friends, learn new skills and learn independence. They earn medals, but for most of the athletes that's not more important than coming out here and meeting people.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Ran in Conejo Edition only) Louie Magdaleno is tagged out by catcher Brian Koster during the Special Olympics Softball Tournament held Saturday. |
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