From Staff Reports
L’Observateur

PRINCETON, N.J. — A three-Gold Medal showing by Vacherie’s Theodore “T.C.” Bazile paced an amazing performance by River Region athletes at this summer’s 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in New Jersey.

Bazile clocked first place showings in the shot put, 4×100-meter relay and 400-meter run. He also won fourth place in the running long jump.

“I did a great job,” Bazile said. “Everybody started hollering for me in the arena.”

The games took place June 14-21 in Princeton and included a huge contingent of South Louisiana athletes and an especially strong showing from those from the River Parishes.

Along with athletes and coaches, unified partners also competed. A unified partner is someone without an intellectual disability who is paired with athletes with intellectual disabilities on the same team to compete against other unified teams. 

River Region athletes included Kanesha Ratcliff of Destrehan, Jerome Devare and Sean Adams of LaPlace, Kurt Theriot of Luling, Jerrod Turner of Lutcher, Denise Louque of Paulina, Dwight Johnson and Theotis Ursin of Reserve and Theodore Bazile of Vacherie.

Some of the best teamwork of the games took place when Unified Partners Raffeal Neal of LaPlace, Calvin Berry of Destrehan and David Green of Montz worked with Johnson and Ursin to earn the Silver Medal with the unified basketball team.

Ratcliff was especially strong in the individual events, winning a Silver Medal in the shot put, a sixth-place finish in the 100-meter run and two participation ribbons in the 200-meter run and mini javelin.

Theriot strolled to Bronze Medals in the 100-meter walk and 50-meter walk and two fourth-place ribbons in the 50-meter run and softball throw.

Turner sped Gold in the 100-meter run, Silver in the running long jump and collected two fourth-place ribbons in the shot put and 200-meter run.

Louque closed out the River Region’s amazing showing with a Silver Medal in bocce unified team and two Bronze Medals in bocce unified doubles and bocce singles.

Those who teamed with the athletes included coach Mollie Picou of Des Allemands, who led Team Louisiana in bowling and coach Kenny Guedry of Destrehan, who led Team Louisiana in athletics.

Unified Partner Annie Gaubert of Luling won two fourth-place ribbons in bocce unified doubles and bocce unified team.

Erin Frickey, a unified partner on the tennis team, took home a fourth-place ribbon in doubles unified team.

In all, Team Louisiana brought home 47 Gold Medals, 36 Silver Medals and 34 Bronze Medals.

For more information about the USA Games, visit laso.org or call 1-800-345-6644.