State Champions

Thank you to first-year student, Micah Muma, for writing today's blog.

The whole basketball season was an amazing ride!  We had our problems, but we had fun the whole time. We went to the State Special Olympics Basketball Tournament and won. 

It seems simple as I write it, but when you think about it and look at how we ended up with a win in spite of all our injuries, I thank God for the whole team, for our amazing coach, Mr. Terrill, and to all of the other coaches for bringing us through it.  Congrats to you all! 

I remember the first game we played. We were a bit nervous and, when we won 2-0, that very day I said we’d be heading towards State as if it already was the conference game. But we had to keep our heads up.

We may have won all our games, but we didn’t do it without our God who gave us the chance, the teamwork, as well our coach. 

Next year is already in most of the basketball players’ heads.  It’s amazing how we won, and now we know exactly how to head toward State once more. I just want to thank our Coach, Mr. Terrill, so much for all the time he gave us and for giving us great advice as well. We can’t wait for next year.

For the players - let’s try to stay healthy as much as we can. 11-0 is a spectacular saying, and it feels great to ponder. All the time we played, we always came out saying, “Whether we win or lose, we are going to praise God. We are playing for God and Shepherds College.”  

We remember all the great plays, all of the yells Mr. Terrill had shouted at us, Coach Cronin for helping us and taking the place of Coach Terrill when he was away, and Alyssa Terrill for helping the team and writing down our faults for us to work on.

The day we went up to state, I honestly was a bit nervous, but when you have a great coach, great basketball team and a God who had been watching over us the whole season, you can achieve a lot.

At the dorms in Oshkosh, it was loud, fun and really smelly at times. And it was funny when we all watched the Kentucky versus Wisconsin in the men’s final four game (I was the only one who was for Kentucky). In all, it was such a blast to be at State for the very first time with Shepherds and be 11-0 all the way through State. Now that basketball is over for a spell and we can rest, we can look back and say, “We did it.”  I say when you “Think Big, Dream Big and Believe Big, you will have BIG results in life no matter the situation.”

Once more, thank you Shepherds for letting us play basketball this year. And to Mr. Terrill, thanks for coaching.

I’m looking forward to another spectacular year with the Soarin’ Eagles.

Congratulations to both the Falcons and the Soarin' Eagles for their wins at State!

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

Thinking Big

On Sunday, our three Special Olympic basketball teams competed in a tournament at Burlington High School.

On Monday, I received an email from an Academic Advisor who is working with a first-year student, Micah, on wise ways to fill his time and use his gifts. The Residential Life Staff asked him if he’d like to write a blog rather than sit in front of the TV, and Micah jumped at the chance. He wrote about his thoughts on Sunday’s basketball tournament and about all the games going forward.

Here is the first of what I hope are many blogs from Micah Thomas Muma:

The very first game of the Special Olympics for our Basketball team was tough and a great challenge for the team. Even though we may have been a little rusty at spots around the court we never failed to play as a team. We know what we want, and we are going to play hard and play with the mind of champions. 

This week, as we head to play our second tournament, we know what we have to do. We know we are great, and we know God’s with us no matter the cost. 

On the 5^th of March, we have the privilege to play at the Milwaukee Bucks Stadium, at the half time of their game. The Soaring Eagles are going to play against the Torches whom the Soaring Eagles played against in the States. We know who we have to play, and we very well know we have to get better as a team. 

But we are never going to stop and let anything get in our way towards the Championship Game. For with God all things are possible, and we believe in our Father, the son and the Holy Spirit. 

For our families and our College, Shepherds College, we are going to play hard. As I’d tell my team, “WE OWN THEM … if we play hard and think big we will achieve big things.” 

GO SOARIN' EAGLES!  It’s the same for the Eagles and the Falcons - play hard , think big, and you will … I promise you … you will achieve big things in life as well as a basketball game!

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

Friday Fun: Bragging Rights... and Wrongs

I need to preface this blog by saying that it involves basketball and I know next to nothing about basketball. I don’t have time to learn today – not even to impress you – so I will, probably, make some serious blunders. Just shake your head, forgive me and move on.

My basketball experience includes going  to a couple of Bucks games where I spent most of the time staring at the ceiling wondering when the stadium blimp would go by so I could get a free pizza coupon, attending my daughter’s 7^th grade games where I was afraid to look up from the floor because, every time I did, she was doing something embarrassing like holding up her shorts, checking her nail polish or giggling with her friend mid-play, and cheering on the Shepherds Ministries Falcons team while my son was the coach.

Out of all of these experiences, the Special Olympic games were my favorites. I didn’t have to worry about knowing the rules, I just clapped and shouted for everyone no matter the team. It was fun.  The players would high five, fist pump and back slap all the time, even when they missed the basket.  Sometimes they would stop in the middle of a drive to the basket and wave to someone in the audience. I clapped for that too. How beautiful! Their important play suddenly became less important than greeting a friend.  I’m pretty sure I can hear some of our Special Olympic coaches groaning at this point, but I liked it.

So, imagine my surprise when today’s Time to Shine production turned out to be a basketball-related skit on humility. Why would our students need a lesson on humility? 

Does it have something to do with the fact that it’s basketball season in the Special Olympics? Could there possibly be some upstaging, show-stealing, hot-dogging behaviors we need to deal with? Please say it isn’t so!!

"Hey, students!"

"Prepare yourselves for the greatest..."

"Oh my goodness!! Here they are! Students welcome the Shepherds College basketball team!"

Here's our star, Mrs. Kolkman!!... and the rest of the team.

Wow, she can really rock a pair of shades!

Screams erupt among the fans. Is there anyone cooler than Mrs. Kolkman??

"Aaaahhhhhhh!!!! Mrs. Kolkman!! You're amazing! I want to be near your greatness!"

"Please, please autograph my hoodie..."

"...and my arm!"

"I will lower myself to take a picture with you, my adoring teammates..."

"... after all, I win all our games for us. You should have something to remember me by."

"One more autograph, if I must."

"Gasp!... Mrs. Kolkman..."

"I feel so honored to be on your team."

"That's understandable. I rule the courts..."

"Oh my poor pathetic team..."

"Quick, pass the ball to Mrs. Kolkman! She's open!"

"I have the ball! I am queen of these courts!"

"Queen of the courts? Why is she queen of the courts? Aren't we a team?"

"Mrs. Kolkman, pleeeeease throw me the ball! I can make the play!"

"No, no, I got it. I can't disappoint my fans."

Swish!!  "Ta-da!"

"Oh, the cheers, the cheers... stop... they're too much."

"Shucks... don't stop. I know I deserve them."

"Students. What went wrong here?"

"She's too proud. She's bragging. She didn't play as a team."

"Let's try this skit again, the correct way."

Mrs. Luchterhand goes to punt the ball...

She kicks it to Mrs. Konopasek...

...who scoops it off the floor and shoots for the basket! Score!

High fives for the team! What a group effort!

"Whew! What a game! We made a good team. We should do this more often!"

Group shot. Sharing the glory.

"Soooo... what went right this time?"

"They did a good job passing the ball. It wasn't just about one person. They played as a team. They all had a chance to play."

"We need to be humble because our gifts are not from ourselves. They are given to us from God to use for His glory."

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.