The traditionally heated rivalry between Hollister and Gilroy
schools had a distinct spirit of sportsmanship last Friday as the
fifth annual Baler Gifted Games expanded to include nearly 150
students from San Benito and southern Santa Clara counties.
The traditionally heated rivalry between Hollister and Gilroy schools had a distinct spirit of sportsmanship last Friday as the fifth annual Baler Gifted Games expanded to include nearly 150 students from San Benito and southern Santa Clara counties.
Gray skies gave way to brilliant sunshine as the Olympic-style event kicked off at San Benito High School’s Andy Hardin Field.
The Baler band led the march-in of athletes, who waved to the crowd packed with high schools students whose teachers had brought them out to the event to cheer on the disabled participants.
“Let’s go Balers, let’s go!” echoed through the stadium as the SBHS contingent marched in prior to the pledge of allegiance and singing of the National Anthem.
Prior to her “Let the games begin” pronouncement, Principal Krystal Lomanto said that the event had drawn double the amount of participants that it had last year, when the formerly in-house games were expanded to include elementary and junior high schools from around the county.
“It was great, it was awesome,” said SBHS life skills teacher Ramona Trevino. “I’m getting nothing but good remarks from the Gilroy teachers and principals that came out.”
Students from preschool to high school attended the event, which featured running events, wheelchair races, the long jump, softball and Turbo Jav throwing competitions. Ninety-three of the athletes were from San Benito County and 55 were from Gilroy.
See the full story in the Pinnacle on Friday.
