The Coweta County Board of Education on Sept. 11. honored two Coweta students recognized as Georgia Special Olympics male and female Athletes of the Year.
Board members honored East Coweta High School student Montana Bush and Newnan High School student Jimpson Rosser as their female and male athletes of the year during 2012. Coweta County Special Olympics coordinator Kelly Abercrombie noted that it is rare that the separate honors would be bestowed on two student athletes from the same county in the same year.
Abercrombie described Montana Bush as a person who personifies what Special Olympics is all about.
“Tana is a high school athlete who epitomizes the spirit of a true winner by her willingness to always give her best effort and help others while displaying outstanding courage and sportsmanship. She loves everything about Special Olympics, whether training for her sports, socializing with other athletes and volunteers, traveling to the events and spending weekends with her team competing, dancing and cheering,” said Abercrombie.
School system spokesman Dean Jackson said Bush has been a member of the Coweta Special Olympics program for many years. She has trained and competed in track and field, bocce, basketball skills, softball skills, cycling, bowling, cheerleading, aquatics and gymnastics. Bush has competed at Special Olympics Georgia state events in cycling in the 1K time trial and 5K road race, bowling and aquatics in the freestyle and back stroke as well as a member of a relay team. She has also competed at national cheerleading competitions as a member of the Coweta Special Olympics Super Star team. She is now practicing at ECHS to compete in the 2012 SOGA Fall Games in the cycling event in Dalton, where she will compete in two road races over the course of a weekend. Bush in 2011 was runner up in her high schools “Miss ECHS Indian Princess” pageant, Jackson said.
Jackson said Newnan High’s Jimpson Rosser has been a registered athlete with Coweta County Special Olympics since elementary school. Abercrombie described Rosser as a leader in the classroom, church and the playing arena.
“Jimpson impresses those around him with his willingness to aid his teammates and our local Special Olympics program whenever needed. He is quick with words of encouragement and praise to all he’s around, and acts with a kindness and sportsmanship beyond his age. While he is very competitive and certainly knows the difference between winning and losing, Jimpson does not hesitate to smile and offer congratulations to those who have beat him and a ‘good job’ to those who have not,” said Abercrombie.
Jackson said Rosser has trained and competed in a variety of sports throughout the years, including track and field, bocce, bowling, basketball, gymnastics, cycling and softball skills. He has competed at state in basketball skills, bowling, gymnastics, track & field and cycling. He is a member of the 2012 bowling and track team, and recently competed at the 2012 Georgia Special Olympics Summer Games in the 100 meter and running long jump events. While there, Rosser was also the guest athlete who welcomed law enforcement officers from throughout Georgia at their Law Enforcement Torch Run Dinner, speaking to over 100 officers at the event, Jackson said.
