Rowdy and Ready

Sean Hubbard - NewsPress

May 08, 2008 12:43 pm

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Gallagher-Iba Arena truly was “The RRRRRowdiest Arena in the Country” Wednesday night for Special Olympics Oklahoma Summer Games Opening Ceremony.
After a brief welcoming speech by Stillwater Mayor Roger McMillian, the microphone was turned over to emcees Larry Reece, stadium voice of the Cowboys, and John Holcomb, sports director at KOTV in Tulsa.
Reece got the party started with his familiar introduction before Oklahoma State University basketball games — “Welcome to Gallagher-Iba Arena, The Rowdiest Arena in the Country.”
With the crowd energized from the introduction and an hour of dancing to upbeat music, the 2008 Parade of Athletes began. Special Olympics Oklahoma Head Coach Barry Switzer, Dr. Marlene Strathe, provost and senior vice president of OSU, SOOK Board of Directors Chairwoman Bana Roberts and Jim Scott, 2008 Summer Games director, led the way.
As the 14 area teams and their sponsors walked down the center aisle, a couple of expected faces were not to be found. Reece and Holcomb announced that due to weather complications, University of Oklahoma men’s basketball coach Jeff Capel and OSU men’s basketball coach Travis Ford were unable to attend.
But nothing could rain on these athletes’ parade. The intensity in the building gained strength as the Victory Dance Crew of Oklahoma City performed a routine. The conclusion brought everyone to their feet when the song “YMCA” was played.
The largest SOOK Summer Games, with 4,311 registered athletes, 2,615 volunteers, and 10 competitive events in three days, was celebrated well into the night Wednesday. The excitement was helped by the Special Olympics Oklahoma representatives who traveled to China last September for the World Games in Shanghai.
Oklahoma’s World Games Team USA members included Amy and Mark Wollmershauser, unified bocce; Dustin Cichon and Samantha Cooper, powerlifting; Dennis Story, head bowling coach; Meg Corn, assistant aquatics coach; Cathi Morris, staff member with Team USA bowlers; and Andrian DeWendt, games management team.
Cichon, who performed during the Opening Ceremonies in 2001, was back in the spotlight Wednesday. Winning three gold medals as well as a bronze medal at the World Games caught the attention of Chinese photographer Christina Quo Graham, whose letter was read over the sound system at GIA.
“I think it’s rare when they meet someone who is so uplifting, encouraging, caring, happy all the time and loves people. You not only talk the talk, you walk the walk and that is what changes hearts in this world,” Holcomb read from the letter. “That’s what the spirit of the Special Olympics is all about.”
After portions of the letter were read, Cichon put on a show full of dance and athletic moves. His routine was packed full of high energy moves, one-handed cartwheels, break dancing, the worm and pushup from a handstand position. The crowd responded with a standing ovation.
The annual awards were handed out before the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, and the Flame of Hope was lit, signifying the opening of the Summer Games 2008.