Special Olympics North Dakota holds state soccer and bocce tournament in Grand Forks

GRAND FORKS — It was a crisp September morning as volunteers set up for the Special Olympics North Dakota State Soccer and Bocce Tournament. Spectators were setting up chairs. A flood of supporters arrived soon thereafter.

Nancy Hanson, the CEO of SOND, was directing people where to go, walking between the groups of volunteers, who showed up in droves to assist.

“I think the biggest thing … is that you can see we rely on volunteers,” she said. “Usually we’re running, running, running, so this is heaven.”

The tournament was held Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 16-17, at the South Middle School in Grand Forks. One expanse of the field was assigned to bocce courts, while another swath was set up for soccer. Teams from Dickinson, Mandan, Bismarck, Jamestown, Valley City, Cass County, Grand Forks, Minot and Grafton were there to compete. Hanson said there were about 500 athletes present.

SOND, founded in 1971 by Dr. Roger Kerns, is a non-profit organization that provides year-round sports training and competitions for those with developmental disabilities, ages 8 and up, its website says. Among its sports, including soccer and bocce in July to September, are basketball from January to March, summer games (track and field, powerlifting, swimming, volleyball) from March to June, bowling from September to November and winter games (alpine skiing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing) from November to January.

Before the bocce tournament started, coach Julie Watson brought the Grand Forks team into a circle to warm up and encourage each other. Watson has been involved with the organization since 2008 with her daughter, Hannah, one of the athletes at the event. Watson started coaching six years ago; she’s coached bocce, volleyball and track, though she considers herself more of a cheerleader.

“I just love being around the kids,” she said.

Watson volunteers at every SOND event in Grand Forks, and said the organization is responsible for giving her a more social life. There’s a group of support that forms for everyone involved.

“Win or lose, these kids are happy,” she said.

One athlete, Julianna Nelson, has only been with the organization for less than a year, but has already made three tight friendships from it.

“Those are the three that started my Special Olympics journey,” she said.

She started with bowling, and ended up placing fifth in the district competition, and bronze in state. It, along with basketball, has been her favorite sport so far. In the tournament, she competed for the Grand Forks bocce team.

Nelson listed a few reasons behind her enjoyment of being an athlete for the organization.

“I love it,” she said. “I’ve created new friendships … good exercise, I get to try a bunch of different sports, so that’s nice. There’s good teamwork and you learn good sportsmanship and all that kind of stuff.”

Otto is a recent University of North Dakota graduate and reporter at the Herald.