Shoe squeaks come to a halt, volleyballs are tossed to the sidelines and the audience in the bleachers stands to applaud as the Pickerington Special Olympics Team, also known as the Pickerington Jaguars, finish first place in unified volleyball at the D1 2025 State Summer Games.
The group of six pose next to their coaches for a selfie, all adorning gold medals and ear-to-ear smiles.
This win in June marked years of hard work for the whole team and helped three players qualify for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games this summer.
Going for gold
Pickerington Jaguars
Athletes Bryndan Jones, Josh Moen and Kage Beresford, the three qualifying players from Pickerington, are joining forces with members of Hilliard’s Special Olympics team, the Hilliard Bobcats, to compete in Minneapolis against teams from around the country.
For all three players, this win comes from years of hard work and practice.
Winning is not unfamiliar to the future Olympians. Jones, Moen and Beresford are also state champions in basketball, having won the Division 4 state basketball championship in 2024 alongside three other teammates.
“Over the years, as I’ve been with them, (it’s been) pretty fun, meeting others and meeting new coaches and hanging out,” says Jones. “No matter what gets in our way, we always pull through. And it is just pretty much worth it for me just to have fun with everybody.”
Bryon Beresford, the Pickerington Jaguars coordinator, allied player and Kage’s dad, has been involved with the Jaguars for eight years, coaching and playing with his son and fellow teammates. He has noticed steady improvement over the years from the three players.
“For the past three or four years now, it’s pretty much the same group of (players) learning the game and getting better,” says Beresford. “Just growing and growing, and just knowing the fundamentals of the game.”
This hard work is paired with a positive attitude, contributing to their multiple state titles.
“We have fun, but we work hard as well, listening and making changes when we tell (the athletes) there’s something that’s going to make them better,” says Tezlyn Reardon, a team coach and allied player. “They just get really excited.”
Community on the court
Pickerington Jaguars
Through countless hours at volleyball practice and other Jaguars sporting events, the three qualifying players have built a close-knit bond with one another, as well as with fellow athletes and volunteers.
Jones, a 2015 Pickerington North High School graduate, has played volleyball for six years and multiple other Jaguars sports for thirteen years.
“They’ll sometimes text me, ‘Hey, do you want to come over and hang with us?’ And we’ll just talk about sports, college and all that stuff,” says Jones, who credits his teammates for supporting him during times of hardship outside of practice.
In practice, the players encourage each other – not just to be better players, but to be better people. Through year-round sports such as swimming, cheer, cornhole and bowling, participants have the opportunity to grow with this community no matter the season. And although gold medals are the goal, this constant support system is the true prize.
Reardon was initially introduced to the Special Olympics team by Beresford as an outlet for her son. Both Reardon and Tyson Reardon, her son, now play multiple sports with the team.
For him, community is the largest perk since joining the Jaguars in 2021.
“It was nice to find a community of people, not only athletes, that he could relate to, learn from and hang out with,” says Reardon. “It’s kind of a safe space. Also being able to find a group of parents and coaches that can support each other as well.”
The road to Minneapolis
This upcoming volleyball season, Beresford, Reardon and their players are increasing intensity in their practice.
Through growing conditioning skills in agility and jumping, both in volleyball practice and in other sports, the group is putting their best foot forward at the USA Games.
Alongside typical practices, the team will attend training sessions with the Columbus Fury, the professional women’s volleyball team.
The team plans to enjoy the training process leading into their June competition.
“We have fun, but we work hard as well, listening and making changes when there's something that's going to make (the athletes) better,” says Reardon.
As Jones, Moen and Beresford prepare for their national performance with the help of their coaches, fellow Jaguars athletes, parents and volunteers are cheering them on every step of the way.
Disha Hoque is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
