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Swim meet offers several events
By Sean Barron
WARREN
At her Cuyahoga Falls home, Annmarie Denning has a variety of medals she has won, but there’s always room for one more gold, as far as she’s concerned.
“I made my first debut by diving off the [starting] block today,” said Denning, 32, referring to her first-place finish in one of the events that made up Saturday’s seventh annual Area 11 Kelly Jo Carlson Memorial Swim Meet.
Denning was one of an estimated 125 swimmers with special needs who competed at the Warren G. Harding High School natatorium. Represented at the meet were Special Olympics teams from Ashtabula, Mahoning, Columbiana and Stark counties, as well as Trumbull County Fairhaven, Hudson City Schools and the Summit Athletic Club of Akron.
Hosting the gathering was the Fairhaven program, which provides services to more than 1,000 Trumbull County residents with developmental challenges. Offerings include early intervention, school-to-work transition, employment, case management, transportation and physical occupational and speech therapy.
Events included the 50- and 100-meter freestyle and backstroke, 25-meter butterfly, 25- and 50- meter breaststroke, 100- meter individual medley and two freestyle relays.
Taking home medals from swim meets is nothing new for Denning, who competed for the Summit Athletic Club and started swimming about 20 years ago. Diving off a slightly elevated platform during Saturday’s meet, however, was a first for Denning, noted Casey Kelly, one of the club’s coaches.
“Swim meets are very fun,” added Denning, who came with her mother, Aggie.
The experience was a trial-and-error process for Pat and Kelly Shaw’s 12-year-old son, Adam, who was diagnosed with an autism-spectrum disorder at 18 months.
“We wanted to just try this out to help Adam be successful,” said Kelly Shaw of Hudson, who explained that Adam is verbal but has limited expressive language.
Nevertheless, Shaw said, she’s grateful for a supportive network of friends and family, including daughters Anna and Mia, 8 and 13, respectively. Both attended the event.
The yearly meet is named in honor of Carlson, a Warren Western Reserve High School graduate who participated in and volunteered at many Special Olympics events.
Since Carlson’s death April 21, 2004, at age 33, her family has sponsored in her memory the swim meet that combines her interests in athletics and volunteerism.
The competition, formerly at Youngstown State University, was moved to Harding High two years ago, largely because of Carlson’s ties to Warren, noted her father, Paul.
Despite the competitiveness, the swim meet was mainly about teamwork and camaraderie, Paul Carlson said.
He also praised the 15 to 18 family members, friends and relatives who volunteered to distribute awards to swimmers and serve as judges and timers.
Beyond her volunteer efforts, Kelly Jo Carlson was willing to help anyone who sought her, recalled Len Redmond, assistant athletic director for Warren city schools and a longtime family friend.
“She had this great ability to leave you with a smile on your face,” Redmond said. “She always knew when to give a kind word and a pat on the back.”