Special Olympics New Jersey currently serves more than 24,000 athletes throughout the state. All programs are free to registered athletes including insurance, facilities, equipment, uniforms, housing & meals for events, awards, sports, education and more. In addition to programs offered on the local, county, sectional and state levels, Special Olympics New Jersey offers free programs and activities at the in Lawrenceville, including Camp Shriver, fitness training, Athlete University, coach and volunteer training sessions, family programs and so much more. Through sports training and competition, people with intellectual disabilities are benefited physically, mentally, socially and spiritually; families are strengthened, and the community at large, both through participation and observation, is united in understanding individuals with intellectual disabilities in an environment of equality, respect and acceptance. On July 31, 2009, 15 days before Eunice Kennedy Shriver left the world from all of us, two married Special Olympics couples from Montvale, New Jersey made a major breakthrough in providing inclusion and unified sports outside the Special Olympics realm. Linda Coston and her husband Stephen Coston On July 31, 2009, 15 days before Eunice Kennedy Shriver left the world from all of us, two married Special Olympics couples from Montvale, New Jersey made a major breakthrough in providing inclusion and unified sports outside the Special Olympics realm.

• Special Olympics Athletes Stories
• Special Olympics Athlete Medical Form
• Special Olympics Young Athlete

Linda Coston and her husband Stephen Coston were the only two Special Olympics Bowlers competing in another amateur event called the State Games of America against 200 other amateur bowlers across the USA. The moment occurred at Colorado Springs.

They won the Silver Medal in the top 5 finalist in the stepladder finals. The biggest dramatic moment that shocked 200 other amateur bowlers across the USA was witnessing Stephen Coston scoring 11 consecutive strikes for a 290 game. His highest game in a lifetime. He was given a trophy plaque from the United States Bowling Congress. A very high honor award ever given to a Special Olympics Athlete overall. This is the breakthrough for Special Olympics Athletes nationwide.

The Special Olympics Young Athletes program, for toddlers and children through age 7, started in New Jersey, which is hosting the first USA Games Young Athletes. National Edition. Special Olympic Young Athlete Program. The goal of the class is to help develop the skills needed to eventually compete in. YOUNG ATHLETE PROGRAM GUIDE, Author: Special Olympics New Jersey, Name: YOUNG ATHLETE PROGRAM. Tfor families and children to the Young Athlete Program.

About Stephen Coston:Stephen and Linda Coston live in Montvale, NJ. They been married for 10 years. They made a breakthrough again in the 2011 State Games of America in San Diego, California.

The hard earned money they sacrificed without any sponsors or grants. Stephen won the Gold Medal for a 237 score and his wife Linda won another Silver Medal and a Bronze.

They fulfilled the vision of one of Eunice Shriver's speeches. (THE RIGHT YOU HAVE IN ANY PLAYING FIELD, YOU HAVE EARNED IT!) It is time to open the doors for other amateur sports programs to provide the same opportunities for Special Olympics Athletes to participate as well as compete.

Linda Coston will be participating in the 2018 Special Olympics USA games in Seattle Washington. Representing Team NJ in Bocce. My name is Alex Berg and I am an avid bowler.

I have been bowling since I was 6 years old. I participate in a weekly league in northern NJ every weekend and for the past few years I have started to bowl in the NJ Junior Bowling and PJBT bowling tournaments. Last April 2017, I decided for my Bar My name is Alex Berg and I am an avid bowler.

I have been bowling since I was 6 years old. I participate in a weekly league in northern NJ every weekend and for the past few years I have started to bowl in the NJ Junior Bowling and PJBT bowling tournaments. Last April 2017, I decided for my Bar Mitzvah project to help get donations from family and friends in order to help the Special Olympics. I was thrilled to see that I was able to get $1000 in donations. I love the sport of bowling and I hope that my donation will help children and adults with special needs to enjoy the sport as much as I do.

Special Olympics Athletes Stories

About Alex Berg:My name is Alex Berg and I am 13 years old and I live in Northern NJ. Special Olympics changed my life by discovering my talents and finding my inner identity.

Special Olympics changed my life by discovering my talents and finding my inner identity. I was part of the baby boom generation, a special education student. At that time they did not understand mainstreaming.

When I went to school, you were put in segregated classrooms and isolated from your peers in school and other community activities. The R word was used in bullying, and the educational system didn't give me the education to be eligible for higher education. This experience had an effect on me emotionally. I was very shy, kept myself isolated, because I was afraid of being criticized and being made fun of.

There were other things going on my life, too. All this made me a very angry person with a chip on my shoulder. I was part of Special Olympics from 1973 to 1978, while I was in high school. I ran track and field and did basketball drills.

I became the talk of the town in 1974 when I won my first of five gold medals, running the 300 yard run in 41 seconds and the 220 yard run in 26 seconds. I left the Special Olympics in 1979. After a 23 year absence, I came back in 2002 as a volunteer. I became aware and was inspired that the Special Olympics has grown with other expanded sports and became more organize and manageable. Then I heard about the Unified Sports program and I became involved in Special Olympics as a Unified Athlete in Bowling and Bocce.

I decided to come back. And I have no regrets ever since. In the 23 years of my life. I worked double hard and persevered to overcome the labeling, the stigmatizing, the isolation. And with the experience of being in Special Olympics previously, it motivated me to keep going and never give up on my goal to pursue higher education.

I was one a special needs student who was ahead of the times. I have a college degree in Computers and I am currently working as a Mailroom Supervisor for Berry Global Plastic Corporation and I am supporting myself and I am also married. My wife is Linda and she is in Special Olympics also. She was a former Special Education Student as well and she went through a lot of emotional painful experience in having a learning disabilities.

Special Olympics Athlete Medical Form

She started in Special Olympics in 2007, the year we got married. We both participate together in two of the three sports we are in. Volleyball, Bowling, she plays Bocce, I play Softball.Special Olympics today is more competitive than ever. With new evidence of scientific facts and technologies, we have come a long way. We are savvier, have more knowledge and won't get fooled again.

About Stephen F. Coston:I live in Montvale, New Jersey and I been married for 10 years to my wife Linda Coston, who is a Special Olympics athlete herself.

Special Olympics Young Athlete

I am currently still active in the Special Olympics of NJ in Volleyball, Bowling and Softball. I graduated from the Special Olympics Athlete Leadership Program in 2010 and became a Global Messenger and served in the Athlete Congress for 3 years from 2012 to 2015. Picaxe programmer.

I am still currently working full time at AEP Inc. Which is now Berry Global Incorporated. I work as a Supervisor of the Mailroom. I manage it alone.

The Young Athlete Program was created in consultation with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, to meet the physical and development needs of children, ages 2 ½ to 7, in the areas of physical activity and play, with an emphasis on sports skill development. The activities presented in the program are designed to develop the fundamental prerequisite skills to prepare athletes for future participation in sports. The program includes user-friendly instructions and a complete kit of sports activity equipment.

The design of this program provides flexibility for the parent/sibling, paraprofessional, teacher, and volunteer to conduct activities. The Young Athlete Program can be used in a preschool/school environment, playgroup or one-on-one situation.