The All-Iowa Special Olympics Elite athletes will be honored at the Des Moines Register Sports Awards on June 24 at Wells Fargo Arena in downtown Des Moines. 

Male Finalists

 

Isaac Baldus

Indianola

Isaac Baldus is a senior at Indianola High School. He has been involved in track and field, powerlifting, bowling and basketball. Isaac always strives to improve himself and serves as a great example to his teammates to strive for more than they think they are capable of.

 

Coby Fineran

Manning

Coby Fineran is a student at IKM-Manning High School competing in track and field, basketball, bowling and softball. He is constantly challenging himself. This year, Coby worked on running a longer race with the high school boys’ track team just to get in shape and better himself.

 

Alex Low

Des Moines

Alex Low is a student at Des Moines East High School and participates in bowling, track and field and basketball. He is always asking his coaches how he can help the team. Alex has consistently been in the Special Olympics state basketball and track and field competitions throughout high school.

 

Female Athletes

 

Amanda VanRoekel

Cherokee

Amanda VanRoekel is an athlete at Cherokee Washington High School, where she has competed in cheerleading and bowling. She placed first in state bowling and second in cheerleading with her squad this year. Amanda is interested in extending Cherokee’s Special Olympics programs to include adults in the delegation so she can participate after she graduates.

 

Gloria Loarca

Denison

Gloria Loarca is a student at Denison Community Schools, where she competes in every Special Olympics program the school offers, including basketball, bowling, track and field, cheerleading and soccer. She is always up for trying something new and often puts her teammates’ needs before her own.

 

Madison Ebrecht

Ellsworth

Madison Ebrecht is from Ellsworth, Iowa and participates in several sports, including basketball, track and field and cheerleading. She loves being around her fellow athletes and says her favorite part of Special Olympics is all of the friendships she has made.

 

Unified Teams/Partners

 

JJ Reeg-Beckner

 

 

Jesse Reeg-Beckner

Sioux City

JJ Reeg-Beckner and his brother Jesse have been competing in Unified Sports with Sioux City West High School for years. They participate in Unified bowling and bocce. They are both supportive of Special Olympics and its mission, and are always willing to help out wherever they can.

 

Tyler Steinke

 

Alec Reseland

Urbandale

Tyler Steinke and his Unified Partner Alec Reseland have been a dynamic duo for the past three years at Urbandale High School. They compete in bowling and have won first place the past two years. Tyler and Alec always make time to see each other outside of Special Olympics by participating in school sponsored activities and Special Olympics events.

 

Kaitlin Bockenstedt

 

Chloe Meyers

Dubuque

Kaitlin Bockenstedt and Chloe Meyers are both seniors at Western Dubuque High School, where they compete in Unified cheerleading, bowling and bocce. Kaitlin and Chloe are co-president of their school’s Partners Club, which helps to support Unified Champion School activities and other social events.

 

 

SPORTS AWARDS INFO

The Register is inviting about 800 of Iowa’s best high school athletes to the Des Moines Register Sports Awards on June 24. Those athletes will receive a free ticket to the event, which is headlined by celebrity speaker Shaquille O’Neal. 

When: June 24; Doors open at 7 p.m. Event begins at 8 p.m.

Where: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines

Ticket info: General admission tickets are currently on sale at SportsAwards.DesMoinesRegister.com. They are $35, plus processing fees. Concessions will be available at the ceremony. 

Merchandise: Sports Awards T-shirts, tank tops and more are on sale now at ShopDMRegister.com/SportsAwards

Connect: Get updates and more when you connect to the event on Facebook.