SOHC History

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

• 1993
  Heather McNew started a Special Olympic program so her brother, Sam, could participate. He was her only athlete that year. They were called the McNew family delegation and participated in track and field at the area and state meets.

  

• 1994
  Tarah Amos became the second athlete. They became Hamilton Heights Special Olympics and participated in track and field and bowling.

  

• 1995
  Seven athletes participated this year.

  

• 1996
  Eleven athletes now made up Hamilton Heights Special Olympics. The state summer games at ISU in Terre Haute were made more memorable this year when Derek Stephenson decided to propose to Heather at the Saturday night dance. He had help from the staff in pulling off the surprise. He had balloons and the whole bit. Heather was asked to come onstage to receive a special award and out stepped Derek who immediately got on his knees and proposed. The cheers from hundreds of athletes were very loud when she said “yes”.

  

• 1997
  Unified partners became a big part of the team and the growth continued. Heather became Mrs. Derek Stephenson and she was named Area 8 Special Olympic Coach of the Year.

  

• 1998
  Hamilton Heights Special Olympics sent 26 athletes to track and field competition this year. Brad Marcum and his family were given the Area 8 Spirit of Special Olympics Family Award at the spring games at Lawrence North High School. The program continues to grow and participates in track & field, swimming, and bowling.

  

• 1999
  Heather was chosen to coach Team Indiana's track and field team at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in North Carolina. A new group called Special Olympics Hamilton County began to take shape. Kathie Stretch was the first coordinator. After much discussion, thoughtful decisions and more than a few tears, Hamilton Heights decided to join this group and become one big county team. Heather was elected county coordinator and a committee was formed to get the group up and running. Kathie became the fund raising coordinator. Sam McNew and his family were given the Area 8 Family Award at the spring games and received the Special Olympics Indiana Spirit of Special Olympics Family Award at the state conference. Basketball and Cheerleading are added to track & field, bowling, and swimming. Two basketball teams win their sectionals and go to state competition at Indiana State University in Terre Haute.

  

• 2000
  Zack Gunn and family receive the Area 8 Spirit of Special Olympics Family Award. Special Olympics Hamilton County holds their first Recognition and Awards Program to recognize athletes and thank volunteers. A Dance-A-Thon fund-raising event is added as an annual affair. A pilot golf program with 8 athletes is added and will be open to everyone in 2001. Distance Walking & Running and Flag Football become new sports. The first Fall Classic for these sports, plus swimming is held on the IUPUI campus in October.

  

• 2001
  Two of the SOHC basketball teams advance to state tournament. Special Olympics Hamilton County sends 2 teams to compete at the National Unified Bowling Tournament for the first time. It was held at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada in February. It is one of the largest bowling alleys in the US. SOHC’s “Fearless Leader”, Heather, becomes the first person from Special Olympics Hamilton County to participate in the Polar Bear Plunge Fundraiser at Eagle Creek in March. She dressed as a Polar Bear and won the Golden Plunger award for the best costume. In June Heather received the Chairman’s Award at the YouthLinks Pathfinder Awards Program at Conseco Fieldhouse. She received her award from Peyton Manning.

  The number of registered athletes has increased to 251. We are now competing in basketball, track & field, swimming, bowling, golf, flag football, distance walking & running, & cheerleading.

  

• 2002
  SOHC moved into the world of technology with our own website this year, thanks to our new PR director, Angie Quick. We added Motor Activities Training Program (MATP) to our sports. This is for athletes with significant disabilities that are unable to participate in regular sports. The first Basketball Skills Training was held at Noblesville High School. Heather again took the Polar Bear Plunge into Eagle Creek but she was not alone this time. She and brother, Sam McNew, won the Spirit award. They were the Stars and Stripes. There were a total of 7 plungers from Hamilton County this time. SOHC participated in the first annual plane pull in August. We sent 3 teams to the National Unified Bowling Tournament in Billings, Montana. At the annual County Recognition Program, Gerald Honea was named athlete of the year. The coach of the year was Steve Knollman. Jim Held was Unified Partner of the year, Missee Foster was Volunteer of the Year and the Cauthon Family received the Family of the year award. Steve, Mary, Jamie and Molly Cauthon also received the Area 8 award and went on to receive the Indiana Spirit of Special Olympics Family award for 2002. Our athlete numbers continue to grow.

  

• 2003
  SOHC continues to grow in numbers of athletes, volunteers, and sports and other activities available. In February 2 Unified bowling teams went to the National Bowling Tournament in Knoxville, Tennessee. Our Polar Bear Plungers brought home the award for raising the most money at the Polar Bear Plunge. Hamilton County was well represented with many plungers this year. The 2003 honorees at the recognition program were Cristina Neeb (Athlete), Glen Roberts (Coach), Zack, Jim, & Donna Gunn (Family), Angie Quick McNew (Volunteer), and Ashley Haltom & Lindsey Gray (Unified Partners). Cristina was also chosen as the Area 8 athlete of the year. Softball was added as a new sport this year. A Teacher’s BowlAThon was added as a fundraiser. Our coordinator Heather and her husband, Derek, welcomed their first child. Turner Marie Stephenson was born on September 15th. For the first time Hamilton County sent athletes outside the USA. The 2003 Special Olympics World Games were held in Ireland. This was the first time the games had been held outside the country. Belfast was the host city for the USA team for a 4-day training period. After a scenic bus ride to Dublin, the games began. Zack Gunn and his Unified partner & dad, Jim Gunn represented the Great Lakes region on the USA Golf team. Zack & Jim received silver medals after 5 exhausting days of playing 19 holes per day. Cristina Neeb and Unified partner, Missee Foster, were on the USA Golf team. They bowled in both the Unified doubles and the Unified team competition. They brought home a silver in the doubles competition. Their teammates from Michigan helped them win a bronze in the team competition.

  

• 2004
  A second daughter joined the Stephenson family. Quincy Ryan Stephenson was born on March 16 th . Three teams went to the National Bowling Tournament in Reno , Nevada . Awards given at the annual recognition program went to Sam McNew (Athlete of the Year), John Moore (Coach of the Year), Robin, Bradley & Lucas Serauskis (Family of the Year), Sue McNew (Volunteer of the Year), and Hannah Cramer (Unified Partner of the Year). Sam McNew was also name Area 8 winner of Athlete of the Year. A county ALPs (Athlete Leadership Programs) was started with Missee Foster as the coordinator.
• 2005
  Sam McNew was named as Special Olympics Hamilton County 's first winner of the Indiana Athlete of the Year at the state Conference in February. Hamilton County sent 3 bowling teams to the National Bowling Tournament in Baton Rouge, Louisiana . (to be continued)

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