Hello, Partners and Colleagues!
On Saturday, October 7, 2023, Sea Center Texas will be hosting our second annual Special Olympics Fishing Competition. We are very excited for the opportunity to host this wonderful event again.
Last year, 50 athletes, spread across four different ponds, participated in the fishing competition. This year, we are doubling in size. As of today, we currently have 92 athletes registered to compete! The Special Olympics Fishing Competition is an “all hands on deck” event, and we are seeking additional volunteers to accommodate the competition’s growth.
We need volunteers to assist with the following stations:
- Registration Table
- Fishing Assistant
- Scorekeeper
- Weigh Master
- Rig Repair
- Athlete Village
- Setup & Take Down
Due to the number of athletes, we will be splitting the competition into two heats. The first heat will fish from 9am – 10:30am, and the second heat will fish from 11am – 12:30pm. There will be a 30-minute break for volunteers between heats. After the competition is over, there will be an athlete award ceremony from 12:30pm -1:30pm.
In addition to the fishing portion of the event, there will also be an “Athlete Village,” located in the green space between the ponds and the employee parking lot. The village will have inflatable games for the participants and their families to enjoy while they await their turn to compete. There will be a food truck onsite to provide donated snacks to athletes. Sea Center will also set up several education stations in the village.
To be a volunteer at the Special Olympics Fishing Competition you MUST sign up through the Special Olympics registration website. The Special Olympics organization has their own waiver that all volunteers are required to acknowledge. Signing up through their website fulfills the waiver acknowledgment.
Please note, there will be a mandatory safety/site orientation for all volunteers the morning of the event. Orientation will be held at the youth fishing pier at 8:00AM. If you are volunteering for the Registration Table shift, we need you to arrive at SCT no later than 7:30am.
I have also attached a volunteer signup flyer to this email. Please feel free to share this flyer with everyone you know.
We are so grateful for your help. The Special Olympics Fishing Competition is a truly wonderful event, and it would not be possible without a host of volunteers.
Thank you for all you do.
Juliana Moore, Program Specialist III
Coastal Fisheries Division | Sea Center Texas
302 Medical Drive, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
979-292-OIOO ext. 224 | juliana.moore@tpwd.texas(dot)gov