From Tahoe to Santa Cruz, Coach Dan Polar Plunges for Special Olympics Northern California
$20,000 or bust!
I am getting ready to plunge back into the wild waves in Santa Cruz this March for the Special Olympics Northern California Polar Plunge. Are you ready to rock the plunge to $20K with me too?
When I first plunged in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe back in 2013, one of my coworkers called me Double Dipper Dan. This nickname stuck – because that’s what I do.
This Polar Plunge season, I’m living up to my name again. I’ve already plunged into the frigid, icy waters of Lake Tahoe – 33 degrees at Camp Richardson in November, no joke!
To complete my double dip, I’ll splash into the gnarly waves of the Pacific Ocean at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk on Saturday, March 7, 2026. I’ll immerse myself in the waves in my bathing suit, keeping my keppala (Yiddish for head) warm with my trusty Stetson cowboy hat. How far I go—waist or neck—depends on the waves and what Mother Nature allows that day.
Why do I do this?
My goal is to raise $20,000 for Special Olympics Northern California. Support my fundraising efforts here.
That number matters.
$20,000 will provide the fees for 40 athletes for one full year of participation with Special Olympics NorCal. Special Olympics athletes don’t pay any fees to participate. Special Olympics provides uniforms, sports equipment like basketballs and soccer balls, regional competition costs and more, so our athletes can compete at the highest level. Everyone has a chance to participate with costs removed as a barrier to inclusion.
Why not participate in my Polar Plunge fundraising efforts yourself?
A Coach’s Perspective
I know firsthand the value of Special Olympics programs. I’ve had the honor of coaching Basketball and Soccer with Team Oakland since 2004, and I can directly see the impact of Polar Plunge fundraising support on our community.
Special Olympics NorCal provides free, year-round training and athletic competitions in multiple sports, promoting inclusion, acceptance, and the development of life skills along the way.
At every competition, our athletes recite the Athletes’ Oath:
“Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
As a coach, that gives me goosebumps every single time I hear it. The athletes are pumped to compete. They want those medals – and they want to bring home GOLD.
A Special Legacy
The athlete oath traces back to ancient Roman gladiators entering the Coliseum – but today, it belongs to Special Olympics athletes.
Special Olympics was founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, an American hero. The first Summer Games were held at Soldier Field in Chicago. More than 60 years later, the movement is worldwide—over 160 nations have Special Olympics programs, with athletes competing in countries from Argentina to Thailand to the Ivory Coast and beyond.
In 2003, I had the honor of volunteering at the Special Olympics World Games in Ireland. What an experience. The whole world seemed to be there. Bono of U2 served as the master of ceremonies and introduced Nelson Mandela to a cheering crowd of over 100,000 fans. It was electric, and something I will always remember.
That same sense of electricity exists in every Special Olympics NorCal event, too. Every practice, every sports competition. Every Polar Plunge, too. Through the power of sports, athletes’ lives are changed.
That’s why I plunge.
Your donations make this possible. Thank you for Making Heroes. You are helping athletes train, compete, and stand proudly on the field of play.
We’re closing in on my $20,000 fundraising goal. You can help put us over the top.
So go ahead. Put that Mastercard to work and make an athlete’s day.
Support my fundraising efforts: $20,000 OR BUST.
— Double Dipper Dan, A happy plunge maniac
About Special Olympics Northern California:
Special Olympics Northern California empowers children and adults with intellectual disabilities to participate in year-round sports training and athletic competitions in a variety of Olympic-type sports. Through the power of sport, we promote inclusion, acceptance, and the development of life skills, building stronger communities for one athlete at a time.