T-BALL& SOFTBALL
- Occurs from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Old Kona Airport ball field, located on Kuakini Highway in Kailua-Kona.
- First practice is Feb. 16.

SWIMMING
- Occurs from 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursday at Kona Community Aquatics Center, located on Kuakini Highway in Kailua-Kona.
- First practice is Feb. 16.

POWERLIFTING
- Occurs from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Mondays and 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays at The Club, located at 75-5699 Kopiko Street in Kailua- Kona.
- First practice is Feb. 20.

TRACK & FIELD
- To be announced

See more of his fantastic photos taken that day by visiting the West Hawaii Today’s Web site, www.westhawaiitoday.com, or click here.

To view the entire album, click here. Nikki Cleintuar, a SOWH volunteer and fantastic lady, took these photos.

Athletes will be competing in swimming, softball and t-ball, powerlifting and track and field from February to May. Coaches will be trained at no cost.

Special Olympics West Hawaii is a year-round program of sports training and competitions for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

To get involved or for more information, call SOWH Head of Delegation Lona Warner at  989-2080  or e-mail biglona@hotmail.com.

There will also be sign-ups for Spring Sports (swimming, softball/t-ball, powerlifting, track and field), handing out 2009 yearbooks, and yearly awards. Lunch will be provided and guests are encouraged to contribute as they see fit. Live music, great people, an awesome cause.

For more information, e-mail SOWH volunteers chairwoman Dulcie at specialolympicswh@gmail.com or call SOWH area director Dave Ross at 345-1344.

Special Olympics West Hawaii held an area-wide bocce tournament Oct. 24 at Pualani Park in Kailua-Kona.

This was an important contest for the athletes and their unified partners as it was the qualifier for the next level of competition: the Holiday Classic on Oahu. Having practiced twice a week since late summer, everyone was ready to roll.

Bocce is traditionally offered in the summer season, but has also been added to the winter schedule this year to replace bowling, which is unavailable due to the closure of Kona Bowl for renovation.

An official West Hawaii sport for only a few years, bocce has been steadily gaining in popularity with athletes and attracting many new unified partners as well.

Among veteran players, the competition has become quite exciting. One of SOWH’s most senior athletes, Norman “Deadeye” Matsubara, who is over 50 years old and has emerged as the undisputed area champion of the game.  He’s definitely the guy everyone will be watching to win top honors at the Holiday Classic this year.

But on Oct. 24, several first time “rookies” displayed impressive skills and motivation as well. Suffice it to say there will be no resting on laurels with this group.

Results of Doubles competition:
Division A
1st: Stingrays
2nd: Geckos
3rd: Sharks

Division B
1st: Dolphins
2nd: Honus
3rd: Whales

Results of Unified competition:
Division 1
1st: Norman Matsubara and Rich Randazzo
2nd: Isaiah Wong and Laurine Kaleohano-DeLovio
3rd: Linden Ventura and Chris O’Callaghan
4th: Dara Sabri and Kitt Kurtz

Division 2
1st: Adrian Cleintuar and Carl Warner
2nd: Ray Donager and Bob Yong
3rd: Duke Kaawa and Scott Avery
4th: Dorrit Williams and CoeAnn Gierke

Division 3
1st: Michael Tom Makanui and Les Lund
2nd: Edna Phillip and Doreen Parker
3rd: Murray Williams and Pam Haydon
4th: Apple Isidro and Dulcie Sorenson

Please enjoy the following photos taken by SOWH volunteer Nikki Cleintuar. To view the entire album, click here.

NOTE: This profile is part of a weekly series intended to show the hearts and guts of Special Olympics West Hawaii participants. It is also a chance to get to know each other better. Readers will hopefully gain a better appreciation and knowledge of what each athlete, coach, volunteer, family member, friend or supporter brings to the organization. Enjoy!

Name: Damian S. Extor
Age: 19
Hometown: Bellevue, Washington

What sports and activities do you participate in with Special Olympics West Hawaii? Which activity do you like best?
I play basketball, softball and soccer. I help at fundraisers and like to go to picnics. I like soccer because you can kick hard, but I like football best because you can tackle and run.

What have you learned through SOWH or gained from being part of a team?
You need to be on time. Listen to your coach and teammates.

Why did you join SOWH?
I couldn’t play in Washington anymore because we moved here.

How long have you been with SOWH?
I have played with Special Olympics for seven years.

What is the best part about participating with Special Olympics?
The best part is meeting new people. All the people at Special Olympics I consider my ohana.

Do you have any hobbies or activities that you like to do during your free time?
I like to collect and play with toy cars. Mattel is better than Hot Wheels cars. I love cars. I also like video games and music. I also collect pens. I don’t like chores.

Who is your favorite professional athlete or role model and why?
I like to watch the Tour de France. Lance Armstrong is very good. He is awesome.

Share an accomplishment — something you’re proud of.
I’m proud that I’m learning to work at the Arc of Kona. I like getting a paycheck.

What goal do you hope to accomplish?
I might try track or swimming.

Favorite pitch, swim stroke or sports technique/move? Why?
I like hitting home runs.

While the Cop on Top event in Kailua-Kona earlier this month may not have netted Special Olympics West Hawaii’s goal of $15,000, the $13,101 donated will help the organization purchase equipment and uniforms, train coaches and send athletes to area and state Special Olympics tournaments this fall and winter, said Special Olympics West Hawaii Area Director Dave Ross.

“We had a good turnout, people were very generous. Our goal was $15,000, which we didn’t reach, but we made more money this year in a bad economy than last year when the economy wasn’t that bad,” Ross said, noting that the 2008 event netted about $11,300 in Kona. “Thumbs up to everybody.”

Thursday, at 6 a.m. sharp, officers climbed atop 20 feet of scaffolding, perching themselves above the Kailua-Kona Safeway parking lot calling upon customers to donate any extra money to the West Hawaii athletes.

Ah Mow and Sgt. Rollin Rabara, who are both using personal vacation time to participate in the event, will eat, sleep and collect donations for more than 50 hours this weekend. When night arrives, the music will quiet and Rabara and Ah Mow will nestle into their sleeping bags knowing that at 6 a.m. sharp, it’s time to continue raising funds for the athletes.

The officers will not step down until 2 p.m. Saturday, even if they make their goal of collecting some $15,000 for West Hawaii athletes before then, said Ah Mow, noting that throughout the three-day fundraising event other officers, as well as cadets, join in the effort.

“Just to see the faces on these athletes is why we do this — it’s total satisfaction and we are blessed to do what we can for these athletes,” Ah Mow said.

If $15,000 isn’t collected during the Labor Day weekend, officers will remain at the site until the goal has been reached, said Special Olympics West Hawaii Area Director Dave Ross.

“It takes a lot of passion to do it. It’s all about trying to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Rabara, who has also stood atop the scaffolding with Ah Mow for the past six years. “It’s even more gratifying to make a difference in someone else’s life who may not live what we feel to be a normal life.”