By Randy Kindred
The dictionary tells us soar means to “fly or rise high in the air,” and to “increase rapidly above the usual level.” The Bloomington-Normal area has a different SOAR, which stands for Special Opportunities Available in Recreation.
Yet, this past weekend, SOAR managed to soar. Representing Region G, the organization spread its wings and took flight at the Special Olympics Illinois State Golf and State Softball Tournaments.
At Decatur’s Hickory Point Golf Course, SOAR had its best-ever six teams qualify for the 9-hole Unified state competition. At Springfield’s UIS Softball Complex, Coach Julie Smith’s hard-working team won twice to earn the gold medal in its division.
The golf tournament included more than 220 athletes, Unified partners, and coaches. The softball tournament attracted more than 630 athletes and coaches.
Here are some highlights from both events.
Back in the Swing
Among the SOAR duos at the golf tournament were Patrick Haynes and his Unified partner, Brian Lahr.
Lahr heads up the SOAR powerlifting program and also enjoys playing golf. SOAR had gone several years without a golf program but reinstituted the sport three years ago.
That was welcome news to Lahr, who competed in the 9-hole Unified state competition last year with a different partner. Haynes also had qualified for state, but he was unable to compete when his partner became ill.
Haynes and Lahr were all smiles Saturday after combining for a first round 92, fourth best out of 17 teams heading into Sunday’s final round.
“You hit some great drives today buddy. I’m proud of you,” Lahr told Haynes, who also competes in basketball and volleyball with Special Olympics Illinois.
“It was fun out there,” said Haynes, 26. “We did so well.”
On a glorious sunny day, Lahr’s heart was warmed by the camaraderie of the Special Olympics Illinois athletes.
“Golf is hard, so to see these guys perform at the level they do is a lot of fun,” Lahr said. “It’s watching all of them support each other. It’s like, ‘We’re all here to watch each other and support each other and have fun.’”
A Barry Good Time
The State Golf Tournament’s individual skills competition included 49-year-old Craig Barry.
Representing Region E, Barry lives at Good Shepherd Manor in Momence. He was quick to converse with volunteers running the skills events – the short putt, long putt, pitch shot, iron shot, wood shot, bunker shot and chip shot.
Barry placed fifth in his division, but felt like a winner because his parents, Jim and Martha Barry of LaGrange Park, had come to watch him. When they arrived, he hugged his father, then kissed his mother on the cheek.
“He doesn’t know a stranger,” Martha Barry said. “They’re all his friends.”
Craig Barry will tell you he has two homes, one with his boys and one with a computer.
“We’re the computer home,” Martha said, smiling.
“We come down (to Momence) usually every other week,” she added. “Next week, they’re having a big fall festival and he sings with the choir. They’re singing so we’ll be down.”
Together, They Won
Among the leaders on SOAR’s champion team for the State Softball Tournament was Travis Brady. He helped SOAR defeat the NWCSRA Wolves Green, 11-6, in the semifinals and PTOEC from Region J, 15-9, in the championship game.
“We had good communication and we played as a team,” Brady said after the first game. “For a second (this summer) we didn’t have any practices because of the heat and the weather. Once we got practices, we came together and communicated and hit well.”
Brady lives in Bloomington and also competes in basketball, volleyball, soccer and tennis. He said Special Olympics Illinois has provided him with a large network of friends.
In June 2026, he will join Team Illinois at the Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis, competing in Unified volleyball.
“It’s been on my bucket list for a long time,” he said. “I just want to enjoy it as much as I can.”
Smith also will be at the USA Games as the Team Illinois volleyball head coach. She said Brady is among “a good group of athletes” on her softball team.
“They listen and they work really hard at practices,” Smith said. “We’ve only had like four practices because of rain and heat. Every time we practice, they put 150 percent into it.
“I can’t tell you from the beginning until now how much they’ve improved. Every game it seems like we just keep getting better and better. It’s all because they’re just working really hard out there.”