Here we come...USA Games 2018!!

The day has finally came, on July 18, 2017 at 2:30pm. Jesse & I received some mail we been waiting for, for a few weeks. Jesse & myself got our letter from Special Olympics Missouri!! We are proudly announce we are on team Missouri for the USA Games in 2018! The games will be located in Seattle Washington on July 1-6, 2018. We will be competing in athletics (Track & Field)

We both were very excited when we heard the great news! We wanted to tell everyone, but we couldn't and let me tell you how hard that was! I wanted to share on Facebook, instragram and all of our family & friends. That was so difficult. With all of my will power, I did it!

My grandma gave me this great idea to put this awesome news in our local newspaper. I can't wait to tell all of our coaches, my friends, and my whole family.

At this moment I got my mind set in training mode. So the time to join a gym is NOW! Also eat & train like an athlete. Jesse has been in training mode ever since we got home from camp last month.

Please wish my brother, myself and the rest of team Missouri, good luck! Show me, Show me, Show me, MO! MO! MO! (Team Missouri Chant)

Training for Life Campus "Topping Out Ceremony" 1-31-18

So, this morning I woke up early than I usually do. I went to Jefferson City, and went to a ceremony where the NEW Training for Life Campus building is. The workers was putting the last steel beam on the building, and we (Special Olympics Missouri Staff) and some of the TLC (Training for Life Campus) athletes got to sign the BEAM! And let me tell you, that was SO excited. So our names will be on the beam forever, I was really excited about that. I signed my brother's name on there also. When I told him that, a BIG smile was on his face! They serve us lunch, it was fried chicken, (Man it was spicy) I loved it, mac & cheese , mash potatoes, and rolls. A very good lunch indeed! After lunch some of us got a tour of the building, and that was so exciting! I can't wait for the grand opening. Went back to the headquarters of Special Olympics Missouri. I'm always amazed when I visit there. I was gone for the most of the day, it was worth it, and I love being at the TLC! Here is some pics below, enjoy!

Polar Plunge 1-27-18

So today was the Kansas City Metro Polar Plunge!! What a great turn out we had!! So many people, so many awesome costumes, I also heard the water was warmer than last year! so that's good. There were some other athletes were there are on Team MO. Some of the athletes judged the costumes and that was fun! The person who dressed up as a unicorn got 1st place. So that was awesome! All of the athletes that came to help were the people who hold the towels while the people who did the plunge, went into the water and rushed back to get their towels. We had laundry baskets where we hold the towels. I was amazed how many people there were. It was a fun day!! Can't wait until next year, I'm planning to do it in 2019!! Woohoo! And maybe I can get some of my church family to do it as a group. Oh they had like a little plunge for the little ones, which is called pee-wee plunge. That was fun to watched, pics are below, please enjoy! 

~Lynna
Special Olympics Missouri Athlete

Kansas City Metro Area Basketball tournament 1-6-18

Today was Kansas City Metro Area Basketball tournament in Belton. I been looking forward to this tournament ever since I've started to play basketball this season. I really enjoy playing basketball, and i'm also excited to see some other of my friends who also is playing basketball today. My first game is at 9:30am, but I have to be there 15 mins early before that. Darion's team (Lee's Summit Warriors) is at 8:15am. My brother's (Jesse) first game is at 2pm. (lucky him) lol. My second game is at 1:15Pm, Darion's second game is at 1:15pm and Jesse's second game is at 3:30pm. It was a fun and long day! I really enjoyed having these tournaments. Every time there is a tournament...I always posted on Facebook and Instagram the Special Olympics Motto, It's a great motto and I like to remind my friends what Special Olympics is about. I tried to get some great photos of today, so here is some pics I took. I hope you enjoy! 

Happy New Years 2018

It's still unreal that it's the year of 2018, but it is! So, literally that means...there is only 6 months left until Special Olympics USA games in Seattle Washington!! WHAT...HOW...WHEN... could that be?!?! But in reality, it's true. And I'm very excited to experience this with my whole Missouri Team!! I've been counting the days...and I get more excited when the days past! I know my fellow teammates are very excited, we all being training daily so we can show what the whole state of Missouri can do! GO TEAM MO!! What is your favorite thing memory that happened to you in 2017?? Mine favorite memory is....be selected to be on TEAM MO...of course!!

Second Team MO Meeting Dec 8-9 2017

On Friday my dad picked up TJ (Power Lifting athlete) we carpooled to team meeting, when Dad came back from picking up TJ, jesse and I load our suitcases and we were on our way to Jefferson City! We only made one stop. Once we got to the hotel, we checked in, they checked our weight and wanted to see our picture ID. Once we got done with that process we found out our room and went into a room where the rest of Team MO  were, had pizza for dinner, while we had dinner we watched everyone’s interview and then we had input counsel. I went to bed around 9pm. 

On Saturday  woke up at 6:30am, packed up and made sure I got everything and didn’t leave anything. Went for breakfast. We had scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage links and biscuits and gravy. After breakfast everyone loaded up and went to a middle school, we all met there, and we congratulate everyone on their fundraiser efforts, and after that talk we went to the gym (track and field) we jogged around the gym four times. Fast walked a couple of times. Did stretches, practiced shot put and softball throw. Ate lunch, went outside and went on a walk. It was cold..brrrr...thank goodness I brought my heavy coat, and I’m so glad I did!! Came back inside and did some activities. Such as team building, interviews, healthy eating and trying on uniforms. TJ’s Mom picked us up and we were on our way home. Got home around 7pm. I learned so much this past weekend: new stretches, met some new people on the team, and found out if we fill out our training logs every time we train and we turn it in the next meeting we will get some MO bucks!! Come on team Track & Field, we can do it!! Go team MO!!

TJ (team MO athlete power lifting) and I

Celebrated Allison’s 29th Birthday🎈🎁🎂

Coach Michelle and I

Team MO athlete Allen (softball) and I

Special Olympics ALPs (Athlete Leadership Programs)

So this past weekend, I went to Fulton, Missouri, with my dad to attend to ALPs program, that Special Olympics Missouri offer. You might be asking what is ALPs...if you don't know what ALPs is, please allow me to explain it. Okay, so ALPs, stands for Athlete Leadership Programs. Not many states offer this program...or not I know of. So basically it is, like you can take classes for the whole weekend, (usually Friday-Sunday) Athlete Leadership Programs (ALPs) provides training for athletes who wish to expand their role in Special Olympics Missouri to much more than just on the field of competition. (it is also like going to college) My dad was my mentor this time. And I really appreciate it! To attend Alps, an athlete needs to have a mentor. This is my second time to participate in this program, and the class I took was Global Messenger II. That class is 8 hours.It was a long day, but I enjoyed the knowledge that class offered, my goal is to get better giving speeches about Special Olympics Missouri. I also enjoyed seeing some of my friends this past weekend, and meeting new people. If you are athlete in Special Olympics Missouri and want to know about this program, please PM me or visit this website https://somo.org/alps . I really recommend this program! Here are some pic over the weekend! And my major is Technology, I really hope one day I can take pictures for them! That is my goal!

I'm giving a speech in the Global Messenger 2 class

my fellow classmates 

where this ALPs was located, thank you so much William Woods University! 

My name tag! 

New Athletes leaders

My dad and i working on my speech

Welcome to the new Athlete Leaders! 

Our mentors asking us questions

my fellow athlete leaders in class