39 Special Olympics PA Athletes and Coaches from Philadelphia County to Attend the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in New Jersey

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Contact: Wenona Sutton, Marketing Communications Coordinator, 610-630-9450, ext. 219; [email protected]

39 Special Olympics PA Athletes and Coaches from Philadelphia County To Attend The 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in New Jersey

Team PA Sendoff to Take Place at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday, June 14th

(Norristown, PA, June 5, 2014) – Special Olympics Pennsylvania – Philadelphia County athletes and coaches will attend the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in New Jersey from June 14- 21, joining a total of more than 200 athletes and 70 coaches and staff representing Team Pennsylvania. More than 3,500 Special Olympics athletes from throughout the United States will travel to New Jersey to compete in 16 sports, before tens of thousands of spectators and volunteers.

Philadelphia County athletes trained year-round for the chance to compete at the USA Games. In order to qualify to compete nationally, the athletes participated in local, sectional and state-wide competitions. Special Olympics Pennsylvania offers free training to all athletes for year round preparation and support. The 39 athletes and coaches participating in the Games from Philadelphia County include:

Name Role Sex Sport Hometown

James Barbour Athlete Male Aquatics Philadelphia Jackie Lutts Athlete Female Athletics Philadelphia Tamika Newkirk Athlete Female Athletics Philadelphia Sharon Quarles Athlete Female Athletics Philadelphia Michael Walker Athlete Male Athletics Philadelphia Ryan Bogan Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Kwante Crummy Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Matthew Grabowski Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Tyrell Hargrave Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Michael Henderson Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Derrick Jackson Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Nakisha Johnson Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Sharod King Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Demetrius Leflore Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Benjamin Liken Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Vernon Mayfield Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Christopher Ray Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Angel Rodriguez Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Special Olympics Pennsylvania - 2570 Blvd. of the Generals, Suite 124, Norristown, PA, 19403 Tel + (610) 630-9450 Toll Free + (800) 235-9058 Fax + (610) 630- 9456 www.specialolympicspa.org Created by the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation for the benefit of persons with intellectual disabilities

Name Role Sex Sport Hometown

Joseph Rynkiewicz Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Christopher Ray Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Angel Rodriguez Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Mitchell Stahl Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Brian Stulz Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Corey Sweet Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Paris Wallace Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia Charles Zisette Jr. Athlete Male Basketball Philadelphia William Celmer Athlete Male Bocce Philadelphia Siobhan Driscoll Athlete Female Bocce Philadelphia Peria Ayala Athlete Female Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia James Bade Unified Partner Male Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia Nina Gaeta Athlete Female Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia Harry Hua Unified Partner Male Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia Ayodeji Obisanya Athlete Male Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia Brandon Santos Athlete Male Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia Deion Santos Athlete Male Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia Ashley Schwiker Unified Partner Female Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia Dadly Thenor Athlete Male Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia Myra Ausberry Head Coach Female Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia Rosemary Duffy Head Coach Female Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia Stacy Plumbo Head Coach Female Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia Beverly Liken Asst. Coach Female Project Unified-Soccer Philadelphia

Sports competition will be held at venues throughout Mercer County, New Jersey, including Princeton University, Rider University, The College of New Jersey, Mercer County Park and several area private schools. In addition to the many showcased sports, Special Olympics athletes will participate in spectacular Special Events including an Opening Ceremony at the Prudential Center, Closing Ceremony at Sun National Bank Center, a board-walk themed Olympic Town, a Special Olympics Unified Sports® Festival, and much more.

In addition, to celebrate the massive accomplishments of Special Olympics Pennsylvania athletes, Philadelphia 76ers and NBA Rookie of the Year, Michael Carter-Williams, will host a Team Pennsylvania send-off at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday, June 14th. He will also escort Team Pennsylvania on to the field during the USA Games Opening Ceremonies on Sunday, June 15th, which will include a Parade of Athletes, the Special Olympics Torch Run and the lighting of the Special Olympics Cauldron to open the Games.

There will be ample opportunities for New Jersey residents and supporters nationwide to show their spirit and join the team through volunteerism, donations and attendance. For more information about becoming a volunteer, making a donation, or attending an event, please visit the 2014 Games website at www.2014specialolympics.org.

About Special Olympics Pennsylvania Special Olympics Pennsylvania provides year-round training and competition in 22 Olympic- type sports to more than 20,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities or closely related developmental disabilities. For more information about how you can help “Reveal the

Special Olympics Pennsylvania - 2570 Blvd. of the Generals, Suite 124, Norristown, PA, 19403 Tel + (610) 630-9450 Toll Free + (800) 235-9058 Fax + (610) 630- 9456 www.specialolympicspa.org Created by the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation for the benefit of persons with intellectual disabilities

Champion Inside” thousands of Special Olympics athletes, visit our web site at www.specialolympicspa.org.

About USA Games The Special Olympics USA Games will be hosted by New Jersey June 14-21, 2014. Nearly 3,500 athletes will compete in 16 Olympic-style team and individual sports, with the support of 1,000 coaches, 10,000 volunteers and 50,000 family, friends and spectators. The Special Olympics USA Games will celebrate the Special Olympics movement, promote the ideals of acceptance and inclusion through sport and showcase athletes from throughout the U.S. and the abilities of people with intellectual disabilities. The 2014 USA Games will also highlight Special Olympics’ work in sport, education, health and communities. Founding partners for the 2014 Special Olympic USA Games include Barnabas Health, HESS, PSE&G, Shop Rite, Toys “R” Us and WWE. Learn more about the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games at www.2014specialolympics.org and follow the Games on Facebook at Facebook.com/SpecialOlympicsUSAGames and Twitter @2014USAGames.

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