NEwsletter for January 20, 2025

Events / Activities / Updates

2025 Membership Dues are Due
Its a new year and with a the new year comes our membership dues.  
To complete your 2025 Membership Dues, please visit our online Square to make your payment!  

2025 Event Dates & Deadlines Website Links

• 2025 Special Olympics of IL Event Dates & Deadlines 
• Fun Nights for 2025 - Schedules​

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Medical-Fest Opportunity
We are looking for doctors and nurses that could legally sign our medical applications.
We are looking at using the Mascoutah Leu Civic Center and have athletes come in and do an annual medical application.
This way we can as an organization stay on top of the medical application process.

• Looking to get it organized for December
• If you are interested or know someone that could help, please email [email protected]

Follow us now on LinkedIn
We are expanding our professional communication reach now through LinkedIn.  If you have a LinkedIn profile, please follow us and spread our network!  Without Limits - Team Galaxy LinkedIn Page.

Spirit Wear
Below is a link to our spirit wear fundraiser for Without Limits-Team Galaxy sports teams https://warriorlogowear.com/team_galaxy/shop
Please check it out and feel free to place your order! To order, all you must do is open an account and place your order.  
Thank you so much for supporting Without Limits-Team Galaxy!!

2025 Polar Plunge
It's Freezing for a Reason Season!! That's right its time to sign up for the 2025 Polar Plunge. Grab your plunge team and head out to one of our local Plunge sites. All you have to do is click the link below to get started.  Register for either the Collinsville Dumpster plunge on 2/28/25 or Carlyle Lake on 2/22/24. Let's make the 2025 Polar Plunge season one for the books. Register to plunge, join a team, and start fundraising today. Happy Plunge Season!!
https://plungeillinois.com/  --  Happy Shopping! https://willpromo.com/soill_plunge/shop/home

Elvis Is In the Building!!!
Come see Jeff Caldwell, Elvis Impersonator and The Vinyl Frontier Band

• February 1st at 7 PM to 10 PM.  Doors open at 6PM
• Open to the public. 
• $5 Donation for entry.  Donations go to Without Limits Team Galaxy. 
• Special drinks and a dinner basket will be available.  
• The Belleville / Swansea Moose Lodge building​

Granite City Knights of Columbus Dinner & Dance
It is time again for the annual Granite City Knights of Columbus Dinner Dance!

• What: Granite City Knights of Columbus Dinner Dance
• When: Saturday, Feb 1, 2025
• Where: Granite City Knights of Columbus, 4225 Old Alton Rd, Granite City, IL
• Times: Doors Open at 5:30 PM. Dinner at 6:00 PM, Dance after dinner
• RSVP is required for attendance!!!

Please send a roster of chaperones, clients, and 1 contact person per agency with a phone number. Rosters must be sent to Paul Hellrich at [email protected] ASAP. For additional details you can call Paul at 618-407-3011.

• All attendees must be on your RSVP roster!
• ***Please refrain from making additions to your roster after the deadline***
• Deadline date for RSVPs coming soon

“The Evening of Entertainment – A Competitive Spotlight on Abilities”
to Benefit the Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis
Saturday, March 29, 2025 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Performance Application – DUE by February 28, 2025
Ladue Horton Watkins High School, 1201 South Warson Dr., St. Louis, MO 63124

Come Join Us for this Family-Friendly Event Highlighting the Wonderful Talent of Individuals with Disabilities. This Will Be an Evening You Will Not Forget!

Sponsored by Access-4-All, LLC to benefit the Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis, a not-for-profit organization which works to ensure that individuals with disabilities are aware of and have opportunities to participate in leisure and recreation activities of their choice. Funds raised will provide scholarships for recreation programs for individuals with disabilities.

To Learn More About the Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis Go to:  www.RecreationCouncil.org  or call 314-726-6044

evening-of-entertainment-revised-2025-flyer-1.pdf
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File Type:	pdf

Download File

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Dance / Cheer / Gymnastics

​Artistic Gymnastics

• Sundays 9:00-10:00am
• Gateway Elite Gymnastics -- 700 Old Collinsville Road / Fairview Heights, IL 62208
• First practice: January 26th
• Parent meeting:  January 26th 10:00am following practice

Rhythmic Gymnastics:

• Wednesdays
• 5:15 pm Group 1
• 6:00 pm Group 2 
• Stars R Us Dance Studio / 9241 B Bellar Dr., / Mascoutah, IL

Dance Scheduling  --  Choreography / Practice Scheduling
If your dancer needs to be scheduled, please contact Kati Hassall.  Those who wish to compete with solo please also let Kati know.  
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Dance classes have resumed!!!
The schedule will be as follows:

• 5:30-6:10, Boys ages 10+
• 6:15-6:55, Girls ages 8+
• 7-7:30, COMPETITION/NATIONALS group (this will alternate week to week, so please be watching for emails)
• 7:30-8, solo spot 1
• 8-8:30, solo spot 2
• The solo spots will also alternate week to week, so please look out if it is your week. If you do not hear from Kati Hassall that week, please assume that it is NOT your week.

If you need a solo or dance choreographed, or need to schedule a private time with Kati, please let her know!  It will be important that solos are practiced at home since Kati will only have time to do 2 solos a week and they need to alternate.

Nutcracker & Dance Updates - Exciting News for 2025!  From Kati!!!
Hello Dancers and Families!
I have some exciting updates and important dates to share with you. Let’s dive right in!
Nutcracker 2025:

• Rehearsals Begin: June 2025  
• Performance Date: December 2025  
• Nutcracker Tea: Prior to the performance – an opportunity for friends and family to take pictures and meet our beloved characters! Date to be announced.  

Important Nutcracker Notes:

• If you were assigned a part and wish to keep it, **let me know ASAP.**
• If you were assigned a part but no longer want to participate, **let me know ASAP.**
• If you were not originally cast but want to participate, **let me know ASAP.** I would love to include you!
• We are returning to the original Nutcracker version – forget any new choreography you may have started. We’re going back to the classic!  

Choreography Help Needed:

• I’m scheduling choreography now and need a few more people to help finish by February 2025. If you need choreography, please let me know!  
• Also, if you have any recordings of past choreography I’ve done, please send them my way. I lost my iPad with all my choreography notes! :(  

Nationals Team - Addiction Nationals (Chicago)

• Dates: June 24-29, 2025  
• Cost: Approximately $150/dancer  
• Location: Chicago  
• You will handle your own hotel and travel bookings.
• You won’t need to stay all 4 days, but I’ll confirm our performance dates closer to time. Award days may differ from performance days. I’ll share the schedule as soon as I have it!

Solos/Duets

• Recital or Competition: Let me know if you want to compete or just perform at the recital.
• Addiction Nationals (Chicago): Solos/duets welcome! Approximate cost: $200/dancer
• Addiction Regional (St. Louis): May 9-11, 2025  
  • Cost: Around $150/solo or $75/dancer in duets  

Competition Team

• Addiction Regional (St. Louis):  May 9-11, 2025  
• Cost: About $60/dancer for group routines  

Recital 2025

• When: June 2025
• Each dancer will perform in every class they participate in. Exact date coming soon!  

Seussical Auditions
Missed out on audition materials for Seussical? Let me know and I’ll send them to you right away!
General Reminders: 

• Stay tuned to our Facebook page for class updates.  
• We follow Mascoutah school cancellations – if they’re closed, so are we.  

Special Olympics Polar Plunge Assembly

• Cheer Team will be cheering at the Carriel Middle School
• Wednesday the 22nd at 8 to 9:30AM

Fundrive - Update & Reminder for SO Cheer!
Next Fundrive is scheduled for February 28th.  Lets see if we can beat December's amount of 6742 pounds of donated clothing and items!  We always need help loading and unloading the box truck.  If you're available, please help in February.  More details to follow.  

Cardinals Nation Family Night with Fredbird

• Without Limits Special Olympic Cheer Team
• Wednesday, February 19th, 2025
• Kids Eat Free / Meet Fredbird / Games & Prizes
• Make your reservations at Cardinalsnation.com
• 15% of your bill will be donated back when you mention our group's name.
• One free kids meal per adult meal purchased.  Dine in only.  For kids under 12 years old.  

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​Sports & Athletics

Winter Games - 2025 Galena
Details for the winter games are coming.  As soon as we have information and schedules, we will provide these on this website.  It should be available this week.  

Snow Shoe

• ​Winter Games will be on February 11 - 13, 2025 in Galena
• Next practice will be on Saturday, January 25 at 9AM in Mascutah's Scheve Park.  We are going to practice running the hills.  

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Sharks Swimming Team - 2025 
NEXT SUNDAY!!!  Are you ready?  Please read all emails from Coach Jon this week to prepare.  

• First practice for both the Developmental and Competitive groups will be Sunday,  January 26th.  
• Practices will be held at the CMT YMCA on Sundays starting next month
• Development group will have the pool from 3PM to 4PM
• Competitive group will have the pool from 4PM to 5PM

Basketball

• Normal practice this week at Leu Civic Center
• Athletes and coaches, please remember practices times will be changing this week.
  • Boys will be practicing at the Leu Civic Center on Tuesdays
  • Shooting Stars will be a 7:00 and Superstars at 8:00.
  • Girls team should receive an email with their times
• Regionals is February 5, 2025 (SUNDAY) in Trenton
  • Teams will start at 8AM
  • Skills will start at 9AM
• State is March 7th through 9th 2025

Soccer Teams & Skills

• Interested in Soccer Team and/or Skill - Read this letter!

Athletic Teams / Track & Field

• Interested in Athletic Teams /  Track & Field - Read this letter!

Interested in Bags?  Cornhole? Kickball?  Handball?
WLTG is looking to find out what the interest is in Cornhole (bags), kickball and handball.
Cornhole is a Unified and traditional sport.

• Handball is a sport like soccer and basketball. A demonstration will be done to show the game.
• We are trying to find out if parents or athletes would be interested in Unified soccer. It would have its own season during the summer.
• State for Unified soccer is in September 2015​ . 

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​Coaching / Training Resources 

Interested in Special Olympic Sports Training?
Without Limits Team Galaxy is always looking for coaches and assistance.  Interested? 

• Coaching Special Olympics Athletes - this page has all the Special Olympics resources, tools and guides which have been created to support coaches in their role.  

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Coach Training Links:  

• Online Special Olympics Coach Education - If you are a coach or you are thinking about becoming a coach, visit here to learn more about what courses we have and who each course is designed for.
  • Level 1 Sport Assistant Course - Level 1 Sport Assistant is the first step on the pathway to becoming a coach. It introduces you to the basics of Special Olympics Sport.
  • Level 2 Coaching Assistant Course - Level 2 Coaching Assistant is the second step on the coaching pathway and will prepare you to begin taking on coaching duties under the supervision of a more experienced coach.
  • Level 3 Coach Course - This course is one element of your education as a lead coach. All coaches at Level 3 should also complete sport specific coach certification. You should consult your local programme for more information about sport specific training.
  • Unified Sports Coaching Course - Essential learning for any Special Olympics Unified Sports Coach. This course introduces Unified Sports and the 6 criteria for a successful Unified Sports programme.
  • Fitness for the Sports Coach Course - Physical fitness is central to the Special Olympics mission. This course will introduce coaches to fitness and will help them to plan purposefully and creatively to integrate fitness into sport training and to  e ngage their athletes in fitness activities.
  • Young Athletes Coach Course - Special Olympics Young Athletes coaches will be introduced to the Young Athletes programme, designed for children with and without intellectual disabilities age 2-7.

Other Training Resources

• Coaching Unified Sports for Special Olympics​ - Unified Sports is an inclusive sports program that unites Special Olympics athletes (individuals with intellectual disabilities) and partners (individuals without intellectual disabilities) as teammates for training and competition. This course will help you understand and implement Special Olympics Unified Sports in your school.
• Special Olympics of Illinois Rules Book - Policies and Procedures
• Special Olympics of Illinois Rules Book - Training Page with Local Resources
• Special Olympics of Illinois Rules Book - Athlete Centered Coaching Guide
• Principles of Coaching - This course is offered for free online in a self-paced format. Once completed, please email Rich Crothers certificate of completion to coach’s record. 

Special Olympics Fitness Links:  

• Special Olympics Resources - These resources were designed to support training and the integration of fitness into sports coaching
• "Fit 5" Resources - These resources were designed to be utilized with flexibility, giving Programs the opportunity to integrate and implement the resources in a way that aligns with their current goals and objectives

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Thank You Moose Lodge! 

Thank you Moose Lodge 1221 for all the work you put into our Happy New Year celebration!!
Lots of food, friends, fun and dancing!!! So fun!!! Belleville/Swansea Moose Lodge #1221

Shoot the Rock Thank You

Thank you to everyone who came out to Leu Civic Center - A Proud United Way Organization for The Shoot the Rock event!!
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A huge thank you to the first responders who participated and to the Leu Civics Center for hosting.
Such a wonderful event!! Mascoutah Police Department

SO Cheer at the Team Cougar Invitational

"So proud of this team!!!   You Rocked the House!!
Thank you to Central Cougar Cheerleading for Inviting us to perform today!!
Such an amazing day!!!"
- Lisa