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MLC hosts Special Olympics sports event

Staff photo by Connor Cummiskey Brady Kalk kicks the ball during the inaugural 2017 Special Olympics kickball game at Martin Luther College.

NEW ULM — For the first time, Martin Luther College (MLC) students hosted a Special Olympics sports event Sunday.

On a sun-drenched field at MLC, student athletes teamed up with Wild Bunch Special Olympics to play a game of kickball. Adults and kids with disabilities played alongside MLC student athletes before retiring to pizza and a social hour.

The event was organized by the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) which serves as a liaison between student athletes and the athletic department.

It was made possible by a $500 grant from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

“This is just a really cool opportunity, and when we got that grant, it kind of gave us the go-ahead to start working on this and make our dream come true,” SAAC President Hailey Johnson said.

SAAC is trying to raise awareness of its role on campus and work in the community, Johnson said.

She added that because MLC students are training to become teachers and pastors, “this is kind of our natural area, working with these kids or working these adults who might have some limitations,” she said.

The Wild Bunch is a nonprofit that organizes disabled people in casual and competitive sports. It runs seasonal sports, including softball and bowling.

“It is an opportunity for any person who has special needs or has been declared to have special needs who would not normally get an opportunity in mainstream athletics,” board member Bryce Boelter said.

The group organizes fundraisers throughout the year, such as a polar plunge in St. Peter or the upcoming home run derby this summer.

“Special Olympians have always been one of my biggest inspirations because they do not let those limitations stop them,” Johnson said. “As student athlete, I want to be able to give back because I see a lot of them in the crowds at my games.”

Volunteers or disabled people looking to participate in special Olympics can contact the Wild Bunch at newulmspecialolympics@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.

Connor Cummiskey can be emailed at ccummiskey@nujournal.com.

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