Tuscarawas County's Olympic Champions Shine Bright in Ohio Winter Games!

More than 40 athletes and unified partners from Tuscarawas County Special Olympics participated recently in the state Winter Games at The Ohio State University in Columbus. The event, hosted by Special Olympics Ohio , drew thousands of athletes from around the state who competed in team basketball, skills basketball, swimming and competitive cheerleading. The Tuscarawas County Special Olympics team, known as the Rockets, competed in all four sports, according to a community announcement.

Basketball teams earn medals The athletes trained since October in preparation for the Winter Games. For the first time, the Rockets fielded four basketball teams in different divisions, including School Age Division 1, Unified Division and Divisions 4 and 5. A notable achievement was the Unified Team's regional championship victory over Portage County, which qualified them for the state competition.

The team won the gold medal at the Winter Games, finishing the season with a 10-1 record. Key players included J'Marea Sterns, Keilan Patterson, Dorian Wilson and Matthew Medley, who were guided by coaches Denise McGinnis and Sarah McVey. The School Age team also performed well, ending the season with a 4-5 record and earning a bronze medal.

Team members included Nathan Davies, Julius Emery, Leah Hughes, Nevaeh Jeffries, Addi Miller, Ember Miller, Frankie Poorman, Matthew Toole, Shaun Washington and Lyla Witts. Coaches Angie Hall, Heidi Miller and Lexi Miller led the team. Rockets athletes also excelled individually in skills basketball.