Coach
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Amanda Wade, of Lexington, will serve as the Team Kentucky golf coach for the 2018 USA Games. Wade has been with Special Olympics Kentucky for the past five years, and is in her third year as the organization’s Program Director for Individual Sports. In that capacity, she oversees the Special Olympics Kentucky golf program. This will be her first trip to the USA Games. |
Athletes
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Jude Zilliox, of Alexandria, will make his second trip to the USA Games. He won a bronze medal with Unified partner Chris Frank at the inaugural USA Games in 2006 in Ames, Iowa. This time he will be competing in the 9-hole individual stroke play event. Zilliox, 28, claimed a silver medal in the same competition at the 2017 Special Olympics North America Golf Invitational, which was held in June on the same course where the USA Games will be played.
He has been a Special Olympics athlete for 19 years and has played golf for 14. He also competes in track and field, basketball, softball, bowling and flag football. His father, also named Jude, will serve as his caddy at the Games. |
Wake Mullins and Dennis Gaines will compete in the Level 3, 18-hole Unified Alternate Shot competition at the 2018 USA Games.
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Wake Mullins, of Lexington, has been a Special Olympics athlete for 10 years and has been playing golf for 10. While this will be their first time competing at a full USA Games, Mullins, 21, and Gaines have represented Kentucky at the Special Olympics North America Golf Invitational Tournament on three occasions — in 2013, 2015 and 2016, placing fourth, third and second in their division, respectively. In addition to golf, Mullins has also competed in basketball, softball, flag football, soccer, track and field and bocce.
Mullins, a graduate of Henry Clay High School in Lexington, served as the school’s basketball manager for four years. He also played for the school’s golf team for two years. Before graduation, he was added to the school’s Athletics Wall of Fame.
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Dennis Gaines, of Lexington, is Mullins’ Unified partner and stepfather. Gaines has been a Unified partner in Special Olympics for nine years. He also serves as a Special Olympics coach, coaching flag football, softball and basketball in the Fayette County Special Olympics program. Gaines is retired from Special Olympics sponsor Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Georgetown and works as a consultant. |
Meet Team Kentucky