The Special Olympics Young Athletes program is coming to Blair in January.
And Blair resident Michaela Schenkelberg, an at-large member of the Special Olympics Nebraska Board of Directors and University of Nebraska-Omaha Assistant Professor, is leading the charge.
“From what I understand, it's completely new to Blair,” she said Dec. 1.
Young Athletes is an early childhood play program for children with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, ages 2-to-7 years old, according to the Special Olympics website. Schenkelberg says its focus includes sharing, caring, cheering on each other and the development of gross motor skills. She wants young participants to be confident, competent movers.
The six-week Blair Young Athletes program is Jan. 8 through Feb. 12 at the Blair Family YMCA.
“We think this is the start of a really nice partnership,” Schenkelberg said.
The weekly meetings are every Sunday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. with walking, running, balancing, jumping, trapping, catching, throwing, striking, kicking and social skills on the agenda. The early registration period, Schenkelberg said, has been a success.
“I got a flood of emails right away,” she added.
The professor, who just moved to Blair in recent years, started volunteering with Special Olympics — which is for older children and adults — when she was in high school. She continues to be involved and had her own children, ages 2 and 4, participate in Youth Athletes.
Schenkelberg said they “loved” their experience, which is why she is looking forward to starting the Blair program and potentially building from there. She would one day like the 6-8 week sessions to occur multiple times a year for local youth.
The initial Young Athletes program at the YMCA was full of age 2-7 registrants without intellectual and developmental disabilities as of Dec. 1, but still had room for applicants with those disabilities. Schenkelberg said she is also looking for additional volunteers with middle school kids, high school kids and adults as possible candidates. Parents of children participating can be as involved as they want to be, too.
All registration information and questions can be posed via email. Schenkelberg can be reached by contacting blairyoungathletes@gmail.com.
