26 Philadelphia athletes took part in Villanova’s 28th Annual Fall Festival held between November 4 – 6. Philadelphia athletes competed in Bocce Doubles, 5v5 Soccer, 7v7 Soccer, and Volleyball Skills. Our Young Athletes also had a chance to show their stuff as they competed in a Relay Race around Villanova’s Oreo, which showcased their soccer and basketball skills. The theme this year was “Around the World”. Beyond competition, athletes got to travel the world collecting passport stamps at Olympic Village, Healthy Athletes, and other offerings throughout the weekend.
Friday afternoon were preliminaries, setting the world stage for our 5v5 and 7v7 Soccer Teams. With construction on what use to be the Pike Field, our 5v5 Soccer Team visited a new country (site) at Shipley to go for the gold. While the 5v5 team got to travel to a new country, our 7v7 remained at Austin Field. After preliminary competitions wrapped up, it was time to officially welcome athletes from all over Pennsylvania. Athletes and spectators alike were entertained by the Villanova Cheerleaders, Dance Team along with other performances that all took on a wordly theme. During the Opening Ceremonies, Lisa Barbour, playing for our 5v5 Soccer Team, Philadelphia Stars and Stripes, lead all athletes in the athlete oath. The athlete oath is, “Let me win. If I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
Our athletes had a surprise visit from our Young Professionals Committee who were out and about on Saturday, traveling from venue to venue cheering on our athletes! Our athletes gave a great performance as they volleyed, kicked, and rolled their way to the top. Find the results below and check out this clip from Villanova TV that recaps the energy of the 28th Annual Fall Festival.
Special Olympics 2016 Villanova Television
| Team 1 | Pamela Galone & John Kulpa | 4th Place |
| Stars & Stripes (5v5) | Ian Capacio, Allison Davidson, Danny Amrik, Jackie Lutts, Emmett Abdo, Lisa Barbour, Kristie Walls, Michael Weinberg, David Brent Williams, Marlene Johnson | Coach: Charles Abdo | 1st Place |
| Philly Strykers (7v7) | Matthew Grabowski, Joseph Rynkiewicz, Ryan Bogan, Charles Zisette, Angel Rodriguez, Brian Stulz, Mitchell Stahl, Samuel Fioravanti Jr, Jason Bixby, Daniel Charlton, Carl Ivis, Matthew Beckerman | Coach: Ryan Milaniak | 1st Place |
| Joseph Barut | 1st Place |
| James Shelton | 3rd Place |
Villanova Special Olympics Fall Fest Committee photos
Be sure to tag any photos you may have posted on Social Media with #SOPAFallFest and #NovaSpO!
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