Plant City’s Special Olympics Unified Sports teams enjoyed a successful summer in 2013, and this weekend, they will return to Orlando try to recapture the magic.
Six teams, most of which are under the Plant City Raiders banner, will represent the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World in four different sports: soccer, athletics, volleyball and bocce. Many of the athletes have been here before, but others have not.
SOCCER
The Raiders are fielding two soccer teams for the Games: the Black team (5-on-5 soccer) and the Orange (7-on-7) team. Although there are soccer skills competitions, these teams are going to take it a step further and play full games. The field is a little smaller than a regulation soccer pitch, but that’s the only difference in the Special Olympics game.
Gerardo Carbajal, a player on the Raiders’ Orange team, took home a gold medal in 2013 — his first time competing. He found his calling quickly, rolled with it and can’t wait to get back on the field this weekend.
“I’m a defender,” Carbajal says. “I like to go to the ball.”
He’s as confident as any of the other athletes and will let his play speak for itself. Another exciting possibility for him is meeting famous athletes — after one of his shoes came apart last year, women’s soccer great Julie Foudy was the first to offer him help.
“I didn’t know who she was at the time,” Plant City ESE teacher Sandy Denham says. “I told her, ‘I’ll just buy another one. It’s OK.’”
ATHLETICS
Although Plant City has fielded Athletics teams in the past, this is the first time the school has fielded the team in a while. Everything just worked out: The Raiders found coaches and players who were willing to compete and now will send nine athletes to the Games.
Among them is Nathan Jones, a multi-sport athlete who, like Carbajal, most recently won a gold medal with last year’s soccer squad. This Athletics competition marks a return to the sport for Jones, after spending some time competing in soccer, basketball and softball.
“I competed on Marshall Middle School’s track team for two years,” Jones says. “I wanted to come back to (Athletics).”
Florida’s Special Olympics offers every event of traditional track and field, as well as a few others, such as the softball toss, wheelchair shot put and assisted race-walks. Jones will compete in three events: the 200-meter race, the 4×100 relay and the long jump.
He’ll also be recognized before the Games begin: Jones is a member of the national basketball team that will compete for international gold this summer in New Jersey, and the team will be honored as part of the opening ceremony.
VOLLEYBALL
The two volleyball teams that the Raiders brought to last year’s games — the Punishers and Raiders — will be back in action.
Volleyball is divided into four divisions for the Games and, as with the NCAA, Division 1 is the highest level of competition. The D-4 Punishers are coming off a bronze medal win, while the D-3 Raiders are hoping to get another gold.
Gregory Hawkins, entering his fourth year of competition, wants to make sure that he and his fellow Punishers give it their best effort to win a gold. Hawkins and his coaches like the team’s chances, and he can’t wait to do what he does best.
“I have a really hard serve,” Hawkins says. “I like to hit the ball really hard, and it surprises people.”
Jamesha Roper, on the other hand, doesn’t have as much competition experience as Hawkins. She was a part of the successful 2013 Raiders team, though, and has been working hard in practice. Winning another gold is important to her, but she’s not just in it for the fame.
“To be honest, I like hitting the ball, meeting new people and making new friends,” Roper says. “I’ll be trying my hardest, having some fun and getting some gold.”
BOCCE
This year, there’s only one Raider competing for bocce’s top prize: Josh McAlpine.
McAlpine has competed in Florida for three years, after moving with his family to Plant City from West Virginia — where he also played bocce and several other sports.
“He says that softball is his favorite now but, if you asked him in January, he probably would have said, ‘basketball,’” McAlpine’s father, Dan Kolopajlo says. “There aren’t many sports that he doesn’t love to play.”
Although bocce isn’t McAlpine’s favorite sport, that doesn’t mean he isn’t good at it. He does have a Florida gold medal to his name and an 18-inch trophy from his time up north.
“I like bocce, because it’s similar to bowling, and I’m very good at bowling,” McAlpine says.’
Unlike the rest of the Raiders, McAlpine will only be competing on Saturday — Friday’s slate only includes team bocce. Still, he and his father will be there on Friday to cheer on his teammates in their respective sports.
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.
EVENT SCHEDULE
WHEN: May 16 and 17. Friday events include athletics, soccer and volleyball preliminaries. Saturday events include athletics, soccer, volleyball and bocce singles.
WHERE: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, 700 S Victory Way, Lake Buena Vista
WEBSITE: specialolympicsflorida.org