After seven months of weekly practice, the Area 8 regional meet at the Ocean City Aquatic and Fitness Center, and the sectional meet at Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT), the Ocean City Stingrays were ready for the New Jersey Special Olympic State Games June 7-9 at The College of New Jersey.
Twenty-three local athletes participated in the state games, allowing the entire team to compete except for two members who were recovering from recent surgery.
The Ocean City Stingrays, a team comprised of individuals with disabilities from Cape May and Atlantic counties, has been competing in Special Olympics for more than three decades.
Head coach Marge DeFoney has been overseeing the team for the last 15 years, ably supported by five fellow volunteer coaches. The athletes range from 18 to 54 years of age and a handful of them have been active for decades.
The opening ceremonies for the Summer Games is a spectacle not to be missed. The 21 counties of New Jersey are grouped into 13 areas of geographical proximity. The athletes from each area march into Lions Stadium at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) accompanied by an honor guard of active and retired law enforcement professionals. The athletes from each area, with their own color shirts, circle the stadium and make their way to a holding area on the field. By the time the last area makes its entrance, the field is filled to a rainbow effect with more than 3,000 athletes. The ceremony continues with brief speeches, the Special Olympics Athletes Oath, and the entrance of the “Olympic Flame” which has been carried throughout the entire state by its various law enforcement departments. The evening concludes with fireworks, music and dancing.
Thirty-three teams with hundreds of athletes competed in swimming. Races began June 7 with the 400 meter freestyle and built up to the most popular event, the 4×50 free relay, concluding around 2 p.m. June 9. The Stingrays fielded three teams in this event, earning two first-place finishes and a third-place in their divisions. There were more than 165 events in all. The sheer size of the state-wide meet produced some long wait times for the athletes along with some anxious moments.
The Stingrays were determined and their results reflected strong focus.
The 23 local athletes won a total of 57 medals – 32 golds, 14 silvers and 11 bronze. Coach DeFoney was happy with the team’s performance, remarking, “Fifty-seven medals? Yes, that’s a lot of medals! Many of the swimmers achieved their personal best time in the meet. I am so proud of each individual’s effort.”
The Stingrays results were led by Ryan Prettyman, who won four gold medals. His events were the 50 free, 50 back, 4×50 free relay and the 4×50 medley relay. In the 50 free, Ryan just touched out teammate Daniel Hendrixson to go first and second. Three teammates won three gold and one silver medal: Thomas Quattrocchi, Rebecca Lopez-Deren and Sara Davis. Almost all attending athletes brought home a medal.
The medals are affirmation of the hard work and effort put in by these athletes, but Special Olympics is not just about the medals. The athletes and their families have developed lasting friendships and support networks over the years. The team is grateful for the support from all the staff of the Aquatic and Fitness Center, especially Director of Recreation Lisa Rumer and pool supervisor Nick Klevinsky. Special thanks also to Ocean City Special Olympics Event Coordinator Jackie Adams.
“After 32 years of working at the center, I can strongly say that the Stingrays have been woven into the fabric of the Aquatic and Fitness family. The athletes and families have been inspirational to so many. The athletes are team players, community volunteers, caring, friendly and competitive,” Rumer said.
– STORY and PHOTOS by PETE DAVIS/For the Sentinel