Lucas County Lightning Newsletter

Fall 2024

Hi all!! We hope everyone is having a wonderful summer and dealing with the heat!!  August means our golf and softball seasons are in full swing. We encourage you to check out any of our three softball teams, including Coach Pitch, Traditional (just athletes) and later this summer our Unified softball league. For our 4th year we are teaming up with Wood County Special Olympics and offering a unified softball league. We will be having 4 teams again this season and we will have our first official game on September 4th. 


Below are the schedules for the coach pitch and traditional teams. Please come check out a game!

2024 Softball Coach Pitch Schedule
2024 Traditional Softball Schedule

Fall Special Olympics Program

Fall is quickly approaching, and that means a new season of sports!! This fall we will be offering Flag Football, both traditional and Unified (with the University of Toledo), Walking group, Powerlifting, and Healthy Athletes. Please make sure you read the information for each before registering.  

Flag Football

This fall we will be offering both Traditional Flag Football and Unified Flag Football.


Traditional Flag Football is made up of just our athletes. We are working on a new practice/game location so anyone who registers will receive this information. Please note that Special Olympics rules say that traditional flag football teams have a limit on how many players can be on a team. This means that the number of teams and divisions will be determined by how many athletes register, their skill levels and how many coaches we have.


Unified Flag Football will be held at the University of Toledo (UT) and athletes will be split up into teams along with UT students.


We will be getting information soon on a start date for Unified. We will try not to conflict with the Traditional Flag Football schedules, but this may not be possible, so you may have to choose one or the other


Once registration is completed, you will receive detailed information on what the season for both will look like. 

Walking Group

Walking group is a great way to get some exercise and socialize with friends! Walking group will be offered once a week. (The day will be determined once we have our other practice schedules in place). We will continue to walk at Swan Creek and meet at the Airport Hwy entrance. Once registration is closed, more details will be sent out to everyone who registered.

Powerlifting

Special Olympics’ Powerlifting consists of training with a coach to compete in the bench press and deadlift events at Summer Games. It is a long season, with practices beginning in September and going until June. Once registration is complete you will receive detailed information of practice days and times. 

Healthy Athletes

Healthy Athletes is a 6-week program where athletes will participate in both physical activity and classroom instruction on various topics such as nutrition, wellness and sportsmanship. Classes are led by Exercise Science students at the University of Toledo and their instructor. Classes are held at UT and will begin Wednesday, October 16 and continue every Wednesday from 3:30-5:30pm until November 20. 


If you have participated in the past, you are more than welcome to register again, but please know new athletes will be considered first. We would like as many athletes as possible to enjoy this experience. This session will be limited to 10-12 athletes. All athletes that will be attending will be sent information regarding parking/drop off options after sign up is over.


****Fall Sports Registration Information****

The online registration form for fall sports is found by clicking here.


The registration page for our fall sports is open now until August 30. You must register during this time to play a fall sport!


To participate in a sport, you must be at least 16 years old, reside in Lucas County, have a qualifying diagnosis and have a current Special Olympics medical form on file with our office.


Click here to download the New Athlete Packet for Special Olympics (Skip this if you are already registered with Lucas County Special Olympics)


Please return your completed forms by either:

-email to specialolympics@lucasdd.org 

-conventional mail to:

Lucas County Special Olympics

1154 Larc Lane

Toledo, Ohio 43614          

Summer Sports News

Summer Games at the Ohio State University

Lucas County Lightning sent 91 athletes to the State Summer Games at The Ohio State University in Columbus. They competed in volleyball, bocce, powerlifting, tennis, and track & field. 91 medals were brought back home. Congratulations to all of our amazing athletes!

Upcoming Events

Saturday, August 17: Softball Skills Tournament, Oregon, Ohio (Times TBA)


Sunday, August 18: CommUNITY Film Fest, 1 - 5pm, Maumee Indoor Theater     


Wednesday, August 28: Rec Jam, 7-9pm, Centennial Terrace


For additional events, please check out our online calendar by clicking here. To receive information about events in your inbox, click here and add your email.

Comments or questions?

Please feel free to email Kelley at kwatson@lucasdd.org or call 419-380-5109 if you have any questions and/or suggestions regarding this newsletter or anything else. 

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