HAMILTON, Ga. (WTVM) – The Harris County Champs are entering their inaugural season with a lot of momentum and momentum.
From the bowling alley to the swimming lane, this group is set to make a splash at the Special Olympics.
“Seeing the joy on their faces is just priceless,” said Angela Pavlakos, chair of the Harris County Special Olympics management team.
Pavlakos said she helped start the Harris County Champs to get special needs children out of the house, including her son Jacob, who is autistic. She explained Jacob had many disability sports opportunities while living in Chicago, but that changed when she moved south.
“When we moved to Georgia, there was nothing here for us, especially in Harris County,” she said. “So he was really suffering; there was nothing for him to participate in. Now that everything is up and running, he’s so happy, he’s active and it’s a nice change. The personality, his confidence and the friendships.”
Speaking of friends, there are currently 20 Harris County Champs. Boys and girls ages 8 and up can participate, regardless of ability.
“I wanted to participate in the Special Olympics because I wanted to see my friends in the summer before school started again,” said Champ Devin.
He also gave me some tips on how to throw only strikes. He says it’s all about the “spin.”
Champ Jordan is both a bowler and a swimmer, but says he prefers bowling because, like Devin, he throws strikes.
What would an athlete be without a coach? This team has only volunteer coaches, like Gary Krannacker. His son Luke is also on the team and tells me there is no better feeling than watching an athlete achieve his goal.
“We are improving week by week and we see that all athletes, including Luke, are making great progress,” said Krannacker.
As a volunteer coach, I have to cover most of the costs out of my own pocket. Pavlakos said that’s where the community comes in and offers its help.
“All of our donors, God bless them, have contributed so much to making this possible,” she explained. “The facility makes this possible by giving us a discounted rate, and some of the other facilities don’t charge admission. It’s a blessing to the community to have all these people come together and do this for these children.”
The Champs are still actively seeking players and coaches. If you would like to get involved, email this address: [email protected] or find them on Facebook.
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