Special Olympics Honors Four Athletes of the Quarter

Arturo B. Montano, Manny Gorgita, LaMarcus Briggs and Adam Ernst were recognized at the SBART Press Luncheon in Santa Barbara.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Softball

Special Olympics Honors Four Athletes of the Quarter

Special Olympics Santa Barbara awarded Athletes of the Quarter to four softball players at the SBART Press Luncheon held Monday at Harry's Plaza Cafe. The honorees are members of the Sundowners Special Olympics softball team, whose season concludes Saturday.

Why it matters

The recognition highlights the local Special Olympics program and the athletes who compete on its softball team in Santa Barbara. The award is part of the quarterly honors presented alongside the SBART luncheon's high school and college segments.

Four athletes were named Special Olympics Athletes of the Quarter, sponsored by Carp Physio, according to the luncheon presentation. The source does not state how many athletes were considered or the selection criteria used.

The players

Special Olympics Santa Barbara

The local chapter of Special Olympics, the international program providing sports training and competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

The details

Special Olympics Santa Barbara presented the awards at the SBART Press Luncheon at Harry's Plaza Cafe on Monday, ahead of the high school and college segments. The luncheon was sponsored by Cottage Health, Fidelity National Title Group, Investec Real Estate and Knight Real Estate Group.

Monday: SBART Press Luncheon held at Harry's Plaza Cafe, with Special Olympics awards presented
Saturday: Special Olympics softball season concludes

Season Trajectory

The Special Olympics softball season concludes Saturday, and the quarterly honors recognize athletes whose participation spans the program's seasonal schedule. The awards are presented within a broader local sports recognition event alongside high school and college honorees.

The Special Olympics softball team's season concludes Saturday, so the Sundowners' schedule wraps up this week. The four honorees are identified by name in the luncheon coverage for readers following local Special Olympics athletes.

The takeaway

Recognition programs like the Special Olympics Athletes of the Quarter give local athletes visibility beyond their playing seasons. Readers interested in adaptive sports can follow Special Olympics Santa Barbara's activities for upcoming events.