A drizzle that turned into a downpour didn’t stop St. James’ student athletes from competing on April 10 in the Missouri Regional Special Olympics at Waynesville High School. 

All competing Tigers were sent off from St. James Middle School with a hero’s standing ovation from their fellow students and faculty members on their walk out to the buses.  

St. James special education teacher and head coach of the Tiger’s Special Olympic team, Jeanel Tomnitz, helped guide 16 athletes ages 8-18 through a gauntlet of events starting at 10 a.m., before the meet was eventually halted due to the rain around noon. 

Members of the St. James Special Olympics team included: Ephraim Bayless, Caedon Boyer, LJ Butery, Leighton Cummings, Mary Foreit, Milo Freiberg, Bradley Gresham, Isabella Hopkins, Caleb Kimmis, Jeremiah Oakley, Mason Light, Weston Roark, Taylin Robinson, Kaitlynne Schultz, Kasyn Stimel, Caden Watkins, Jedadiyah West and Lane White.

St. James High School had 14 students who volunteered their time to accompany Tomnitz and the team to Waynesville and each volunteer was assigned an athlete to help support and accompany throughout the meet. 

Athletes competed in the 50 and 100 meter dashes, shot put, long jumps and other track and field events that resembled the feel of a usual track meet. Unlike most track meets, every athlete competed against just two others in their respective events and received medals for each contest they participated in. 

Tomnitz, who’s in her second season as head coach, said that her student athletes enjoyed competing despite having to endure the inclement weather.

“I think the kids really enjoyed themselves,” Tomnitz said. “Despite their whining about the rain, they still had a lot of fun, and they brought home lots of medals.” 

Tomnitz spoke about the importance of this competition for her athletes, who aren’t able to compete in most sports the school district offers.

“It is important to me because a lot of these kids don’t get to participate in regular school athletics. So they don’t get to play on the baseball team, they don’t get to be on the football team. Some of them can’t even participate regularly. So this is a chance for them to really feel included and at their ability.”

The Tigers’ Special Olympics team will compete next from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 28 at Sullivan High School in the Sullivan Unified Local Track Meet.  

More information is available about the Special Olympics in Missouri at somo.org. Anyone interested in volunteering to help at the St. James Special Olympics team can email Tomnitz at jeanel.tomnitz@stjschools.org.