![]() Everyone gives everything he has all of the time.” “They are competitors and they want to win as bad as the college players. The Special Olympics team has much in common with his college teams, said Mackenzie. I was using words and phrases that are part of soccer lingo that they didn’t use to describe moves and strategies,” he said. View video of team’s practice.Īt the beginning, Mackenzie had a hard time getting the athletes to understand what he wanted them to do. Mackenzie put the players through the same paces he put his national-championship winning teams through. The team gathered once a week at the Paul Dennis Soccer Complex to work on their skills. I’m not doing anything now, so I said, ‘I’ll do it.’ ” I am very lucky to have six healthy children. “Every time I see a challenged individual, I say a little prayer for them. ![]() “I’ve had Special Olympics teams introduced at halftime of Hawks games for many years,” he said. Special Olympics athletes have always had a place in Mackenzie’s heart. Jack Mackenzie coaches the Transitions of Adams County Stars & Stripes team at Summer Games. The younger team is coached by Michael Nolinwinkler, but the older team needed a leader. Mackenzie, who retired from his QU post last August, was asked by Kevin Steinkamp, a local Special Olympics organizer, if he could help find someone to coach the older soccer team. Mackenzie’s 10-man crew was part of a delegation of more than 120 athletes from the West Central/Area 11, which covers Adams, Brown, Cass, Greene, Hancock, Pike, Schuyler and Scott counties. The team competed at the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games in June in Normal. “I’m a real rookie here with Special Olympics. “I’m getting more out of it than I’m putting into it,” Mackenzie said. The experience of coaching the team is like nothing else Mackenzie has experienced in a coaching career that spans more than 40 years and includes nine national championships. Now retired, Mackenzie had agreed to coach the team this year. (Herald-Whig Photo by Steve Bohnstedt)Ī longtime fan of Quincy University soccer, Coons walked on to the field and saw longtime Hawks coach Jack Mackenzie getting ready to run practice. Coach Jack Mackenzie gives instructions during practice in Quincy. Seth Coons, a player with the Transitions of Adams County Stars & Stripes team, couldn’t believe his eyes when he showed up to his first soccer practice earlier this year. Generous academic scholarships and need-based grants are available, as well as scholarships and grants for athletics, music, art and other special talents.By DON O’BRIEN Reprinted with Permission of Herald-Whig A degree from Quincy University is a valuable asset 96% of our graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school within 180 days of graduation. Wonderful leadership opportunities and our extensive internship program prepare QU students for successful careers. Quincy University features over 50 student clubs and organizations and fields athletic teams in the prestigious NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference. Our 12:1 student/faculty ratio ensures that you'll get the attention you deserve. We offer 39 undergraduate degrees, 6 pre-professional programs, and 2 master's degree programs. Quincy University has an enrollment of 1,200 students 48% male and 52% female, 70% of undergraduates live on our 75-acre campus. We've been recognized nationally in Money magazine, Barron's 300 Best Buys in College Education and Peterson's Guide to Competitive Colleges. News and World Report once again rates Quincy University among the top schools in the entire Midwest region for outstanding educational values. Founded by Franciscan Friars in 1860, Quincy University offers a tremendous variety of courses, exceptional resources, outstanding faculty, and personalized attention both inside and outside the classroom.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |