About The McKinney Mavericks

The McKinney Mavericks are the McKinney ISD’s Special Olympics Team. The McKinney Mavericks have over 480 competing athletes, meeting eligibility and age requirements of 6 years of age to 22 years of age.

Sports currently offered with McKinney ISD Special Olympics include bowling, bocce, basketball individual skills, basketball teams, track and field, and soccer teams.

Janice Morriss is the coordinator of the McKinney ISD Special Olympics team, with Trecia Chandler, Michele Morales, Joyce Sakai, and Ashley St. Arnold assisting.

Janice Morriss

Janice Morriss is a devoted educator who strives to bring out the abilities of students with disabilities. She is a graduate of University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Arts and received her Master of Science degree in Adapted Physical Education from Texas Woman’s University. As a special education educator in McKinney ISD for 23 years, Janice serves two positions for the district, Adapted Physical Educator and Special Olympics Coordinator. Her leadership in these roles created Partners Physical Education in McKinney, a PE class that teams students with disabilities with their general education peers, which is now a model for other districts around the country. Janice has received Special Olympics Coach of the Year for her significant impact to the program. Her coordination of over 480 McKinney athletes, competing in year-round sports, has inspired the whole community to embrace all abilities, as she always states, “They teach us more than we can ever teach them.”

Janice promotes and practices her commitment to inclusion for all abilities with her volunteer work in the community. Janice has been involved with Hugs Café from the first stages of the idea and became an official board member in 2015. She has also assisted with the planning of the All Abilities Park, a park that brings the “gift of play” to all kids in the community.

Janice loves her family and her church. She has been married for 20 years to her husband, Christian, and they have two, beautiful girls. An athlete by nature, Janice loves anything related to sports. Golf and traveling are year round passions. In her free time, when she is not on the course or on a plane, she is coaching her girl’s sports teams and cheering on her hometown Dallas teams.

Trecia Chandler

Trecia Chandler is a 1997 graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University with a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Degree and major in Orientation and Mobility (O&M). As a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist, she has taught adults and students with visual impairments skills that help them travel safely and independently in their environment.
Trecia has been with McKinney ISD since 2004 as their O&M Specialist. In 2014, Trecia was asked to take on the role of Special Olympics Assistant Coordinator.  Her role is to oversee medical forms for athletes, schedule transportation, help plan and oversee special olympic practices and competitions and help plan and host the districts local track and field meet held each spring.

Michele Morales

Michele Morales is a 1996 graduate of Texas Woman’s University with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. She also received her Master of Science degree in Adapted Physical Education from Texas Woman’s University in 2001. As a Certified Adapted Physical Education Specialist, she has worked with teachers and taught students with disabilities how to modify and adapt various activities within the general physical education setting that are appropriate to the student’s least restrictive environment. Michele has been with McKinney ISD since August 2015 as an Adapted Physical Education Specialist and a strong supporter of the Special Olympics, McKinney Mavericks. In August of 2017, Michele was asked to serve as the district’s second Special Olympics Assistant Coordinator. Michele loves working with students of ALL abilities and enjoys encouraging and giving our students the opportunity to participate in activities that interest them! Go McKinney Mavericks!

Joyce Sakai

Joyce Sakai moved to Texas in 2017 with her family from California.  Joyce has a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Adapted Physical Education, Master’s degree in Teacher Education, Educational Doctorate in Educational Leadership, lifetime California Adapted Physical Education Specialist Credential, and Physical Education Credentials in both California and Texas.  In California, she taught Adapted Physical Education in the Long Beach Unified School District for ten years and taught and supervised future Adapted Physical Education teachers at California State University, Long Beach for three years.  She stays actively involved within the Adapted Physical Education profession and presents at local and national conferences training other Adapted Physical Education teachers. In 2018, she joined McKinney ISD as an Adapted Physical Education teacher and has been actively involved with the Special Olympics McKinney Mavericks as an Assistant Coordinator since 2020. Joyce believes that all children are unique and that physical activity can be meaningful regardless of a child’s ability level with the appropriate accommodations and/or modifications.  

Ashley St. Arnold

Ashley St. Arnold (Coach Saint) is an Adapted Physical Education Specialist and Special Olympics Assistant Coordinator for McKinney ISD, serving students across several campuses in the district. Ashley has 13 years experience working in Mckinney ISD in special education, most recently at McKinney Boyd High School as an FAC teacher and Partners PE coach. Ashley is motivated by being a strong supporter of Special Olympics and working with students and athletes of ALL abilities. Ashley is a 1994 graduate of Midwestern State University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sport and Exercise Science. Ashley currently resides in Allen, TX with her two pups and can easily catch her on the weekends with her sister and close family. And let’s not forget, an avid and loyal fan of the Dallas Cowboys!

The Background & Progression of McKinney ISD Special Olympics

1979

The first McKinney ISD Special Olympic team, McKinney Lions, was formed with ten McKinney ISD students. They participated in 3 sports: bowling, basketball, and track and field. The first coaches of these teams included Beverly Lee, Brenda Allred, Linda Wilson, and Lori Ferrell.

1989

Dennis Wyatt became the Special Olympic Coordinator and served in this position until 1999. With growing interest in other sports throughout the course of these years, tennis, power lifting, and bocce were added. Robin Lowry coached the tennis team from 1991-1993 and Dennis Wyatt led the power lifting and bocce teams from 1997-1999.

1999

Brenda Caddell became the Special Olympics Coordinator and the team was renamed the Mac-Town Skeeters. In addition to bowling, basketball, bocce, and track and field, golf was added to the list of sports. Brenda Caddell led the Mac-Town Skeeters from 1999-2006.

2005

McKinney ISD Special Olympics began hosting the Area Special Olympics Basketball Individual Skills Competition and the local track and field meet at McKinney North High School. The McKinney ISD team had 40 athletes participating in the first hosted Area Special Olympics Basketball Individual Skills Competition and 67 athletes participating in the first hosted track meet.

2006

Kyle Osborn became the Special Olympics Coordinator and Janice Morriss, the assistant coordinator. The team name was changed to the McKinney Mavericks. Under their direction, the McKinney Mavericks participated in the original sports from 1979, bowling, basketball individual skills, and track and field.

2007

McKinney ISD Hosted Track and Field Meet was moved to Ron Poe with 118 competing McKinney Maverick athletes and 200 athletes from surrounding districts.

2008

Janice Morriss became the Special Olympics Coordinator with Kyle Osborn.

2010

McKinney Mavericks reached 150 athletes.

2012

McKinney Mavericks reached 200 athletes.

2014

Trecia Chandler became the Assistant Special Olympics Coordinator with Janice Morriss as the coordinator. Bocce was added to the remaining sports of bowling, basketball individual skills, and track and field.

2014

The Area Special Olympics Basketball Individual Skills Competition basketball competition outgrew the McKinney North High School facility. Janice Morriss had ties to the Fieldhouse USA in Frisco and a deal between Special Olympics Texas and the Fieldhouse was coordinated. The Fieldhouse USA became the new host site for the Area Special Olympics Basketball Individual Skills Competition and remains there today.

2015

The McKinney Mavericks reached 250 athletes.

2016

The McKinney Hosted Special Olympics Track and Field Meet reached 700 competing athletes from McKinney and surrounding areas.

2017

Michele Morales became the Assistant  Olympics Coordinator along with Trecia Chandler as the Assistant Coordinator and Janice Morriss as the Coordinator. The McKinney Mavericks Basketball Team was added to the remaining sports of bocce, bowling, basketball individual skills, and track and field.

2017

The McKinney Mavericks reached 300 athletes.

2020

Joyce Sakai joined the team and became the third Assistant Olympics Coordinator along with Trecia Chandler and Michele Morales; and Janice Morriss as the Special Olympics Coordinator. The McKinney Mavericks Soccer Team was added to the remaining sports of bowling, bocce, basketball team, basketball individual skills, and track and field.

2020

The McKinney Mavericks reached 400 athletes. Eligibility and age requirements change to 6 years of age to 22 years of age for area competition and 8 years of age to 22 years of age for state competition.

2021

Amy Talbert joined the team and became the fourth Assistant Olympics Coordinator along with Trecia Chandler, Michele Morales, and Joyce Sakai; and Janice Morriss as the Special Olympics Coordinator.

2022

McKinney Special Olympics took over the Annual Holiday Bazaar that has over 100 vendors and is held in October. McKinney Mavericks reached 480 athletes.

2023

Ashley St. Arnold took over the 4th Assistant Olympics Coordinator position along with Trecia Chandler, Michele Morales, and Joyce Sakai, as Amy Talbert pursued her doctorate; and Janice Morriss as the Special Olympics Coordinator. The McKinney Mavericks Soccer Teams were able to have their 1st full season since Covid.