The countdown to the Paris Olympics might be underway, but there is a group of athletes already competing in the Wisconsin Special Olympics Summer Games.
TMJ4 News followed along with C.J. Jones, Jack Brennan, and Donnie Stoll from Oconomowoc as they competed in one of the newer events, cornhole.
The team from the YMCA at Pabst Farms gathered in the corner of the field house at UW Whitewater to chant together before the competition to chant the Special Olympics motto.
“Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt. Go cornhole,” chanted the group.
With that, the cornhole completion at the Wisconsin Special Olympics was underway. CJ, Donnie, and Jac make up a team called Jack and the Bean Bags. And the guys love to play.
“When you compete in bags, what is your favorite part?” asked reporter Rebecca Klopf.
“Scoring points, yeah!” shouted Donnie as he raised up his hands.
“Making it in the hole,” said C.J.
This is their second year playing cornhole. C.J. says last year the team came in second. He is ready for a win this year.
“Hey Donnie, more power,” said C.J. as he offered pointers to Donnie in warm-ups.
Besides CJ, Donnie and Jack there are more than 30 athletes from the YMCA at Pabst Farms in Oconomowoc competing at the summer games this weekend. Katie Becker is one of their coaches.
“A lot of new athletes have decided to join this year which has been a lot of fun to meet new friends and play a sport that everyone can play,” said Becker, who is also the special programs coordinator at the YMCA.
This is only the second year cornhole has been part of the Wisconsin Special Olympics Summer Games.
“Now track and cornhole are at the same time so we wanted to give people who weren’t interested in track or who couldn’t do track a sport they could do during the season,” said Becker.
And the guys love it.
“I like winning,” said Donnie.
But ultimately their parents tell me, the guys just love whatever sport they are playing at the Special Olympics games, win or lose.
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