In a 7v7 gold medal soccer match at last weekend’s Fall Festival at Villanova University, Berks County and Delaware County were locked in an instant classic. Berks County struck first before Delaware leveled the score at 1-1 on a goal by Eric Augustine. After DelCo took the lead in the second half thanks to Webster Quiah, Berks scored the late equalizer to send the game into extra time.
In the second extra period, in a match that seemed destined for penalty kicks, Tamba Mbriwa made an inspired run through the attacking end. Mbriwa โ a first-year player for DelCo after moving from Montgomery County โ weaved into the box and chipped a shot that was destined for the goal, but a Berks player threw his hands up to deflect the ball. The referee immediately awarded the Wildcats a penalty kick. With a gold medal on the line, the crowd chanting his name, Mbriwa calmly stepped to the spot, took a deep breath and delivered the kick of his life. Final: 3-2 Wildcats. Gold medal secured.
Hear from Tamba about the match of the weekend, in his own words:
“Honestly, it was a rough game. It was rainy, it was cloudy, but we all came out, we all fought as a team and we came out with the win. Iโm blessed to have my family, my teammates. Without my coaches, we wouldnโt be here today. …
Going through my head, honestly, I was like ‘I know whatโs happening. I know what happened.’ I fell down and I got up and the referee said, โpenalty kick.โ And Iโm just thinking to myself, โwow!โ My coach said โtake it,โ so I took it and I shot it in. My mind was energized and I was tired. I was a little bit [nervous], but I got it done. My teammates were all behind me 100 percent and I got it done for them and my coaches. …
The training was tough. We come to practice every day, we worked hard on goalie skills, training skills, everything. Our coach, he works our butts off every practice. We came out today and we had fans watching us. Honestly, Iโm blessed. Itโs a great season and we canโt wait until next year. …
My favorite memory is I get to hang out with the college students and I get to meet new people. And these people around me are pretty cool.”
Each year during Fall Festival, the Philadelphia Insurance Companies Valor Award is given to an athlete whose effort, determination and sportsmanship embodies the power of the human spirit to overcome challenges and inspire greatness.
We are proud and honored to announce that LOGAN WISMER from Team Northampton is our 2022 Valor Award Winner!
When Logan first entered a powerlifting gym, he could barley stand still, let alone walk. Through a rigorous conditioning routine focused on strength and endurance, Logan was able to make exceptional strides in his posture and balance. Two long years later, Logan competed in a USAPL event for the first time and won gold in the deadlift!
Logan continued to collect hardware, including another gold in deadlift at Special Olympics Pennsylvaniaโs Eastern Fall Sectional, before adding bench press and squats to his repertoire at the Pennsylvania State Coaches Powerlifting Association State Championships, helping his team to a third-place finish!
In addition to his incredible progress and determination in the gym, Logan is also the consummate teammate. Thereโs never a practice or event that goes by without Logan encouraging his fellow lifters with high fives and fist bumps. He truly embodies everything it means to be a Special Olympics athletes.
Cinderella is dancing!! The No. 7 seed has done it and shocked the field!! Not only did Sports Camp take down top-seeded Summer Games in the Final Four but then defeated No. 1 Fall Festival in yesterday’s championship. An incredible total of 1,084 people voted and the final tally was 762-322 in favor of our champs!
We can’t thank everyone enough for their support of ALL our amazing Special Olympics programs throughout the state. The was an incredible tournament and we hope you had as much fun voting as we did watching the results flow in! Be sure to stay tuned for more awesome stuff coming your way as we all continue to stay active and stay together as one big Special Olympics Pennsylvania family!
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ: The top seed in its region, Summer Games is our organization’s oldest event. Beginning at West Chester University of PA in 1970, Summer Games now takes place annually at Penn State and celebrated its 50th Anniversary last summer. Our largest event of the year, Summer Games brings together more than 2,000 athletes and 750 coaches from throughout the state. Athletes compete across three days in eight sports: aquatics, athletics, basketball, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, softball and tennis.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ: The goal of Athlete Leadership is to empower athletes to develop leadership skills and utilize their voices and abilities to assume meaningful leadership roles, influence change within the Special Olympics movement, and create inclusive communities around the world. Training to Athlete Leaders is offered three times a year to further their knowledge base and provide certification in the following: Communications (public speaking), Governance (Special Olympics spokespersons), Health (Health & Fitness Coordinators) and Sports (coaches).
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ: Young Athletes is an innovative sports play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities ages 2 to 7. The program includes active games, songs, and other play activities that help children develop motor, social and cognitive skills. Young Athletes serves as an entry point into our sports programs, acting as a key means of recruiting the โnext generationโ of SOPA athletes.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ: In 1978, Ken and Anthony Yazge met with former SOPA President Frank Dean to see how their church could benefit the athletes of Special Olympics. The creation of a week-long sports training camp stemmed from that meeting and Sports Camp at Antiochian Village has taken place every August since. The camp offers cross-training opportunities in the following sports: aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, golf, flag football, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball as well as bonding opportunities that last a lifetime.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฅ: Special Olympics Pennsylvaniaโs Fall Festival is hosted and organized by Villanova University students and is the largest annual student-run Special Olympics event in the world. For one weekend each year for the last 31 years, Villanova Special Olympics Fall Festival opens its campus to more than 1,000 athletes and coaches and 6,000 volunteers from the Villanova Student Body, surrounding community, and corporations. Athletes compete in a total of six Olympic-type sports including bocce, long distance running, powerlifting, roller skating, soccer and volleyball.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ: Introduced in the mid-1980s, Unified Sports creates an opportunity for people without intellectual disabilities to join in the sports experience by playing on a team with athletes with intellectual disabilities. Not only do the players compete hard, but attitude change and transformation happens on the playing field and the experiences create lifelong friendships. Unified Sports combines approximately equal numbers of Special Olympics Athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (Partners) on sports teams for training and competition, which in turn promotes equality and inclusion.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ: The Polar Plunge is a unique opportunity for individuals, organizations, and businesses to support local Special Olympics athletes by jumping or running into icy cold waters. Plunge participants take a quick dip in a river or pool to raise funds. There are nine Plunge locations across the state as individuals from all walks of life come together to be “Freezin’ for a Reason.” This February, SOPA broke the state fundraising record at the Pittsburgh Plunge, which raised more than $500k for athletes in Pennsylvania!
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ: Our newest statewide event, the Indoor Winter Games held their inaugural event in 2019 in York, Pennsylvania. With a hub at the York Expo Center, Indoor Winter Games welcomes more than 950 athletes and coaches who compete in bowling, figure skating, floor hockey and speed skating. While this year’s Indoor Winter Games were cancelled because of the COVID-19 outbreak, our time in York remains incredible and we’re very much looking forward to next year’s event!
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ: The top seed in its region, Summer Games is our organization’s oldest event. Beginning at West Chester University of PA in 1970, Summer Games now takes place annually at Penn State and celebrated its 50th Anniversary last summer. Our largest event of the year, Summer Games brings together more than 2,000 athletes and 750 coaches from throughout the state. Athletes compete across three days in eight sports: aquatics, athletics, basketball, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, softball and tennis.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ: In 1978, Ken and Anthony Yazge met with former SOPA President Frank Dean to see how their church could benefit the athletes of Special Olympics. The creation of a week-long sports training camp stemmed from that meeting and Sports Camp at Antiochian Village has taken place every August since. The camp offers cross-training opportunities in the following sports: aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, golf, flag football, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball as well as bonding opportunities that last a lifetime.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฅ: Special Olympics Pennsylvaniaโs Fall Festival is hosted and organized by Villanova University students and is the largest annual student-run Special Olympics event in the world. For one weekend each year for the last 31 years, Villanova Special Olympics Fall Festival opens its campus to more than 1,000 athletes and coaches and 6,000 volunteers from the Villanova Student Body, surrounding community, and corporations. Athletes compete in a total of six Olympic-type sports including bocce, long distance running, powerlifting, roller skating, soccer and volleyball.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ: Our newest statewide event, the Indoor Winter Games held their inaugural event in 2019 in York, Pennsylvania. With a hub at the York Expo Center, Indoor Winter Games welcomes more than 950 athletes and coaches who compete in bowling, figure skating, floor hockey and speed skating. While this year’s Indoor Winter Games were cancelled because of the COVID-19 outbreak, our time in York remains incredible and we’re very much looking forward to next year’s event!
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฅ: Special Olympics Pennsylvaniaโs Fall Festival is hosted and organized by Villanova University students and is the largest annual student-run Special Olympics event in the world. For one weekend each year for the last 31 years, Villanova Special Olympics Fall Festival opens its campus to more than 1,000 athletes and coaches and 6,000 volunteers from the Villanova Student Body, surrounding community, and corporations. Athletes compete in a total of six Olympic-type sports including bocce, long distance running, powerlifting, roller skating, soccer and volleyball.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ: In 1978, Ken and Anthony Yazge met with former SOPA President Frank Dean to see how their church could benefit the athletes of Special Olympics. The creation of a week-long sports training camp stemmed from that meeting and Sports Camp at Antiochian Village has taken place every August since. The camp offers cross-training opportunities in the following sports: aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, golf, flag football, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball as well as bonding opportunities that last a lifetime.
Well, we know everyone was expecting a different type of bracket to be released this evening, but we’ve come up with the next best thing!
Presenting… The OFFICIAL Special Olympics Pennsylvania March Madness Bracket! ๐
Which event will reign supreme?! That will be completely up to YOU!! We’ll be posting polls on our Facebook and Twitter pages where you’ll be able choose your favorite event in each matchup to help us determine the champion!
Voting starts March 16, so get those fingers ready!!
Below, please find a running log of every day of voting, which we’ll update accordingly!
We’ve got EIGHT exciting first-round matchups coming your way. Every day, voting will open at 12:30 p.m. and close 24 hours later, so be sure to check back frequently to make your picks and share with friends! Here… we… go…
Matchup 1: ๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ v. ๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฅ๐จ๐ง
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ: The top seed in its region, Summer Games is our organization’s oldest event. Beginning at West Chester University of PA in 1970, Summer Games now takes place annually at Penn State and celebrated its 50th Anniversary last summer. Our largest event of the year, Summer Games brings together more than 2,000 athletes and 750 coaches from throughout the state. Athletes compete across three days in eight sports: aquatics, athletics, basketball, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, softball and tennis.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฅ๐จ๐ง: Now in its fourth year, UNcathlon is a one-of-a-kind Unified team challenge event that unleashes the transformative power of teamwork. UNcathlon is much like a decathlon, but with 11 events as opposed to 10. Participants are challenged both physically and mentally as they complete in various events and they’re also tasked with the additional challenge of fundraising for SOPA. The event began in Pittsburgh, but recently added a new location in Philadelphia.
RESULTS: No. 1 Summer Games defeats No. 8 UNcathlon, 184-26
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ: The goal of Athlete Leadership is to empower athletes to develop leadership skills and utilize their voices and abilities to assume meaningful leadership roles, influence change within the Special Olympics movement, and create inclusive communities around the world. Training to Athlete Leaders is offered three times a year to further their knowledge base and provide certification in the following: Communications (public speaking), Governance (Special Olympics spokespersons), Health (Health & Fitness Coordinators) and Sports (coaches).
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ง: Last year marked the 10th Anniversary of the BSR and it’s only becoming more and more popular. More than 3,500 runners and walkers of all ages and abilities participate in a 5K run or 2-mile family fun walk at Penn State. The Run begins in the vicinity of the Bryce Jordan Center on Curtin Road, moves through Penn Stateโs scenic campus and concludes with runners racing through the Beaver Stadium Tunnel and onto the Nittany Lionsโ home turf to โfinish at the fifty.โ
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ: Young Athletes is an innovative sports play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities ages 2 to 7. The program includes active games, songs, and other play activities that help children develop motor, social and cognitive skills. Young Athletes serves as an entry point into our sports programs, acting as a key means of recruiting the โnext generationโ of SOPA athletes.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฌ: Three sectionals occur in the eastern section of the state: Eastern Fall Sectional (DeSales Special Olympics), Eastern Bowling Sectionals (Allentown) and Eastern Spring Sectional (Special Olympics Eastern Spring Sectional at Kutztown University). In the fall, athletes compete in five sports (bocce, long distance walking/running, powerlifting, soccer and volleyball) and in the spring, sports include athletics, basketball, golf, softball, swimming and tennis.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ: For 43 years, Special Olympics Pennsylvania has hosted Winter Games, which is now housed at the amazing facilities at Seven Springs. Athletes from Pennsylvania and surrounding states compete across three days in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing. Traditionally, Winter Games has always featured one of the more exciting Opening Ceremonies of any event as the Flame of Hope is carried down the mountain by a team of volunteers and athletes.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ: In 1978, Ken and Anthony Yazge met with former SOPA President Frank Dean to see how their church could benefit the athletes of Special Olympics. The creation of a week-long sports training camp stemmed from that meeting and Sports Camp at Antiochian Village in Bolivar, PA has taken place every August since. The camp offers cross-training opportunities in the following sports: Aquatics, Athletics, Basketball, Bocce, Golf, Flag Football, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball as well as bonding opportunities that last a lifetime.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฅ: Special Olympics Pennsylvaniaโs Fall Festival is hosted and organized by Villanova University students and is the largest annual student-run Special Olympics event in the world. For one weekend each year for the last 31 years, Villanova Special Olympics Fall Festival opens its campus to more than 1,000 athletes and coaches and 6,000 volunteers from the Villanova Student Body, surrounding community, and corporations. Athletes compete in a total of six Olympic-type sports including bocce, long distance running, powerlifting, roller skating, soccer and volleyball. ๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฌ: Three sectionals occur in the central section of the state: Central Fall Sectional (Juniata College), Eastern Bowling Sectionals (Harrisburg) and Eastern Spring Sectional (Saint Francis University). In the fall, athletes compete in four sports (bocce, long distance walking/running, powerlifting and volleyball) and in the spring, sports include athletics, basketball, swimming and tennis.
Matchup 6: ๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ v. ๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ: Introduced in the mid-1980s, Unified Sports creates an opportunity for people without intellectual disabilities to join in the sports experience by playing on a team with athletes with intellectual disabilities. Not only do the players compete hard, but attitude change and transformation happens on the playing field and the experiences create lifelong friendships. Unified Sports combines approximately equal numbers of Special Olympics Athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (Partners) on sports teams for training and competition, which in turn promotes equality and inclusion.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐๐๐: The Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) unites officers from law enforcement agencies and corrections departments across the state in a year-round effort to raise funds and awareness for the Special Olympics movement. The Torch Run efforts to raise funds include: collecting corporate sponsorships and hosting unique fundraising events such the Polar Plunge, Beaver Stadium Run and Torch Runs. What began in 1981 as a way to provide local law enforcement officers with an opportunity to volunteer in the communities where they lived and worked is now thriving in all 50 states and 40 countries worldwide.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ: The Polar Plunge is a unique opportunity for individuals, organizations, and businesses to support local Special Olympics athletes by jumping or running into icy cold waters. Plunge participants take a quick dip in a river or pool to raise funds. There are nine Plunge locations across the state as individuals from all walks of life come together to be “Freezin’ for a Reason.” This February, SOPA broke the state fundraising record at the Pittsburgh Plunge, which raised more than $500k for athletes in Pennsylvania!
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐: Hall of Fame honors athletes and volunteers who have made outstanding contributions both on and off the field of competition. There is no typical Special Olympics athlete or volunteer. They are young and old, from across town and across the world. They do, however, share one important character trait: a competitive fire to do their personal best. That’s why SOPA established the Hall of Fame in 1996: to share with a larger audience the inspiring stories of individuals who had heard “you can’t do it,” all through their lives – but time and again proved that they could.
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ: Our newest statewide event, the Indoor Winter Games held their inaugural event in 2019 in York, Pennsylvania. With a hub at the York Expo Center, Indoor Winter Games welcomes more than 950 athletes and coaches who compete in bowling, figure skating, floor hockey and speed skating. While this year’s Indoor Winter Games were cancelled because of the COVID-19 outbreak, our time in York remains incredible and we’re very much looking forward to next year’s event!
๐๐จ. ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฌ: Three sectionals occur in the western section of the state: Western Fall Sectional (Slippery Rock University), Western Bowling Sectionals (Erie) and Western Spring Sectional (Carnegie Mellon University). In the fall, athletes compete in five sports (bocce, long distance walking/running, powerlifting, soccer and volleyball) and in the spring, sports include athletics, basketball, golf, softball, swimming and tennis.
Special Olympics Pennsylvania 