Rachel Schubbe is the Athletic Director for the Dream Achievers. Her daughter graduated in 2021. Often times when an athlete graduates, they are no longer allowed to compete on the team. Since Rachel had been a coach through the school system for several years, her daughter was able to remain on the team; however she wanted more for her daughter than what was being offered, and the Athletic Director for the school was content with how things were and was not willing to change anything.
Through Special Olympics, Rachel and her daughter formed a friendship with Jen Zinke, who is now one of the coaches for the Dream Achievers, and her daughter.
Jen’s daughter was one of the many athletes who would no longer be provided a Special Olymics team after graduation. After conversations with parents in surrounding areas, it was found that there were many athletes in the same predicament; either they had aged out of the school system, or there was not a program available for them due to lack of coach availability or the cost of travel once the regions were consolidated. The two friends joined forces and created the Dream Achievers in order to give not only their children, but also individuals in surrounding areas a chance to not only be part of a team, but to also create an extended family.
Due to the growth of Dream Achievers, we have added several coaches to our roster as well. We have welcomed Morgan Stanford, Scott McCoy, and Brandon Kunkel to the family. Each of these coaches are a family member to an athlete on this team and lead with their heart to provide the best oppotunity possible for these individuals. The heart and dedication that is witnessed daily with these athletes never ceases to amaze us.
Dream Achievers participate in Region A of the IL Special Olympics. We currently participate in the following events:
Basketball Skills (Dixon, IL)
Polar Plunge (Mendota, IL)
Bocce Ball (DeKalb, IL)
Spring Games/Track & Field (Machesney Park, IL)
Golf Skills (LaSalle, IL)
Softball Skills (Elgin, IL)
Bowling (Rockford, IL)
Snowshoeing (Mendota, IL)
Athletes who receive gold medals at any qualifying event, advance to state at various locations depending on the event.
Dream Achievers is not only a team/family on event dates. We have “family nights” and find fun ways to spend time together. Our most recent adventure was a trip to circus! We also have family cookouts/game nights. When we advanced to state, we decided to make an entire weekend out of it, which was beyond amazing. Before that was Prom, definitely a night to remember. Our next big adventure is in the works.
Our team has grown rapidly in 6 months, and we are not done yet. If an athlete needs a place to call “home”, we will do what it takes to provide them with this.
We are beyond grateful for the opprtunity to work together with Starved Rock Country Community Foundation to become non profit, which in turn will open so many more doors for this amazing team. Dream Achievers are not only a team; we are a family.
Our arms and hearts are open to any athlete, and we look forward to continuing to grow as a family and a team in the future. With your help we can continue to help others who have been left without this opportunity, and we can continue our adventures not only as athletes, but as individuals. Our Dream Achievers motto is, “No dream is too big for us to achieve when you’re part of a team that has become family!”
