Owensboro Terminators Defend 1A Title at Special Olympics State Softball Tournament

The Owensboro Terminators softball team captured another gold medal, successfully defending their 1A state championship title on September 7th at the Special Olympics Kentucky state softball tournament! Their proud coaches are Tommy White and Lori Roberts, both of Hancock County, and the tournament was hosted at Jack Fisher Park in Owensboro.

“They kept saying they wanted to defend the title, all summer when we were practicing,” Lori said. “We practiced once a week, and had some scrimmages, and every time, it was, ‘Defend the Title!’ We ended up winning the championship game 12 to 0. When they realized they had defended the title, their excitement is something you can’t put into words really. Just seeing their faces light up, you just can’t help but smile.”

Most of the Owensboro Terminators have been teammates for more than a decade, creating a strong bond that carries onto the field. While a few new athletes joined this season and some others moved on, the core group has remained consistent. Strong camaraderie unites the athletes both on and off the field.

The program provides benefits that reach far past the softball field. Athletes gain physical exercise, but also emotional and mental support through the sport. Many hold jobs or attend church programs, including a Sunday School class at Owensboro Christian led by longtime volunteer coach Jeff Johnson and his wife, Kim, who serves as Local Area 2 Special Olympics coordinator.

For many participants, the team is central to their lives, and Lori said they get very disappointed when practices have to be canceled due to bad weather. This valuable program is about more than playing softball—it’s about community, growth and improving quality of life.

The Special Olympics Kentucky regional softball tournament was held in Paducah.

“We ended up coming in second in our regional tournament. We won our first game and lost our second,” Lori said. “In softball there are different levels. We had five or six teams out of Owensboro playing in the state tournament this year. None of them were in our level. There are 5-6 different levels of play, that you can play in. The athletes are mostly from Owensboro, on my team. There are a few from Hancock County who play on other teams. We have six coaches total, and the other three coaches are from Owensboro as well.”

Hancock County High School student Allana Morris helped coach The Terminators this year. Tanisha Johnson, of Hancock County, also volunteered her time by filling in where she was needed, in different areas. And Chris Finley, of Hawesville, volunteered his umpiring skills again this year for the state tournament.

Lori, Tommy and the other coaches have focused on helping the athletes with a more positive attitude. They have encouraged the team to handle mistakes with a better mindset, reminding them it’s okay to move on and concentrate on the next play. The athletes’ attitudes have improved greatly this year, thanks to that steady guidance. It has helped them to stay more positive instead of getting discouraged, and has lifted their confidence level.

“Their attitudes were great this year,” Lori praised. “We got to scrimmage The Owensboro Blasters a lot, which is a level 2A team, and that helps their confidence. Their attitudes and confidence have improved so much. When they mess up, they now respond with more of an ‘I can do this’ attitude. We told them that is the biggest accomplishment they had this year, is that they had confidence in themselves. Their fielding was just outstanding, and their hitting. We had a great pitcher, Ginger Mayfield, from Owensboro. They just love her.”

Lori began volunteer coaching Special Olympics 14 years ago, and coached basketball for three years. She took a break while her children were active in sports in Hancock County, and has gotten back into coaching the softball team in the last few years.

“Jeannene Hurst has recruited a lot of volunteers from Hancock County to come and help with Special Olympics. She is a co-coordinator with Kim Johnson, and is from Owensboro. She loves Hancock County and loves the people from Hancock County. Over the years, she has really been able to get people to help with Special Olympics,” Lori noted.

Lori is a National Board Certified teacher who teaches Business & Marketing Education at HCHS. She is also the Future Business Leaders of America Advisor, and HCHS Girls’ Basketball Assistant Coach. She played volleyball, basketball and tennis while attending HCHS. Her husband, Josh, also volunteers with coaching Special Olympics, and teaches 8th Grade Social Studies at Hancock County Middle School. Their son, Jack, is a senior at HCHS this year. Their daughter, Lily, is a student at Campbellsville University, where she plays on the softball team.

“Coaching has been a blessing,” Lori emphasized. “This team has been great; They are so loving and welcoming. They are excited about what they’re doing. They are so excited when they come to practice. It’s all about community and being involved, and that’s been a huge blessing to me. They just love life. It’s refreshing to go to practice and the games because it’s a different venue, and to see so much happiness is really amazing. I’m blessed to have a huge support system. My family, they supported me all weekend at the Special Olympics. My family and friends are really supportive of what I do, so that helps to balance everything.”

Signups for the 2026 season will begin in May, with practices starting in June. The local program offers softball, flag football, bowling, basketball, cheerleading, aquatics, track & field and bocce, which was newly added in spring of this year. The Young Athletes program is also offered for ages 2-7. Anyone interested in participating or volunteering, please contact Kim Johnson at: [email protected], or (270) 314-7621. You can also send a message on Messenger to the Facebook page: Daviess County Special Olympics.