CommunitySpecial Olympics
For the love of the game: Bozeman's Syvel Lowery prepares for Special Olympics
By: Ashley Washburn
BOZEMAN — Syvel Lowery's love for the game is far-stretched.
From tearing up the basketball court to running at the track and field state championships, the senior is one of Bozeman's most involved student-athletes.
He'll be representing the Bozeman Yetis in this year's Montana Special Olympics by competing in two different sports, but if it was up to him he'd be competing in all of them.
"Syvel is definitely an athlete," said Special Olympics local program coordinator Joey Hancock. "Definitely starting with basketball and participating in whatever other sports he can throughout the season."
His passion for sports is what got the attention of Bozeman's varsity soccer coach.
"Syvel loves sports, and he's always talking about it, so one day I just asked him if he wanted to be the team manager," Bozeman boys head soccer coach Hunter Terry said. "He wanted to do it, and he was great. He went on bus trips with us. He just ended up being a great fit and an asset."
"I help pump balls, and then I do jerseys," said Lowery, a senior at Bozeman.
He's been Bozeman's team manager for three straight seasons, but it wasn't until this past fall that he got his first varsity start.
"Syvel, you big buddy," Bozeman captain Carter Evans said in a video. "Thanks for working hard this season and showing up every day, and today you're going to get to start in our game."
"He loves just being one of the guys with all his other teammates, and it's one of the best things that's come out of our unified sports programs is him getting to be included along with all of our other athletes," Hancock added.
At this year's Special Olympics, Lowery will be competing in both soccer and two track and field events: the 100-meter dash and 4x100 relay.
"Over these next couple practices we're going to take those scores and get his two best scores and submit those into Special Olympics and earn his awards based on that," Hancock explained.
The competition doesn't stop there for Lowery.
He'll also be running in the unified 4x100 relay representing the Bozeman Hawks at the state track and field championships set for May 28-29 in Missoula.