#SDSportsAwards, Special Olympians: Trio embodies spirit of South Dakota Special Olympics
There’s an oath that guides the Special Olympics: “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
That spirit of commitment, sportsmanship and teamwork defines the Special Olympics, and the two athletes and one coach being honored in the South Dakota Sports Awards. The award is sponsored by Sen. John Thune.
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Elly Hohn, 13, of Parkston has participated in the Special Olympics for six years. She plays basketball, softball and track and field. But she also shows teamwork as the student manager for the Gayville-Volin girls basketball team and as the USF water girl.
MORE: See other winners of the S.D. Sports Awards
Her admiration for local athletes runs deep – she counts Marie Malloy and Taylor Varsho of USF as two of her heroes, as well as Genny Clark of Gayville-Volin.
For Hohn, those young athletes are right up there with her other heroes – Adrian Peterson of the Vikings and Riley Reiff of the Detroit Lions.
She also enjoys volleyball, listening to music, camping and being on social media.
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Dominick Rosenlund, 19, of Bryant has spent seven years in the Special Olympics.
Rosenlund, who attends the Northeast Educational Services Cooperative, competes in bowling, bocce, basketball, soccer and track and field.
He has also served as the student manager for the Hamlin Chargers football team for four years. But off the field, he’s also successful. Rosenlund was student of the month both his junior and senior year.
Besides sports, he enjoys fishing and socializing – and he never misses a day of school.
Rosenlund’s sports heroes are in the community – he counts the Hamlin Charger football team as an inspiration, having set an example of sportsmanship and inclusion. He also admires the Dallas Cowboys.
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Joe Burmeister, 46, of Rapid City, serves as a coach.
For the past six years, he has helped guide athletes through Special Olympics. He also serves as the director of Special Olympics Rapid City Storm, coordinates community blood drives and has coached baseball for 27 years.
In his free time, Burmeister enjoys softball and dodgeball and is a flag football enthusiast. A former disc jockey, he considers himself a music aficionado – with KISS as his favorite band.
He counts John Elway as a hero, and he’s a season ticket holder for the Denver Broncos. That means Peyton Manning is another favorite.