Around the Valley: Special Olympics gymnastics provides inspiration, and lots of smiles – The Morning Call

Casey Skoglund has been involved in Special Olympics gymnastics at the Parkettes National Gymnastics Training Center for many years and one thing never gets old.

Seeing the kids smile makes it all worth it, said the rhythmic gymnastics coach from Tatamy. Even when Im tired and I am driving here and thinking I dont know if I can do this as soon as I see the gymnasts my energy level goes up. They always give me a hug. Theyre just great kids and great to be around.

Skoglund and her gymnasts get together for an hour each week.

On May 22, they had their annual showcase celebration, held for the first time since 2019 due to COVID-19 cancellations. And while there was judging going on and different colored medals were presented, everyone involved left feeling like champions.

Our artistic women compete on bars, beam, floor and vaulting and the men compete on floor, vaulting, parallel bars, rings, and high bar, Skoglund said. They compete in six events and the rhythmic gymnasts compete in ball, ribbon, hoop, and rope.

The age ranges from 8 years old to more seasoned competitors in their 50s and the athletes come from Bethlehem, and Lehigh, Berks and Lebanon counties, and other regions of the Pennsylvania Special Olympics program.

They love doing this, and I love working with them, Skoglund said.

Izzy Compardo is Skoglunds assistant and has worked with the Special Olympics program for nine years.

Its amazing, said Compardo, a Nazareth High School and DeSales University product, who also runs the preschool program with the Parkettes. We have a lot of fun and its so rewarding. I love working with kids. I work with a lot of different groups and I really enjoy working with the little ones and the Special Olympians. I love bringing joy to their lives and they bring joy to me. I want them to be happy and have a great time.

Compardo, who is the granddaughter of the late John Compardo, a legendary basketball coach at Allentown Central Catholic and athletic director at DeSales, will be the head coach of the local contingent at the state games at Penn State this month.

They pick things up quickly, she said. We started in the fall and with COVID it was a little more difficult, but we have a lot of coaches who have helped us and they get along tremendously with the kids. We make it like a family. We keep encouraging them and keep it positive.

When the state games are over, Skoglund will be taking a small group of competitors to the USA Games at the Disney World Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando. That group will include Kyrie Troche, Molly Hosey, Zarrah Vitale and Simone Williams.

A group of local gymnasts who will represent the Lehigh Valley and the Parkettes Special Olympics program at the USA meet at Disney World this week include, from left, coach Casey Skoglund, Kyrie Troche, Molly Hosey, Zarrah Vitale and Simone Williams. (Keith Groller / The Morning Call)

But while a national competition at Disney is a big deal, its the mere act of participation and involvement that makes the program special.

Brittany Thayer, a 33-year-old who has competed with Bethlehem Special Olympics for more than a decade, is one of the many who wont let anything stop them. She has a physical disability that affects her eyesight, yet she competes without fear.

Its just so amazing to be back after COVID and everything, she said. I get to be an assistant coach as well as compete and my routines are harder and longer, which is challenging, but thats OK because I love challenges. It takes a lot of time and energy and hard work.

Ive been involved for about six or seven years and Ive tried to get better, Thayer said. I dont know what Id do without it. Id die of boredom at home. I hope to go to the USA Games in the future ... . As long as you have determination and dedication to do what you want to do, you can go for all of your dreams.

Marian Catholic has announced that Scott Murphy will be its new boys basketball coach. He had been an assistant coach under Mick Stefanek from 2005-10 and a JV coach on the staff headed by John Patton last season.

Murphy was also an assistant at North Schuylkill for six seasons.

Patton had been the coach for 12 seasons and led the program to Schuylkill League Division III titles three times and District 11 championships in 2011 and 2017. The Colts were 15-8 last season, losing to Tri-Valley in the District 11 2A semis.

In a release, the school said: The administration feels Coach Murphy will be the right coach to continue the legacy and tradition of Marian Catholic Colts basketball that has been so successful over the history of the school, while infusing a culture within the program that aligns with the core values of Being Marian. "

Northern Lehigh announced in a release that baseball coach Greg King has resigned. He had been the Bulldogs head coach since 2015 and served as an assistant under Erv Prutzman for eight years.

King, who resigned to spend more time with his family, was just the schools third coach in the last 50 years.

We wish Coach King the best with his family, Northern Lehigh athletic director Bryan Geist said in the release.

Daily

The latest sports news locally and nationally, and what's happening in sports this afternoon and tonight.

Northern Lehigh has gone 2-18 each of the past two seasons with the only wins coming against Moravian Academy.

A bunch of football standouts who grew up on Greenleaf Street in Allentown have come together to arrange a special night of free football that will feature skills and drills, a 7-on-7 session, awards, and much more on Friday night at J. Birney Crum Stadium. Check-in starts at 5 p.m. and the clinic is expected to continue until 8 p.m.

Jeremiah Lyons, Elias Marte, Ja-Lon Perkins, and other student-athletes from the Lehigh Valley have partnered with Bobby McClarins Five Star Heart program to give kids in grades 5-8 the chance to learn and grow in the sport of football.

It should be a great way for the kids to see the opportunities ahead for them if they work hard.

The first 50 student-athletes who register will receive a clinic T-shirt.

For more info, go to http://www.fivestartheart.org. The Five Star Heart Project is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to serving communities by building youth leaders of character on and off the athletic fields.

We rely on the support of our subscribers to fund our journalism. If youre not already signed up, we hope you will consider subscribing. Already a print subscriber? If you havent already, please activate your digital access.

Read more:

Around the Valley: Special Olympics gymnastics provides inspiration, and lots of smiles - The Morning Call