Marshall Starke Special Olympics fall sports competitions

Special Olympics for Marshall and Starke counties just completed another Fall season!  On top of softball, they also had Cornhole, Flag Football, and Equestrian. Flag Football and Equestrian are two new sports they added to their lineup this year.  Flag Football was a request by the Athlete Leadership Council (ALC) chair, Roger Stoner.  “This is a perfect example of what the ALC is designed for,” County Coordinator Jackie Ziaja states.  “Multiple athletes were interested in doing something new, and the ALC chair brought it to our attention.”  The ALC comprises athletes from multiple sports across Marshall and Starke Counties.

Cornhole was a very popular sport this year.  Practices were held at the Church of the Heartland in Plymouth.  Athletes voted and decided they would be called The Corn Dawgs! Cornhole teams practiced for 9 weeks.  Marshall and Starke County had 12 teams participate this year.  Sectionals were held in Michigan City on September 14^th.  Three local teams advanced and competed at the state tournament held in Westfield on September 29^th.  The state tournament had teams from across Indiana and included over 400 matches.  David Renz and Gavin Gordon brought home a 4^th place ribbon.  Asher Short and Brittney Riffle brought home a Bronze medal.  Ryan Robbins and David Akers brought home a Gold medal.  David and Angela Banicki coached our cornhole teams. 

CORN DAWGS

L to R:  Coach Angela Banicki, Asher Short, Brittney Riffle, Coach David Banicki, David Akers, Ryan Robbins, David Renz, Gavin Gordon

Flag Football took root this year in Marshall and Starke Counties, coached by Justin Parker and Eric Keen.  Practices were held at Hard Knox gym in Knox.  Flag Football in Special Olympics is one of the sports in which the coaches must hold a flag football certification.  The Marshall/Starke coaches traveled to Indianapolis to achieve this certification.  Putting in the work this season, they had five athletes attend the State Flag Football tournament.  The team practiced twice a week.  Athletes put in the work and were prepared to step foot on the field in Indianapolis on September 29^th.  18 teams from across Indiana headed to Indianapolis for the State Tournament.  Marshall and Starke Counties Thundercats came home with a Silver Medal!

THUNDERCATS

L to R:  Asst. Coach Eric Keen, Xavier Lawrence, Conor Allen, Connor Parker, Bobby Bunting, David Parker, Coach Justin Parker

The last new sport for 2024 added was Equestrian.  Equestrian was what started this all for Coordinators Jackie Ziaja and Joe Short, as their son Asher’s first involvement in Special Olympics was with Laporte County’s Equestrian program.  They became volunteers and wanted to bring this amazing experience to their local county.  Joe Traveled to Danville in 2023 to take a coaching class to receive the required certification to offer Equestrian in Marshall and Starke Counties.  Although the local Special Olympics have been working on this for a while, the Equestrian program finally grabbed traction after a presentation with the Golden Horseshoe Saddle Club in Knox.  Several members brought horses for 12 weeks of practice and took them to Danville for the State Tournament on September 28^th.   

The Marshall and Starke County Special Olympics had 7 athletes participating in their first year.  Practices were held at the Golden Horseshoe Saddle Club in Knox.  Athletes competed in unmounted showmanship, barrels, flags, pole bending, horse part identification, spoon race, and team relay.  Each athlete had the opportunity to decide what events they would participate in.  

Christian Radican received a silver medal in horse part identification and gold medals in flags, spoon race, and pole bending.  David Akers received a participation ribbon in barrels, a bronze medal in flags, and a silver medal in pole bending.  Aerial Neidig received 5^th in flags, 4^th in showmanship, and a bronze medal in the spoon race.  Cash Little received a bronze medal in pole bending and a silver medal in barrels and flags.  Jared Holt received a participation ribbon in flags and silver medals in the team relay and the spoon race.  Asher Short received 5^th in showmanship, a silver medal in team relay, and a gold medal in flags.  April McGuire received 6^th in showmanship, 5^th in the spoon race, and a bronze medal in horse part identification. 

Athletes not only participated in events but also helped behind the scenes.  They helped care for their horses while in the horse barn, pitched in to help prepare for their horses’ departure, helped pick up and place items where they belonged, and helped clean stalls.  It takes more than just a coach for an equestrian team.  Not only does it take good-hearted people to volunteer well-behaved horses for use…they also need horse handlers, side walkers, and support staff to be with the athletes and help teach them. The very first Equestrian adventure was a success!

Equestrian

L to R:  Coach Joe Short, CC Jackie Ziaja, Jared Holt, Horse Handler Scott Farnsworth, Asher Short, Horse Handler Miranda Van Doran, Cash Little, Terri Little, Christian Radican, April McGuire, Aerial Neidig, side walker Trudy Cahill, David Akers, side walker Terry Cahill, horse handler Carrie McGuire, horse handler Dina Neidig.