Spring Sports and Winter Sports Recaps | | |
IN THIS ISSUE
(Click on "view entire message" at the bottom of your screen if it appears that the newsletter is incomplete.)
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- An Introduction
- USA Games
- Spring Sports Weekly Calendar
- Winter Sports Recap
- Winter Special Events
- Coaches Appreciation Dinner
- 2025/2026 Basketball Season Recap
- Impact Awards
- Elections
- Mark Your Calendars
The Calendar on our Website contains all our upcoming events, practices, and locations.
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AN INTRODUCTION
My photo by Forrest Hollbert
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Hello,
I am Janice Saylor, SOVAL Communications Chair and proud grandmother to two adult athletes—twin brothers Lynn and Jordan Timbers.
This newsletter highlights the many exciting sports and social events from our winter season. Some sections were written by coaches, while others were compiled by me based on my observations and input from others. I also explored our SmugMug photo site to include images of each sport, basketball team, social event, and our wonderful families. Additionally, you’ll find links to videos that share powerful stories about the impact Special Olympics has had on our community. I’m sure I’ve missed some moments, and I appreciate your understanding.
Lynn (#52) and Jordan (#23) both play basketball with the Lancers, volleyball with the Strikers, and participate in summer basketball. Jordan also plays softball with the Rangers. You’ll almost always find me cheering them on at their events! While I attend as many activities as I can, I know I miss many of the events your families are part of. I will continue working to broaden my reach—but I could really use your help.
Throughout the year, I will be keeping a log of activities, achievements, and photos to share on social media and in our quarterly newsletters. If you’re interested in helping tell our community’s story, please reach out to me via email.
I look forward to connecting with you!
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Team Splash Preparing to Make a Splash at USA Games
Two of Loudoun's amazing swimmers, Tyler Bernreuther and Akhil Savand were chosen to represent Virginia in June at the USA Games in Minnesota.
Coach Joy was selected as Head Swim Coach for Team Virginia. She is super excited to work with the team after attending a USA Game Head Coaches training camp sponsored by the Michael Phelps Foundation earlier this month. Thirty-eight coaches attended the training with a combined 685.5 volunteer years for Special Olympics!
Wilson Chua was selected as Head Golf Coach for Team Virginia. It is Coach Wilson's first time coaching at the national level.
Please check out our USA Games Team Virginia fundraising page –with Tyler on the cover! A portion of the monies raised will come back to Area 14.
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SPRING SPORTS
216 athletes
472 registrations
20 sports
Eastern, Western, and Southern Loudoun County
*There is still availability in some sports. Sign up here.
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Dance Club
Turning Up the Heat (Even in the Cold!)
By Coach Crystal
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Gathering each Friday for movement, self-expression, and friendship. Cold weather outside, warm vibes inside. We danced those winter blues away!
This session, our athletes didn’t just dance—they led the End of Season dance party:
- Anna Mutter brought the energy with hip hop to “Touchdown”
- Kelly Erikson turned up the flavor with a saucy Salsa and Cha Cha to “Señorita”
- Matt Murphy broke it down to “Bang”
- Tyler Bernreuther wowed us with hip hop + breakdance moves to “Soda Pop”
Confidence. Creativity. Leadership. All on full display!
Coming this spring, we're excited to keep the momentum going:
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More athletes stepping up to lead their own dances. More chances to shine.
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Introducing a brand new dance session with a lively vibe: Latin Beats learning a new partner dance!
- Plus Dance Club favorites Hip Hop, Bollywood, and Swing
Of course, none of this would be possible without the incredible support of our volunteer instructors, dance-along volunteers, and the welcoming inclusive space made available to us by Method Health Club, Ashburn. Thanks to all of these individuals coming together, every Friday Night Dance Club becomes a warm, inclusive experience that keeps athletes coming back for more - movement, self-expression, and social connection!
DANCE CLUB PHOTOS
WINTER DANCE PHOTOS
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Winter Fitness
by Coach Jill
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Our athletes showed improvements across the board during our Winter Fitness session at Method Healh Club in Ashburn. We had several returning athletes and 4 new athletes. Four athletes even had perfect attendance - Brady, Jordan, Samuel and Matthew.
Athletes worked on strength training and cardio as they rotated through training circuits each class. Activities included lifting weights, throwing medicine balls, agility ladder challenges, and increasing endurance with jumping jacks and planks. Classes ended with relay challenges to include different coordination and aerobic challenges. The improvements in athletes' strength and coordination was noticeable.
Several athletes also consistently handed in their homework to show that they met extra challenges for fitness and nutrition throughout the week.
The volunteers had a lot of fun and they got good workouts in class too! Fitness is fun at Method on Saturdays! We're looking forward the Spring session!
PHOTOS
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Cycling
Cyclebar has been a Winter partner for two years. It's given our athletes to train and stay in shape for the Spring season. Cyclebar's owner also assisted with our 2nd Triathlon
Spring Cycling starts on April 12.
Photos
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Swim
The Winter swim program in two locations included sessions geared towards those new to swimming who could independently swim across the pool in deep water, a session for those demonstrating basic tech-niques in freestyle and backstroke, and a session for advanced swimmers wanting to move into a more competitive environment.
Spring Swim has started, ending in May
Photos
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TopGolf
TopGolf continues to be a fun, popular sport. In the winter, the heaters keep up warm in cold weather. To keep everyone safe, there were some cancelations due to rain, snow, ice, and wind . Athletes continued to improve their skills, socialize, and have a lot of fun.
Spring TopGolf starts on April 4.
Photos
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Global Messenger
SOVAL's Global Messenger Andrew Starr spent the morning inside the WTVR CBS 6 News studio getting real media training.
Global Messengers gain valuable experience and growth by helping to spread our mission and vision, speak at community events, and assist in fundraisers.
Contact Coach Joy if you have an event that would benefit from hearing from Andrew.
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Zumba
Our good friend Rochi Bracale celebrated her birthday with a SOVAL fundraiser Zumba class.
The class was about 50-60 strong with a good group of athletes and Rochi's followers. As you can tell from the photo, our athletes were fully engaged and having a blast!
Thank you Rochi Bracale!
Photos
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Polar Plunge
SOVAL had plungers at two different locations this year!
Coach Wilson and Wallace braved the single digits to jump into the pool at Mosaic.
Coach Joy and Leilani both took the plunge at Leesylavnia State Park.
I mastered enough courage to take my first ever plunge at Leesylvania!
Photos
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Winter Dance
It wasn’t just the athletes who took to the dance floor—parents, siblings, caregivers, and volunteers all joined in the fun! The room was filled with energy as everyone bounced, swayed, and even tried their hand at hooping along to the music. The photo booth was a big hit, capturing plenty of joyful moments throughout the event.
The DJ kept the excitement going, taking lots of requests from enthusiastic members of the dance club. Luigi brought the crowd to life with a lively performance, encouraging everyone to join in with a spirited “Cha, Cha, Cha!” To wrap up the afternoon, Coach Crystal gathered everyone together for a final circle dance, ending the event on a high note.
Be sure to watch Luigi’s performance and browse through the photos—you might just spot yourself!
Photos
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Holiday Parades
Athletes took part in both the Leesburg and Purcellville holiday parades this year—and luckily, everyone got to enjoy the ride seated for the full route!
A good thing, too, since many participants (yes, even the Grinch!) had basketball games later that afternoon.
We’re happy to report they showed up ready to play and gave it their all on the court!
Photos
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Coaches Appreciation Dinner
Each year, we come together with our coaches in a relaxed, stress-free, and welcoming environment to connect and unwind.This gathering provides a wonderful opportunity to spend time with both seasoned and new coaches, meet the spouses and partners who support them behind the scenes, and share stories and experiences. Most importantly, it allows us to personally express our gratitude for their dedication and commitment to our athletes.
This year's celebration had a few emotional moments:
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Coach Jim Mahoud was thanked for his generous sponsorship of the event. Given the microphone for his comments, Jim shared that his son Bill joined Special Olympics at age 8. He had just turned 52. Bill is active in basketball, bowling, bocce, biking, golf and won a gold medal in biking last year!
Coach shared a song that his son-in-law, who is very close to Bill, wrote and recorded titled "Through Bill's Eyes." Except for a quick chuckle or sigh when the lyric perfectly described Bill, you could have heard a pin drop.
The song is on most platforms under Whiskey Valor, on the Back Roads and Battlefields album. Give it a listen!
Coach Jeff Erickson invited Coach Joe Buell up to the stage to accept an award for 20+ years of service as a coach, volunteer, council member and friend of the Special Olympics. Jeff recalled a moment when Joe’s calm, steady presence helped defuse an angry parent—a reflection of his quiet strength. That same diplomacy and organizational skill helped shape our programs into the SOVAL we know today. Joe, Krista, and family moved to Nashville, TN a few weeks before the dinner. We will miss them!
Coach Joe took the mic to share his family's story. His family moved into Loudoun because of our Special Olympics program. They'd been in another location where there were no sports/social opportunities for Krista. Joe shared that among all the programs he’s been involved with over the past 20+ years, our SOVAL community of athletes, parents, and volunteers truly stands out as something special. He added with a reminder to keep nurturing the spirit, dedication, and connection that make this community so unique.
We thank the Miller family for securing the banquet room at the lovely Belmont Country Club for the dinner. It was the perfect place to relax and mingle!
Photos
| | 2025-2026 BASKETBALL SEASON RECAP | |
What a season! We faced a number of challenges, but also celebrated many successes.
SOVAL Basketball Coordinator Mike Noel worked closely with Loudoun County Parks and Recreation, Special Olympics Virginia staff, and a dedicated group of volunteers and coaches to guide and manage our growing basketball program. This year, we expanded in exciting ways—adding four new teams, extending into western Loudoun, introducing two new venues, hosting a second tournament, and creating two new opportunities for athlete development.
Our most significant challenge directly impacted our athletes, some of whom have played on the same teams with close friends for many years. As many parents understand, change can be difficult for our children—and for families as well. Mike and the coaching staff approached this transition with care and compassion, working thoughtfully with athletes to minimize stress. In some cases, newly restructured teams felt like entirely new experiences.
When we were left with no competitors for the first Loudoun Tournament and the second Fairfax Tournament, we made lemonade out of lemons.
Our athletes rose to the occasion. They supported new teammates, demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship, and built resilience in the face of change.
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14 Teams
11 Full Court
3 Skills DevelopmentTeams
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Skills State Medal Winners
(Gentle Giants or Voyagers)
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FIRSTS
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Season started with HoopStars scrimmaging against volunteers from the YMSL
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Four new teams - Voyagers, Western Wildcats, Western Spirit, Team Dream
- An expansion into Western Loudoun
- A December Tournament including two new venues - Patrick Henry College and Virginia Academy
- A NBA-like Winterfest event in January
- Sent ten athletes to the Paul VI basketball clinic
- Took our largest basketball delegation to states
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At states our full court teams won 2 Gold (Lancers and Spirit), 1 Silver (Wildcats) and 3 Bronze (Comets, Fun Bunch, Thunder)
- Our Skills athletes won 6 Gold medals and 1 Silver
HIGHLIGHTS
Due to scheduling challenges, the new December Loudoun Tournament was an intramural tournament. These games helped all teams get ready to compete against Fairfax on January 3.
Patrick Henry College was the site for a nail-biting game between Dream Team (formerly Mavericks) and Western Spirit. The teams were beautifully matched and never had more than a 4-point lead at any time. They finished with a tie!
Next up were two new teams - HoopStars and Western Wildcats. Each athlete put in their best efforts and got some great competitive practice!
The next game had members from the Team Dream and Lancers joining together and splitting into two equally balanced teams for an exciting, competitive, and fun game!
Finally, a team of Grinch, coaches, and volunteers gave the Lancers some serious competition. The coach team definitely had the height advantage! Referee Joe was really strict with his foul and technical calls during this game, providing some surprising fun!
The Thunder, Fun Bunch, Comets, and Lightning teams had a cheer team adding to the excitement at Trailside. Wizards and Blazers fought it out at the new Virginia Academy gym in Ashburn.
The Gentle Giants, Valley Voyagers, and Area 14 Skills rotated through the Skills Stations and developed additional skills at Cool Springs Elementary. Photos
The January 3 Loudoun Tournament, thanks to Loudoun County Public Schools, was held the day before the return to school from Winter break. Area 26 (Fairfax) brought 20 full court, 7 half court, and 3 skills teams to the tournament. Area 23 (Prince William) brought 3 full court, 1 half court, and 1 skills teams. It was a busy, competitive day with some wins, losses, and ties. One highlight was Joey's amazing, timer-beating, 3-pointer for a Lancers' one point win. Photos
When we learned that the January 25 Fairfax Tournament was cancelled due to a shortage of venues, we made lemonade out of lemons.
We managed to squeeze in the February 1 Fairfax Tournament between a couple of icy frigid days. Games were held in Oakton, Reston, and Fairfax. Our seasoned athletes got the chance to catch-up with athletes that they've competed with for years. New athletes were introduced to the new competitors, venues, and experiences. All teams put forth their best effort, demonstrated strong teamwork, and made SOVAL proud with their good sportsmanship attitudes. Growth happens at these events. Photos
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WINTERFEST
Producer
Referee (and Travis' dad) Joe Smith
Featuring
FunBunch ~Thunder ~ Lancers ~ Team Dream ~ HoopStars
CoStars
Coaches ~ Volunteers ~ Parents
National Anthem by
Nicole ~ Kelly ~ Rachel ~ Luigi
The NBA-like SOVAL Winterfest intramural basketball event was a blast! The event was kicked off with the National Anthem with our featured artists. Our MC introduced each athlete, providing some stats and interesting facts shared by the athletes. Everyone sang happy birthday to Jaime. Music, play-by-play announcing and coach halftime interviews gave us an NBA vibe.
The first game between the Fun Bunch and Thunder was a nail biter during the entire game!
Next up were Lancers vs Lancers, driving hard through the entire game, with some fantastic passing, layups, and multiple 3’s.
The last exciting game was between Team Dream and HoopStars.
A huge crowd of friends and family cheered and celebrated every pass, dribble, shot and basket, making it a wonderful and community event!
STATS
(Self reported)
Nicknames – C Dilly, Snowman, Maren the Magnificent, Pretty boy swag, The Flash, Moonpie, The Baker, Hype Guy, Mad Max, Typhoon, T-Bone
Years in League (athletes) longest: Bill Mahood with 28 years, 5 others for 20+ years, 2 first timers!
Years in League (coach/volunteer) 15.7
Athlete heights 4’9” – 6’2”
Most popular food pizza followed by, steak/burgers, pasta
Favorite sport other than basketball baseball/softball, football, swimming
Favorite music Hip Hop/R&B, rock, country
Hail from? Most athletes were born and raised in VA with others born in Australia, Taiwan, Miami, California, North Dakota, Maryland
Fun and interesting facts
- A good number of athletes like theatre, singing, and dancing.
- Corey can name the make and model of every car on the road today & has a collection of over 1,000 hot wheels.
- Blake - #44 John Riggins knocked on his front door to surprise him on this 5th birthday. He let me wear his cowboy hat.
- David has been a volunteer at the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company for 11 years.
- Joey loves to cook!
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Timekeepers, DJ, Announcer table
It was Jaime's birthday!
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Max Miller is introduced. Click here to watch the video.
Coach Paul is interviewed. Click here to hear his 2nd qtr strategy.
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Referee and Producer Joe Smith
Team Dream - look at those smiles!
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At the End of Season Party, Coach Mike shared stories about the impact that coaching had on our athletes' growth, character, sportsmanship, and resiliency.
Because of the addition of new teams and loss of Maverick's Coach Joe, a new team was born. Coaches Sean and Alison helped the team to bond by giving them the task of renaming the team. Team Dream was formed!
He shared two other inspiring examples of athletes' development this season.
You can listen to the stories here and here.
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We welcomed and thanked representatives from the Knights of Columbus Council 6831 at our End of Season Party where they presented us with a generous $2,000 donation.
They stayed for a time to socialize, meet families and listen to the stories about our athletes.
It's through donations such as this that we are able to provide our programs free to athletes and their families.
Thank you!
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Coach Jeff, who's been coaching for 20+ years shared that when a new athlete comes along, he watches and listens to get to know them. He then introduced Omer, who is in his first year with us. He's tall and quiet.
A few days after States were completed he received a letter from Omer that said:
"Dear Jeff,
I have composed this poem for you to share with Thunder and parents. Thank you for helping me grow!
Regards, Omer"
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Special but not Wistful
Omer Hashmi
Far it be for me to say
Yet this is what I want to pay
By way of respect to all those
Who made it a mission of course
To allow the minds and bodies
A world of friendship and jollies
Playing a game with love and care
Playing to win a little fanfare
A lot of work and patience it takes
To keep us going and in shape
To compete with ourselves is no mean ask
But Coach Jeff is up to the task
He works with our unique selves
To make us a better version of ourself
He is upright and stands tall
When things aren’t going well for all
Parents are there to cheer us on
Keeping us going when things go wrong
A little smile and a loving touch
My mom and dad are a very forceful bunch
My hope for Thunder and all the rest
Is that we continue to become our best.
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Athlete
JANUARY
Tyler Bernreuther
Tyler has been a dedicated athlete for a number of years and has improved dramatically in basketball and swimming. He is representing Virginia at the US Games in swimming this year. Tyler is a very pleasant young man who has great manners and is kind to everyone. He is a leader in action and represents a great model for Special Olympics. Congratulations Tyler!
FEBRUARY
Bill Mahood
Bill has been in Special Olympics for many years. He has played basketball, softball and cycling and TopGolf in most recent years and is a steady addition to teams. He is a catcher in softball, a challenging position to say the least, and is a speed demon in cycling! Bill always has a smile on his face and is friendly to everyone he comes across. Congratulations Bill!
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Volunteer
JANUARY
Darrin Nielson
Coach Darrin started volunteering with Special Olympics a couple of years ago and started assisting with pickleball. He really pitched in when Loudoun lost their volleyball coach and he stepped in and not only coached, but took the team to states the first year of coaching and is a great leader to the team. He is currently assisting in basketball with the Loudoun Lightning team. Thanks so much Darrin!
FEBRUARY
T.J. Delitta
T.J. has coached a growing bowling program for many years and his dedication to the sport is easy to see. He took twice the number of bowlers to the state championship this year and seems to be a natural at coaching. His athletes love him and he has participated in a few state games as a representative of the Loudoun sheriff’s office. He also put together a plane pull team for the Loudoun Sheriff’s department several years in a row. Thank you T.J.!
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS
These dates will be here before you know it!
Watch for sport-related updates from your coaches and/or posted on our Facebook page.
- April 25 - Track & Field Regionals, Alexandria
- Mid-May - Summer Sports Registration (tentative)
- June 5-7 - Summer Games, Richmond, VA
- June 9 - Council Elections
- June 13 - End of Season Party, location and time TBD
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