The Special Olympics Cayman Islands (SOCI) athletes, under the leadership of interim National Director Penny McDowall, and the group of dedicated coaches and volunteers, have begun their weekly training in aquatics, bocce and basketball in preparation for the 20-year celebration and National Games in June.

Three athletes - Anita Ebanks, Mary and Devon Breezer - showed off their skills in bocce on the Sports Day at Government House where Anita challenged SOCI patron H.E the Governor Stuart Jack to a match.

Anita narrowly lost, and she is looking for a rematch. According to Bocce Head Coach Nicole Thompson, who recently travelled to Washington D.C. to take part in a ‘Train the Trainer’ workshop, using the new concept of a portable bocce court made from PVC pipes made for better skills by the athletes.

This month, Eric Crutchley and Ms McDowall travelled to St Maarten to attend the Special Olympics Caribbean business meeting.

The meeting was hosted by Special Olympics St Maarten, led by First Lady Angela Richards and chaired by Maureen Webber (Jamaica) and Candy Berment. Some 35 delegates from 15 countries attended the packed two-day meeting that included two concurrent workshops in Zonal Training and Families.

This was Mr Crutchley’s first regional meeting and he said the agenda and content of the meeting were key to the challenges common to each of those represented. He said the meeting was very educational and that he benefited from listening to the challenges that other countries encounter.

Maxine Everson, SOCI board director and Special Olympics Caribbean Treasurer, also attended the Business Meeting and shared notes with St Maarten’s Commissioner of Sports the Honourable Maria Buncamper Molanus on the common subject of ‘sports policy’ that both the Cayman Islands and St Maarten are now considering.