Cranford Residents to Compete at Special Olympics
Submitted by Eileen Gaeta
Exciting news! Three 2017 Cranford High School alumni, Brian Curci, Jessie Gaeta, and Brian McAuliffe, were selected to compete for Team New Jersey at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games. The Games are scheduled for June 5–12, 2022, in Orlando, Florida, and will unite more than 5,500 athletes as well as coaches from all 50 states and the Caribbean. In order to qualify to compete, each athlete had to achieve a gold medal in their respective sport while competing in the 2019 Special Olympics New Jersey Summer Games.
Brian Curci will be competing for Team New Jersey Soccer. Brian has been participating in the Special Olympics for the past 13 years. He won his first gold medal in track and field at the age of 10, and currently plays soccer, basketball, tennis, and volleyball, proudly winning gold medals in each of those sports as a member of the NJ Hawks. Brian attended Cranford High School where he earned varsity letters in swimming, tennis, and basketball. He was also the team manager for the varsity soccer team and now holds that same position at East Stroudsburg University, where he attends college. In 2017, Brian was selected to play at Major League Soccer’s Special Olympics All-Star game in Chicago, representing the New York Red Bulls Unified team. Additionally, Brian loves to sing and dance on stage as a cast member of the performing arts group, Shining Stars Network. He also loves to spend time with his friends, play video games, and listen to music. Brian’s biggest fans include his Mom, Sally, Dad, Mike, and his brother, sisters, and brother-in-law, Nicole, Michael, Courtney, and Jamie, as well as his Grandparents, Edith and Paul Curci. Brian is honored to have been selected to represent Team New Jersey in soccer and calls it “A dream come true.”
Jessie Gaeta will compete on Team New Jersey Swimming. Jessie has been participating with Special Olympics New Jersey for the past 12 years. Currently, she competes in swimming, golf, and basketball, achieving gold medals in all three. Jessie had to choose only one of those sports to try out for and she selected swimming. Jessie previously played volleyball, softball, and soccer for the NJ Hawks. While attending Cranford High School, Jessie was a four-year varsity cheerleader and she also loves dancing and singing. She has been performing in Shining Stars Network Special Needs talent shows for the past 10 years. Jessie receives a lot of support in all her endeavors from her Mom, Eileen, Dad, Jerry, brothers, Mike and Bobby, her Pop-pop, John Ahimovic, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. To keep busy during the pandemic, Jessie started weaving looped potholders, which now has become a small business, and also worked at Compassion Café on Long Beach Island in the summer of 2021. Jessie is honored to represent Team New Jersey and looks forward to meeting other athletes from around the USA while enjoying sites in Orlando, Florida.
Brian McAuliffe will be competing on Team New Jersey Basketball. Brian has been participating in Special Olympics for 15 years and currently plays basketball, golf, and swimming. In the past, he also participated in soccer, track and field, and bowling. Brian has three sisters who support him in everything he does. Further, Brian loves his job at Vinny’s Pizza and Pasta in Cranford, where he makes pizza boxes four days a week. He is also an avid performer with the Shining Stars Network, where he sings and dances in their spring and Christmas shows. He is a Class A “Ham” when it comes to being on stage. Brian is very excited to represent Team New Jersey in Orlando, Florida for the USA Games as well.
In addition to these three athletes, Bob McAuliffe, Brian’s dad, was selected to coach the Team New Jersey Basketball Team. Bob has been coaching and volunteering with Special Olympics New Jersey for 15 years. He coaches the High Expectations Hawks Basketball Team, has coached soccer and swimming, and is Brian’s Unified partner for golf. One of his most memorable moments in the Special Olympics was when he was an assistant coach for the Unified Basketball Team that participated in the 2014 USA Games hosted by New Jersey. It was a once in a lifetime experience that he now will have another chance to fulfill as head coach of the 2022 Special Olympics New Jersey Basketball Team. When not on the court coaching his teams, Bob loves to spend time with the family — his wife Eileen, daughters Danielle, Erin, Kelly, his son Brian, and dog Dunkin (yes — named after the coffee shop). Bob is honored to have been chosen to be part of this spectacular event and is looking forward to representing Team New Jersey at the USA Games in Orlando, Florida.
Also from Cranford, Michael (Mike) Gaeta, Jessie’s brother, was selected to be the Unified partner for golf athlete, Daniel Maloney, from Medford, New Jersey, on Team New Jersey Golf. Mike has been participating with Special Olympics New Jersey for 6 years as a Unified partner in the sport of golf. He enjoys participating in the Special Olympics because he has been able to spend more time with and compete with his sister, Jessie, as well as get to know other athletes in different sports. Mike attended the University of Scranton, where he earned his Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy. He currently works in the field of outpatient physical therapy at Excel PT in Westfield, New Jersey, where he enjoys treating various individuals with different injuries, post-surgical cases, and athletes. In his free time, Mike enjoys spending time with his family and friends, playing golf, going to the beach, boating, and fishing. He is looking forward to building new relationships with Team New Jersey members, watching his sister compete in swimming, and competing against other athletes in the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games.
Team New Jersey consists of 138 athletes and 37 coaches and will be participating in 14 different sports. Please support our Cranford Athletes on their journey to Orlando! Your support helps send these athletes and teammates to represent thousands of Special Olympics New Jersey athletes across the state at the 2022 USA Games.
To learn more about the team and support their journey to Orlando, visit TeamNJ.org.
ABOUT THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS USA GAMES:
On June 5–12, 2022, the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games will unite more than 5,500 athletes and coaches from all 50 states and the Caribbean, 20,000 volunteers, and 125,000 spectators during one of the country’s most cherished sporting events. We all have reasons to shine. For Special Olympics athletes, one of those reasons is the love of sport. Special Olympics athletes display remarkable abilities not only on the field, but in all areas of life. By celebrating their dedication and perseverance, we become champions for a more inclusive world. A world where we all Shine As One. For more information, visit 2022specialolympicsusagames.org.
ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS NEW JERSEY:
For over 50 years, Special Olympics New Jersey has provided year-round sports training and athletic competition in 24 Olympic-type sports for thousands of children and adults with intellectual disabilities, completely free of charge. Through the joy and power of sports, athletes are provided opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. Visit sonj.org for more information.
