Swim and dive teams host Special Olympics meet

The CSB and SJU swim and dive teams volunteered at the Regional Special Olympic Swim Meet at the SJU pool in the Warner Palaestra on April 16. Special Olympic teams and swimmers from around the area were invited to attend and hopefully qualify for the state meet in June.

The meet was coordinated by the SJU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Special Olympics, and the volunteers ranged from community members to SJU SAAC with the majority being members of the CSB and SJU swim teams. SJU SAAC started this event last spring and reached out to the CSB and SJU swim teams for help volunteering. The meet had a successful turnout in 2022 for both athletes and volunteers.

“This meet was an event our team had been looking forward to for a long time and we jumped at the opportunity to volunteer for it again,” senior CSB swimmer Mary Ridgeway said.

Ridgeway was one of the numerous volunteers from the CSB swim team who helped at the meet. She was extremely grateful to CSB+SJU for the opportunity to volunteer at this terrific event and is confident this meet will continue to be successful for years to come. Witnessing the pure joy on the athlete’s faces after they finished competing was the highlight of Ridgeway’s experience.

“Whether they won or lost they were proud of their performance and overjoyed for the opportunity to compete. Being able to watch our own CSB+SJU community gather to cheer on the athletes and show their support reminds me of how special it is to be part of this community,” Ridgeway said.

Volunteering at this event also made its impact on senior CSB swimmer Katie Brewer who loved watching the athletes get together and be competitive.

“Swimming is something that has been a big part of my life for a long time, and being able to see how much it can help others only adds to that. It inspires me to see these athletes perform so well and stay so positive despite having to deal with more struggles than most,” Brewer said.

Senior CSB swimmer Molly Johanson was another volunteer at the swim meet this year. It meant a lot to her seeing how excited the athletes get when they have lots of people watching and cheering them on because the outpouring of support makes them that much more eager to race.

“I specifically work with one athlete who doesn’t always love to get in the pool, so I was a little worried about how the new and more stressful environment would be. But, she got in the pool and did her race with a big smile on her face, and that made me incredibly happy that I was able to be a part of that moment,” Johanson said.

Senior SJU swimmer Ethan Huber, the SJU SAAC president and captain for the SJU swim and dive team, found himself in a leadership role for this event. He helped kickstart the meet last year, but the reason for the event’s continued success was a result of the efforts of the team of student-athlete leaders and volunteers. Huber has been anticipating this event all year and it meant a lot to him to be able to serve his community in such a meaningful way.

“Watching the Special Olympic athletes enjoy our facility truly embodies what I believe to be the Benedictine Value of Hospitality. The various clubs, organizations and committees that made this event a success represent the impact a group of Bennies and Johnnies can have on our Minnesota community,” Huber said.

As a member of the Special Olympics Committee on SAAC, sophomore SJU swimmer Colby Kern also helped coordinate the event. Kern and the other event leaders have been working with the Special Olympic representatives for most of the school year to plan this meet, and thanks to their dedication, SJU was able to host again. Kern’s favorite part was witnessing all the happy faces and smiles of each athlete because knowing he had a role in their happiness is very rewarding. He mentioned that every volunteer should be proud of their contributions to the event because this resulted in another amazing turnout.

“It means a whole lot to be able to help with this meet. This is yet another great event that both CSB and SJU students can attend and show others what the Johnnie/Bennie culture is all about. Being able to contribute to an event like this is so special because, just with a little help from volunteers, we’re able to do something pretty big that positively impacts a whole lot of people,” Kern said.

SJU Head Swim and Dive Coach Ben Gill loved seeing the athletes assume leadership roles and take charge with this event. They recognize the hard work that these swimmers are putting in to compete, and seeing others enjoy swimming just as much as them is amazing. Additionally, Gill believes in giving back to the community through this event.

“Being connected with the broader central Minnesota community is important to me and the swim and dive team here. The event is a great opportunity for our athletes to connect with the local community and give back their time and energy to a great event,” Gill said.