Written by Scott Reule, JAHS Athletic Director
On Friday, May 2, our athletic conference, the CBC joined together to conduct one of the most rewarding events we put on all year. This event is called “The CBC Cup.” It is a field day type of event, where the participating athletes are students from all 12 schools special needs units. These participants choose events in which they want to compete and display their love for sports. The events to choose from consist of things like a 40 M Dash, Bean Bag Toss, Home Run Derby, Soccer Goal Kick, Football Toss, Frisbee Toss, Basketball Hot Shot competition and many other opportunities. All events simply give these students the opportunity to compete and enjoy a day of adapted events to meet the needs of the athlete.
Athletic Directors from each school serve as the directors of the event and each school also selects student-athletes from their respective sports teams to attend with each participating student. “The CBC Cup” is by far the most rewarding event I have had the pleasure of being a part of in my career. Each athlete is supported by a peer from their home school that we call their “Coach”.
It’s a privilege to go with them (CBC Cup athletes) and be able to motivate and support them throughout their activities. In addition, we arranged for sponsorship from local businesses to cover the cost of lunch, t-shirts, and awards. We decided when the event began that each athlete would receive a medal for the day, and we would also recognize one competing athlete from each school as a sportsmanship award winner. The theme of the day is, “The best part of the game.....is the opportunity to play.”
The goal of the CBC is more than just providing sports and competition for our member schools, but also to give back and be a service organization to our schools and our communities. This event is a highlight to the end of our school year, and additionally it provides a day that gives others the opportunity to simply play the game, have fun, and interact with their peers in an environment set to learn, laugh, and fellowship. It’s the things we do beyond the game in sports that truly mean the most in life as well as building relationships that change lives.