"Special Olympics has challenged the world to explore lifestyles,
community opportunities, legal options and scientific
measures to include people with IDs in life."
~Kris Lager
Kris Lager
1. What is your involvement with Special Olympics? What special memories do you have?
"I am a Special Olympics coach, certified in Aquatics and Equestrian.
One special memory I have from Special Olympics is when my daughter, Lucy, would swim in the State Aquatics event when she was in Elementary. Her teacher would check out a bus, have the kids make signs and pack lunches and all go to cheer Lucy on. When Lucy would swim (she LOVES to swim), she had a seizure disorder so she was in the floatation race, allowing her to wear a life jacket. Once she learned that as soon as she finished the length of her lane for her race she had to get out of the water, she developed strategies for staying in the water and not finishing..... doing barrel roles, waving at the crowd, swimming so far down - and then swimming back towards the start. So funny for me and so frustrating for the wonderful volunteers who were trying to encourage her to finish the race quickly.
Another special memory comes from my coaching experiences. As Special Olympics coaches, we take a team of 20 (and more) to the State Equestrian Event each year. One year we had twenty-six athletes on our team and three horses. Since only trained people can help the athletes on and off the horses, we calculated that just for our team we mounted and dismounted a rider every seven and a half minutes for the entire competition. It was exhausting and exhilarating."
2. How was the development of Special Olympics a turning point for the intellectually disabled?
"There is a movie entitled, "A League of Their Own." I think that the creation of Special Olympics defined a niche allowing these individuals a league of their own with both the understanding and appreciation for people with intellectual disabilities."
3. How has Special Olympics impacted the lives of the intellectually disabled, their families, and society?
"There is no scale that can measure the appreciation of a parent who says, "This has allowed our family to share photos and videos of our child doing something 'normal'." In all societies there is an awareness of participation and also of NOT participating. Being 'allowed' to participate is an inclusion necessary for the well-being of all people.
Special Olympics has opened the eyes, hearts and minds of all people to the wonders and abilities of people with ID. Special Olympics fulfills the individual's need to participate, to be cheered on, and to be recognized. Special Olympics has created a way for all of us to witness the honesty, grace, and purity of the soul of people who can't be pressed into a self-imposed or socially-imposed mold.
Special Olympics has challenged the world to explore lifestyles, community opportunities, legal options and scientific measures to include people with IDs in life."
"I am a Special Olympics coach, certified in Aquatics and Equestrian.
One special memory I have from Special Olympics is when my daughter, Lucy, would swim in the State Aquatics event when she was in Elementary. Her teacher would check out a bus, have the kids make signs and pack lunches and all go to cheer Lucy on. When Lucy would swim (she LOVES to swim), she had a seizure disorder so she was in the floatation race, allowing her to wear a life jacket. Once she learned that as soon as she finished the length of her lane for her race she had to get out of the water, she developed strategies for staying in the water and not finishing..... doing barrel roles, waving at the crowd, swimming so far down - and then swimming back towards the start. So funny for me and so frustrating for the wonderful volunteers who were trying to encourage her to finish the race quickly.
Another special memory comes from my coaching experiences. As Special Olympics coaches, we take a team of 20 (and more) to the State Equestrian Event each year. One year we had twenty-six athletes on our team and three horses. Since only trained people can help the athletes on and off the horses, we calculated that just for our team we mounted and dismounted a rider every seven and a half minutes for the entire competition. It was exhausting and exhilarating."
2. How was the development of Special Olympics a turning point for the intellectually disabled?
"There is a movie entitled, "A League of Their Own." I think that the creation of Special Olympics defined a niche allowing these individuals a league of their own with both the understanding and appreciation for people with intellectual disabilities."
3. How has Special Olympics impacted the lives of the intellectually disabled, their families, and society?
"There is no scale that can measure the appreciation of a parent who says, "This has allowed our family to share photos and videos of our child doing something 'normal'." In all societies there is an awareness of participation and also of NOT participating. Being 'allowed' to participate is an inclusion necessary for the well-being of all people.
Special Olympics has opened the eyes, hearts and minds of all people to the wonders and abilities of people with ID. Special Olympics fulfills the individual's need to participate, to be cheered on, and to be recognized. Special Olympics has created a way for all of us to witness the honesty, grace, and purity of the soul of people who can't be pressed into a self-imposed or socially-imposed mold.
Special Olympics has challenged the world to explore lifestyles, community opportunities, legal options and scientific measures to include people with IDs in life."