Columbia Bowling Alley

For my next paper in English 102, we have to write on a location and an artifact. I have decided to do the first location of where the Monroe County Patriots have their games, the Columbia Bowling Alley. I plan to find the history of the bowling alley.  Find the reason why Monroe County Special Olympics goes there and not anywhere else. How long they have been going there. And for my Artifact I will be writing on the bowling ramp that the wheelchair students use when bowling. This Friday I have another chance to view the teams and I hope to make a count of the highest and lowest scores, who was there(schools), and how many students where involved and how many coaches/ volunteers where there. I also plan to at the time to ask Gina Gunn, high school coach, about the wheelchair ramp and ask if I could bring it in to class with me when we do a presentation of our artifact. I think seeing it in person while have a better inpact then seeing a little picture of it. I learned yesterday from my mom who is friends with Gina Gunn that in about two weeks they will be leaving the bowling and heading off to track and soccer.

1st PRACTICE!!

Last Friday was the first practice of the year for the Monroe County Special Olympics. I met up with my mom and the other coaches plus the students at the Columbia bowling alley. I arrived a few minutes early so they would know I am interested and getting to know everything. When they arrived, Gina Gunn, head coach of the high school team members, was the first in the door and hugged me and said she was glad I could come. I looked behind her and saw the line of students waiting for their shoes. Of course not all the busses where there right away so the students that were their got their shoes and headed to the lines. Eventually all the students arrived at the Columbia Bowling Alley, the schools that came where Waterloo High School, Waterloo Junior High and Gardner Elementary. Even a middle school group from Columbia had joined us at the bowling alley. Every type of disability was there from high learning disabilities to students in wheel chairs. For the students in the wheelchairs they have a bowling ball ramp so they can bowl also, they just push it of the ramp and it goes down the lane. Over all the Special Olympics filled up ten lanes at the bowling alley with at least four people on each lane and some even more. My experience watching them bowl was amazing they all had fun and are wonderful bowlers.

                                     

This is a picture of the wheelchair ramp. They roll up to the space between the ground bars and push the bowling ball down the ramp.

Subculture Project

To Mr. Nadziejko and My Classmates,


     I would like to ask your permission to research and interview members of the Monroe County Special Olympics. If my idea is approved I would like to do interviews with the coaches and some parents if possible. My group is easy to get in touch with. I know several of the coaches, which as teachers and the different schools. The Waterloo High School coach, Gina Gunn, is a very close friend to my mom, she has no problem in having an interview with me about the sports. I also know a couple of the parents very well that help out and that have children in the Olympics.
     My group is very safe, it’s a bunch of special education students coming together and playing sports. Also is legal, there is no bad judgment at these games. I know some about this group because my mom was an assistant coach a couple years back, and I have also done some research for my conformation class in eight grade. During the two times I have seen the Special Olympics I have not really been to a game, or helped out. I just know of the sports they do and the people that help out.
     I would love to know more, and to find the history of the Special Olympics. I have unlimited access to my subculture, the reason for so much access is that I know the main coach of the high school Olympics very well. This coming friday is the first day that I will be seeing my subculure in action, the first game they play is bowling.

~Sarah