Clarion County Special Olympics Athletes Do Well In Volleyball Skills Competition At Western Fall Sectional; Ezra Brooks Wins Two Powerlifting Golds
Photos courtesy of SOPA Clarion – (Above) Clarion County Special Olympics athletes proudly display their awards: Front L-R Hannah Smith, Addie Gunter, Ezra Brooks, Kayla Reisinger, JJ Moll, Emily Brent – Coach. Back L-R Jimmy Smathers – Coach, Shirley Haggerty, Brynn Beary, Kiara Martin, Vanessa Larson, Wesley Sweet, Allie Brent – Coach.
A number of Clarion County Special Olympics athletes competed at Pennsylvania’s Western Fall Sectional, in the Volleyball Skills Competition, with Ezra Brooks competing in Powerlifting, on Sunday, September 29th, at Slippery Rock University.
Following is a summary of the team’s exploits, from Coach Emily Brent:
This August, ten athletes from Clarion County Special Olympics started preparing for their first season of volleyball. Coaches Emily Brent, Amy Mays, Allie Brent, and Jimmy Smathers joined together with three members of the Clarion University Golden Eagles volleyball team, (Sophia Lucas, Claire Bickett, and Marissa Markou) and started practicing. The group traveled to sectionals at Slippery Rock University on Sunday, September 29th.
This was a season of firsts for many of our athletes, so we focused on specific skills used in the game of volleyball. The skills competition focuses on setting, bumping, and serving. Scores from each skill set are tallied and medals are awarded in each division.
I am SO proud to share the following results: The following athletes earned gold medals: Kayla Reisinger, Vanessa Larson, Hannah Smith, JJ Moll, Wesley Sweet, and Brynn Beary. Shirley Haggerty earned a silver medal, and bronze medal winners were Wade Huwar, Adi Gunter, and Kiara Martin.
Ezra Brooks also competed for Clarion in Powerlifting and won Gold in the Bench Press, with a 145 and Deadlift with a 250. He set a new competition Personal record with the 250 Deadlift and will be advancing to Villanova for Fall Fest State Games to be held on Thursday, October 31st through Saturday, November 2nd. The three-day competition event is hosted and organized by Villanova University students and is the largest annual student-run Special Olympics event in the world. Fall Festival brings together more than 1,200 athletes and coaches, and 3,000 volunteers. Competition in bocce, flag football, long distance running/walking, powerlifting, soccer, and volleyball highlight the weekend.
Tanya Brooks is the Powerlifting coach.
This is the year for Ezra to qualify for the 2026 US Games in Minnesota. It’s a lottery pick with only two spots available and the athletes who win Gold at State games are added to the pool.
Tanya Brooks is the Powerlifting coach.
The volleyball skills coaches are new to volleyball this year and their goal was to offer another sport for athletes and to learn about the opportunity to compete, so the plan is to qualify and attend Villanova next year.
We also need more volunteers in order to attend, due to the 1/4 ratio of coaches and athletes.
The athletes, coaches, and family members all had a wonderful experience and we are looking forward to next year.
If you would like to volunteer or have any questions about Clarion County Special Olympics/Team Clarion, contact Amy Maes – Manager at: amymmays@gmail.com
(Congratulations to Clarion County Special Olympics Athletes!!!! Thanks to Emily Brent for this article!!)