Bringing home bronze to Butler
BUTLER TWP — When it comes to Butler County Special Olympics, one might say Jeff and Diane Myers are doubling their efforts.
Jeff Myers has been a certified coach in the organization for 15 years and coaches soccer, floor hockey and basketball. His wife has been a head coach for nearly seven years and guides teams in soccer, bowling and basketball.
“I love everything about coaching there,” Jeff said. “The effort, the high-fives, the hugs ... everything. The atmosphere is fantastic. I get a lot more out of it than what I give into it.”
“I love the athletes and how committed they are all the time,” Diane said. “And I like the parents. We’ve formed a special bond over the years, a support group.”
Their daughter, Stephanie, 28, has been a Special Olympian for 17 years and gathered more than 100 medals in competitions. The latest was being part of the Butler Wildcats’ 5-on-5 soccer team — coached by her mother — that won a bronze medal recently at the Pa. Fall Festival, hosted by Villanova University in Philadelphia.
The Wildcats competed in the youngest division at the Festival. Jeff Myers coached the Butler Bruisers, who competed in the second of six divisions and also captured a bronze medal.
“Everybody was so excited. It was fun,” Jeff said.
The age range on the Wildcats was 18 to 32. The team won the bronze medal game, 6-2, with Jared Tisdale scoring five goals and his brother, Zach, scoring the other. A third brother, Tommy Tisdale, is also on the teasm. Stephanie, Melissa McKinnis, Nicole McKinney and Alexandra Morrone round out the roster.
“I used to be an assistant coach,” Diane Myers said. “There was a need for head coaches, so I decided to step up and help out. I went through all the training hours that are required. It was well worth it.”
The age range on the Bruisers was 22 to 52. The team won its bronze medal game, 1-0, with Cory Brunck scoring the winning goal. Other team members are Austin Sellner, Greg Carpenter, Clint Atkinson, Clay Goupil and John Carpenter.
Jordyn Wyllie was an assistant coach for the Wildcats while Gabriella Lloyd was an assistant coach for the Bruisers.
“I never played soccer before,” Jeff admitted. “Gabby is a soccer referee and has been around the game a long time. She’s been a tremendous asset in teaching us the game and keeping me up on the rules.”
Lloyd first started helpihg out with Butler County Special Olympics at age 14. She is 22 now.
“I saw they needed help working the Western Sectional at Slippery Rock University, so I went up there,” the Butler graduate recalled of her initial involvement. “I fell in love with the environment ... so much enthusiasm and positivity. I’ve been helping out ever since.”
Villanova set up an Olympic village for Special Olympians from all over the state. The Butler teams rode out by bus on a Friday, played a handful of games later in the day, then played three games within their respective divisions on Saturday. The medal competition took place Sunday before everyone returned home.
“It was a whirl-wind pace that whole weekend,” Jeff said.
But the athletes never tired.
“They did more than just play soccer. There were other activities lined up for them,” Lloyd said. “There was a dance one night from 7 to 9 p.m., then the athletes were up at 6 a.m. the next day, ready to go play soccer.
“They keep up a pace I couldn’t keep up with.”
And they’re still doing it.
Bowling season runs twice a week from Labor Day through early May. Floor hockey runs from now through February, basketball from March through May. The soccer players just switch sports and keep going.
“This is an amazing group of people,” Diane said. “And they love every minute of it.”
