Athletes from all over the area honed in on Bakersfield for the Kern County Special Olympics Bowling event for a mix of competition and fun.
- The competition featured atheletes from Bakersfield, Taft, Tehachapi and beyond who took aim down the lanes at Bowlero on Wible Road in Bakersfield. 23ABC spoke with athlete Eric Galindo, a long time Special Olympian who said he loves to compete in the variety of sports the non-profit offers.
- Across Sunday morning, 23ABC spoke with many parents, guardians, and coaches about what the program offers to athletes, and many of them said it provides a place for athletes to have an opportunity to grown and gain confidence in who they are.
- To learn how to sign someone up for Special Olympics, become a volunteer, or just gather information, that can be found on the Special Olympics Southern California website.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I'm Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter here in Bakersfield. You might be wondering: Sam, why is it so loud? Why are you in a bowling alley? This isn't just a normal day in a bowling alley. Today is the 2024 Kern County Special Olympics bowling competition, their final of the season.
Kellie Peterson is the senior manager of sports and rec for Special Olympics' Kern County region for her, after years and years of seeing athlete’s compete and keep coming back, it’s a special feeling to be able to watch them grow.
“It's super exciting when we can see that they're they came in scared, not sure what to expect. They built friendships. They actually showed they can when everyone else says they can.”
We spoke to parents, guardians and coaches through the event and when asking them how have they seen their athletes grow overtime thanks to special olympics, the number one answer was confidence.
“Confident, much more confident, much more outgoing. She's boisterous, like she's really excited,” said Linda Loucks about her grandaughter.
"The amount of confidence and leadership skills he's learned through Special Olympics is just amazing. I mean, he just has so much confidence,” said Janet Galindo.
Through out Sunday morning, athletes from Bakersfield, Taft, Tehachapi and further centered in on the Bowlero Alley on Wible Road to compete, or just have fun. Eric Galindo is a long time special olympian competing across a variety of sports.
For him, he said he's made many a friend throughout his tenure competing.
“I've been seeing other friends from here for Special Olympics. It's been a year. I know especially my friends for Special Olympics, for events. I see everyone here a lot of time,” said Eric Galindo.
This is the last bowling competition of the 2024 summer season. However, this is a year round organization with plenty of sports, so if you like to get involved, whether it be as a volunteer or as an athlete, you can learn more on the Special Olympics Southern California websites. In Bakersfield, I'm Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter.
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