Special Olympics athletes hold bowling tournament on JBER

Athletes from Homer, Alaska, celebrate during the medal ceremony at the Special Olympics Athlete Training Center in Anchorage, Alaska, following the 2016 Special Olympics Alaska Bowling Tournament. More than 300 Special Olympics Alaska athletes partnered with Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to host a bowling tournament at the Polar Bowl over the weekend, starting Nov 18, 2016. Each athlete competed against their personal best. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)

Special Olympics athletes hold bowling tournament on JBER

Air Force Col. Dan Knight, 673d Mission Support Group commander, and Air Force Master Sgt. Samantha Ward, Special Olympics Alaska volunteer, display Ward’s certificate of appreciation for her role in Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s partnership in support of the 2016 Special Olympics Alaska Bowling Tournament. More than 300 Special Olympic Alaska athletes were joined by 130 JBER volunteers who supported the event as lane monitors, motor coach escorts, awards volunteers and helped load, unload and set up operations and set up operations. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)

Special Olympics athletes hold bowling tournament on JBER

Volunteers from the local Anchorage, Alaska community and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson came together to support the 2016 Special Olympics Alaska Bowling Tournament, which was held at the Polar Bowl bowling alley from Nov. 18 to Nov. 21. The Special olympians knocked down a total of 196,817 pins during the weekend-long tournament as they were supported by volunteers from both JBER and the community. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)

Special Olympics athletes hold bowling tournament on JBER

Published Nov. 22, 2016
By Tech Sgt. Vernon Cunningham
JBER Public Affairs

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- More than 300 Special Olympics Alaska athletes partnered with Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to host a bowling tournament at the Polar Bowl over the weekend beginning Nov 18, 2016. The athletes were joined by 130 JBER volunteers who supported the event as lane monitors, motor coach escorts, awards volunteers and helped load, unload and set up operations.

Special Olympics Alaska provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness to demonstrate courage, to experience joy, and to participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

“They are excited to be here,” said Air Force Col. Dan Knight, 673d Mission Support Group commander and Special Olympics Alaska volunteer. “One of our special olympians came up to one of our volunteers and just gave him a big hug.”
He also said watching the athletes compete and all the strikes that were thrown was inspirational.
“They are great bowlers, great competitors and cheer each other on,” Knight said. “It’s amazing to see.”

The athletes competed for personal bests as pin after pin was knocked down, and the spirit of competition was celebrated by everyone present.

“It unites us as a family when we have JBER volunteers and people from the community coming together for a cause,” said Jim Balamaci, Special Olympics Alaska president.

The Alaska Special Olympics Bowling Tournament was not hosted at the Polar Bowl the past two years due to renovations. However, the return to the popular JBER bowling alley has allowed more service members an opportunity to connect and identify with the athletes who represent more than just their districts in the tournament.

“I think Special Olympics stands for many of the same things that JBER and the military stand for,” Knight said. “There is a lot of perseverance. There is a lot of hard work. There is competition and then there is teamwork. We are people of the same type of creed.”

The Special olympians knocked down 196,817 pins during the weekend-long tournament as they were supported by volunteers from both JBER and the community.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Balamaci said. “[Its about] sports, fun, camaraderie, friendships, and uniting against more than you can possibly imagine.”