Snowboarders, skiiers share Olympic successes

VERNON — Although the New Jersey Special Olympic Winter Games is comprised of events in figure skating, speed skating, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, the focus of the Vernon Mountaineers remains on the slopes and concentrates on alpine skiing and snowboarding. And they do it quite well. The team’s snowboarders are Johnathan Blakely, 25, of Sussex and Steven Spilotras, 15, of Highland Lakes. The skiiers are Shawn Barber, 36, of Highland Lakes; Kyle Degroat, 31, of Stillwater; Kyle Dehn, 14, of Glenwood; Teresa Kelly, 29, of Franklin; Sean Massarone, 19, of Highland Lakes; and Carol Spilotras, 18, of Highland Lakes. Although the medals that this exclusively Sussex County team earned at the games varied, all eight team members received medals ranging from gold to silver to bronze. Not a single Vernon Mountaineers racer went home with less than a silver medal and Degroat earned two gold medals. About the winter games Each year the winter games return to Sussex County. The skating events are held at the Skylands Arena on Route 23 in the Stockholm section of Hardyston and the snow-related events are held at the Mountain Creek Ski Resort on Route 94 in Vernon. Opening ceremonies were held outside the new Red Tail Lodge last Monday evening and included an athletes’ parade and torch lighting ceremony followed by a fireworks show. Then, at Mountain Creek on Tuesday and Wednesday, the athletes started with practice runs with their coaches and escorts before moving on to the various racing events. More than 300 New Jersey athletes participated in this year’s games and competitions. Many dozens of volunteers added to the excitement and success of the winter games with participants coming from as far away as south Jersey. Members of various law enforcement agencies are also very active in the winter games. In previous years the snowshoeing and cross-country skiing events were held behind Mountain Creek’s Cobblestone Village. This year, however, these events were held at the new snow tubing hill south of the resort and overlooking Route 94. The resort provided the athletes and guests with courtesy busing from the lodge to the races on a 15-minute or sooner schedule. Vernonites and the Special Olympics Some of the Vernon Mountaineers team members have been training and racing together for many years and have developed a camaraderie that is immediately apparent to “people watchers” and fans alike. They have also readily welcomed new younger racers into their group of competitors. The entire team is supportive of each of its members and when one racer wins, they show excitement as if each member had experienced a personal success. Sharing embraces and an occasional “high five” is standard operating procedure as the games and related awards ceremonies unfold throughout the games. After about 40 years, the Special Olympics Winter Games is a Vernon tradition and the volunteers who make the games safe and fun for the athletes are part of the driving force that makes the games a success. For many, it is something that brings them back to Vernon year after year. To volunteer or to learn more about Special Olympics New Jersey, visit www.sonj.org. The national Special Olympics USA Games will be held in the Garden State in June 2014. — Story and photos by Chris Wyman