High schoolers on Special Olympics bowling teams compete at Royal Z Lanes

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Students from Camden High School and Lugoff-Elgin High School’s Special Olympics bowling teams held a friendly competition at Royal Z Lanes on Two Notch Road in Columbia.

Along with their teachers and assistants, the teams were treated to over an hour and a half of bowling and fun.

For Andrew and his fellow teammates Justin, Semaj, and Ethan it’s not all about getting a strike.

“I try not to get to the gutter…. and that’s it,” says Andrew.

They summed up bowling with one word –awesome.

“I like bowling because it’s awesome,” says Semaj.

Teammates Catelyn, Armanti, and Arianna agree.

“It’s just fun to do it,” says Armanti.  “Yea… Awesome,” says Arianna.

Ashley Middleton is a Special Education teacher for Lugoff-Elgin High School and is also a liaison for Special Olympics’ Unified Champion Schools. She says encouraging the students to find a sport that they love helps them stay active for the rest of their lives.

“It became about making sure my students had real experiences. This is real sports. There’s no bumper guard up. They’re having fun, they’re enjoying themselves but they’re also practicing a real sport. Just like everyone behind us and on this side too, we’re participating together. And that’s important for them because, like I said, when they exit high school, what they do with the next stage of their life — Special Olympics can be a part of that,” Middleton says.

And bowling isn’t their only option.

Students are allowed to pick and choose the sports they love, including basketball, bocce, track and field, soccer, flag football, and powerlifting.

“It’s really about being able to find what sport they want. So they can be healthy later on in life, and they can stay active later on in life, as well as now while they’re still in high school,” Middleton says.

Whatever sport they participate in, the students seem to give it their all.

“I’m always born to win. And I’ve never giving up — by being unstoppable,” says Andrew.

Middleton says the Special Olympics Bowling teams from across multiple counties in the Midlands will face off in Lexington this December.