After a three-year hiatus, Jones College welcomed many competitors, volunteers and supporters to Bobcat Stadium as they hosted the Area 17 Special Olympics Spring Games on March 31, 2023.
Athletes of all ages from Jones, Jasper, Wayne, Smith, Covington, Jefferson Davis and Lamar County came to compete in the many events. The competitions included track and field activities, softball throw, soccer, volleyball and horseshoes.
Karsyn Ulmer, Miss University of Southern Mississippi and former Jones student, was a special guest who started off the day by singing the national anthem. After she finished singing, Ulmer joined the crowd of supporters to cheer on the competitors.
Benito Jones, defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions, and Sharon Murray, head coach of the West Jones girls’ basketball team, also attended the Special Olympics to serve as honorary coaches. They assisted in various activities and gave words of encouragement to the athletes.
Dawson Stringer, who served at the spring Special Olympics when he was a Jones freshman, said, “I could tell that the athletes really enjoyed having someone of such high caliber like Benito Jones take out the time to come and see them.”
Emily Sullivan, director of student activities, said many people from all over the Jones County community came together to help with the event and cheer on the athletes as they competed.
“The high schools in the area sent their student council members to help with the event as well as our athletes from Jones campus,” Sullivan said. “Phi Theta Kappa and Student Government Association were also involved in helping with the different events, and a lot of the high schools sent their sports teams.”
After three years of not being able to hold the event, the 2023 Area 17 Special Olympics Spring Games came with a great deal of excitement from both the athletes and those there to support them.
“You could absolutely feel the excitement to be back after three years,” Stringer said. “Everyone who showed up was excited and ready to get started, and all the athletes were rushing to get into the event.”
One of the most exciting moments for the athletes was the opening ceremony. During this part of the event, the athletes walked around the track with their schools or groups as the volunteers stood on the side cheering them on.
As the games progressed, the athletes continued to be rallied on by helpers, fellow competitors, family members and everyone else who came to support them.
“From the outside looking in, observing the reactions the athletes had from the cheers, you could tell it made them feel like absolute champions,” Stringer said. “They all really were champions, and it was awesome to watch as they accomplished something with everyone cheering them on.”
The helpers and supporters made sure every athlete received encouragement and recognition for their hard work, but the winners were still given a special time to honor their accomplishments on the field.
Sullivan said, “At each station they actually had the Olympic stages, and they have the athletes get up there to get their ribbon for winning.”
The Area 17 Special Olympic Spring games is a service to the community that has been embedded into the history of Jones College.
“We have been the host of the games for as far back as I can remember,” Sullivan said. “It’s been a longstanding tradition at Jones that we have stood by.”
The college plans on continuing this tradition. The impact of this event could be seen on the faces of those involved, and it is something that many said they are looking forward to participating in for years to come.
“I think it was a great event that needs to happen yearly,” Stringer said. “It just brings a light to the campus that’s not there when we don’t do the event.”
by Jaylynn Conner
