A Special Partnership
Members of the Centenary Special Olympics Club, along with President Holoman, were proud to host athletes from Holy Angels at a Gents basketball game in February 2023.
The Special Olympics Club at Centenary College of Louisiana started in Fall 2022 and became an official college organization in December 2022. First-generation students of the new Kinesiology program shared their interest in working with individuals with disabilities for a class project in KNES 101: Introduction of Kinesiology and Exercise Nutrition. Dr. Xiaoxia Zhang gathered this group of students together and started the idea of establishing a club. To help establish the club, Zhang sought support from Special Olympics Louisiana State (SOLA) and SOLA funded the club with $2,000 to start a unified fitness program on campus. With this support, Centenary College has now been designated as a Special Olympic Unified Champion School.
The purpose of the Special Olympics Club at Centenary is to connect individuals with and without intellectual disabilities through sports to build friendships and help lead the social inclusion movement of the Special Olympics. This is an opportunity for Centenary students to enhance the lives and opportunities of people with intellectual disabilities and build a more accepting campus for everyone.
In March 2023, the Special Olympics Club hosted Holy Angels at the men’s basketball game and the halftime shootout was a great kick-off for this club’s activities. Athletes from Holy Angels were able to meet Centenary President Dr. Christopher Holoman, Chief of Police Eddie Walker, and members of the Centenary basketball team. During halftime, the Holy Angels athletes participated in a basketball shoot out and spent some time with lacrosse coach Billy LeClair.
In the future, the Special Olympics Club hopes to hold a Special Olympics Unified Fitness Program in the College’s fitness center. Special Olympic Athletes from local communities will be invited to come to this fitness program and the club members will be paired to provide the Special Olympic athletes individualized fitness and exercise training as well as sport and physical activity experiences.
Special Olympics Club Student Leadership Team:
President: Alexis Roach, Kinesiology, Freshman
Vice President: Olivia Stratmann, Kinesiology, Freshman
Treasurer: Cowan Alfonso, Kinesiology, Freshman
Historian: Alyssa Akers, Education/Math, Sophomore
Secretary: Katelyn Moss, Education, Sophomore