Tamya Carter, of Waldoboro, and Will Groce, of Damariscotta, are warming up and getting in shape for the 2010 National Special Olympic Summer games, to be held in Lincoln, Neb. in late July. Both athletes compete with Team Mobius, and will represent Team Maine at the Summer Games.
Carter and Groce will compete in track and field events, including the 100 and 200 dashes, standing long jump, relays and maybe the shotput. To be eligible to compete at the Nationals, athletes had to win a medal (place) at the 2009 Maine Games, held in Orono.
They were nominated by their coaches, and had to go through a selection process with the Maine Special Olympics committee. “A lot of committee people know them because they go to the games. They look for well rounded people,” to represent Maine, who will be good Ambassadors for Special Olympics Maine, Fondy York commented.
Groce is looking forward to the running events and meeting new friends. He competed in Special Olympics at Medomak Valley High School and has competed with Mobius for the past three years at Regionals in Wiscasset, in the Maine Winter Games at Sugarloaf, and the Maine Summer Games at Orono.
Groce is well known in the community, and holds down two part time jobs. He is a dish washer at Salt Bay Café, and recycles cardboard and refills copiers with paper at Damariscotta Bank & Trust.
It will be the first National Games experience for both athletes. Carter is most looking forward to going someplace she has never been before, and she, too, is excited about the social aspect of the games, including dancing and meeting new friends. Her favorite events are running and walking. Carter works one day a week at TJ Max in Rockland, tagging and labeling handbags.
Every member of the Maine team will be outfitted with a new uniform, and they will fly as a body in their uniforms to Nebraska, where they will be met by special “greeters.”
“Opening Ceremonies is one of the highlights,” York said of the event. Teams from all 50 states will march into the arena. There will be a band, speakers, a light show and fireworks. “It’s big. It’s very similar to the Opening Ceremonies in Vancouver,” York added.
