Wounded Warriors to Train at Central Oklahoma

Media Contact: Tiffany Wilson
Wellness Center Public Relations Assistant
University of Central Oklahoma
(405) 974-3127
twilson37@uco.edu

EDMOND, Okla. (Dec. 22, 2010) – The University of Central Oklahoma will host a sitting volleyball training camp for 50 wounded U.S. Army members Jan. 7-9 at Central's Wellness Center, where they will hone their sitting volleyball skills through individual and group instruction and 10 will be selected to represent the Army during the 2011 Warrior Games.

The second-annual Warrior Games, scheduled for May 16-21, 2011 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., is an athletic event where 200 wounded, injured and ill service members from all branches of the U.S. military will compete in seven sports including shooting, swimming, archery, track and field, cycling, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball.

During the first day of training camp on Jan. 7, Army and USA Sitting Volleyball coaches will divide the troops into two groups to provide them with individual training.

On Jan. 8, the second day of training camp, all 50 athletes will participate in team-based training and will then be placed by coaches into six teams in preparation of a round-robin tournament on Jan. 9, the final day of training camp.

"The highlight for Central in hosting this training camp is the opportunity to showcase our program and what we have to offer injured athletes," said Elliot Blake, Central's Sitting Volleyball Coordinator.

"Central is home to both men's and women's USA Sitting Volleyball teams, and from a team standpoint, it gives us a chance to identify athletes for national team consideration."

Central became an official U.S. Olympic Training Site in July 2009, and has been an official U.S. Paralympic Training Site since 2005. At Central, athletes can train for Olympic volleyball and archery, and any Paralympic sport. Currently, Central hosts 16 resident athletes in the Paralympic sports of sitting volleyball, archery, and track and field.

USA Sitting Volleyball team members and Central's resident athletes will serve as court coaches during the training camp, including Master Sgt. Ed O'Neil who is serving active duty as part of the Army's World Class Athletes Program, and resident athlete Army veterans Kari Miller, Dan Regan and James Stuck.

Miller and O'Neil were recently named USA Volleyball Sitting Volleyball Athletes of the Year for 2010.

"We are supportive of the military and its desire to get injured members back in sports," Blake said.

"Sitting volleyball was considered one of the more competitive and exciting sport competitions of last year's Warrior Games, and we want to make sure sitting volleyball continues to be just as competitive in the future."

All events during the training camp are free and open to the public, and for a schedule of events, visit http://administration.uco.edu/ucowc/sr/ts/sittingvolleyball.php.

For more information about the training camp, contact Blake at (405) 974-3153 or jblake1@uco.edu.