SOMO News
SOMO Sum ups Dec. 7th – Dec. 12th
Central Area – We wrapped up our bowling season on Friday with a fantastic tournament in Owensville, bringing an exciting and successful year of competition to a close. With that event, our 2025 sports programs are officially complete, and we couldn’t be more proud of everything our athletes accomplished this year. The progress, teamwork, and enthusiasm we’ve seen have truly made this season special. We’re already looking ahead and are excited for all the big things to come in 2026!
North Area – Tip-A-Cop was held Wednesday night at Pizza Ranch, where officers and volunteers helped raise funds for the community. On Sunday, volunteers also supported the Chiefs game by handing out recycling bags to fans. Additionally, the Wild Cats Cheer group delivered an energetic halftime performance at the Bill Snyder Classic that same day.
Southeast Area – The Southeast Area hosted a lively and well-attended bowling tournament on Saturday, December 6th at the Bonne Terre Family Fun Center. The event brought together 12 agencies from across the region, with athletes competing in two energetic sessions throughout the day. In total, approximately 150 athletes participated, filling the lanes with enthusiasm, teamwork, and plenty of high-fives. It was a fantastic day of competition and camaraderie, showcasing the skill and spirit of our athletes while bringing the community together for a memorable event.
KC Metro Area – We wrapped up our final Unified Pickleball League last night! 🎉 Huge thanks to the UMKC Institute for Human Development for celebrating us with hot cocoa & cookies. Up next for UMKC Unified: Basketball, Bocce & Soccer!
Last week we hosted our SOMO Winter Bash at Truman High School. It was an absolute blast! Fun was everywhere – from dancing the night away, to getting creative with crafts, to competitive bingo sessions, and of course…. All the yummy food! A big heartfelt thank you to all the amazing student volunteers who helped make the event shine! Your energy and kindness warmed up the whole night! Also, a huge shout out to the YPB (Young Professional Board) and SOMO Staff for putting together such a fantastic, festive celebration. You all rocked it! Already counting down to next year!
Southwest Area – Recently, CrossFit Republic hosted athletes and unified partners as they showed what true strength looks like — strength in determination and community. Across the competition platform, we saw incredible lifts, loud cheers, and unstoppable spirit. And together, our competitors moved a massive, combined total of 37,370 lbs! 🤯🔥 (Top weight per lift counted for each athlete.) We finished up Area bowling today with tournament number nine! Today, at Fourth Street Bowl in Joplin, we hosted a TON of schools! We had Carterville Elementary, Dover Hill Elementary, Cecil Floyd Elementary, Soaring Heights Elementary, Irving Elementary, Webb City Middle School, Joplin East, North and South Middle Schools, Purdy Schools, and Liberal Schools. We had Jaden from Carl Junction lead us in the Athlete Oath, and we had a couple girls from Webb City’s Show Choir sing the National Anthem. We had an absolute blast this year, but we’re glad to have a little break before State Bowling next month. Special shout out to Carl Junction and Webb City High Schools for providing volunteers today, and to the other volunteers we had from the community. An extra special shout out to volunteer Kent Parsons, who came to all nine bowling tournaments! Thank you to everyone who helped in any way this year: the Coaches, the Chaperones, the Volunteers, the bowling alley Staff, the Law Enforcement, the parents and families, the Athletes, and to my fellow SOMO staff! Roughly 1,200 bowlers and nine tournaments in the books! We will see everyone in 2026!
St. Louis Metro Area – This past weekend, SOMO St. Louis Metro had a busy and rewarding schedule. Our team supported the national Hot Chocolate Run, helping raise important funds for our local athletes while connecting with community members throughout the event. We also hosted a vendor table at the Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis Holiday Party, where we had the chance to share resources, engage with families, and strengthen our community partnerships. It was a wonderful weekend of outreach, teamwork, and celebrating inclusion.