Special Olympics creates lasting friendships among athletes of all abilities
Elaine Eisenbaum of Washington loves the thrill of competition.
She recently received a major honor at the Special Olympics' 2010 USA National Games in Nebraska on July 18-23, which brought out thousands of athletes for some serious competition. The only catch? Eisenbaum, 28, isn't a Special Olympics athlete. Instead, she was a member of the gold medal-winning D.C. bocce ball team of four, featuring athletes with and without disabilities.
"Competing in the National Games was amazing! It was a dream of mine to get to go to the National games, not as a volunteer, coach or official, but as a competitor. The Games lived up to my every expectation," Eisenbaum says. "It was certainly one of the best weeks of my life, not only because of the excitement of competition, but also because of the love and camaraderie among my own D.C. team and delegation, and with all of the other people we met at the games! My ultimate dream is to one day compete in the Special Olympics World Games, and I would love to have my same teammates accompany me there!"
Unified Sports is the fastest growing area of the Special Olympics, reaching 25% of the total athletes with a variety of sports opportunities from bocce to flag football to golf. The progam pairs athletes such as Eisenbaum with Special Olympics athletes in equal numbers for a competition of inclusion, building on the Special Olympics' goals of self-development and inclusion.
"Unified Sports emerged more than 20 years ago as a response for the ever-increasing desire to include individuals with intellectual disabilities more in mainstream society," explain Annette Lynch, senior manager of sports partnerships with Special Olympics North America. "As people with intellectual disabilities and their families and friends sought more inclusive opportunities, Special Olympics developed a sports program in which a proportionate number of participants with and without intellectual disabilities trained and competed on sports teams together."
According to Lynch, Unified Sports teammates should be of similar age and of similar abilities. All players on a Unified Sports team must have the requisite skills to play the sport successfully.
"All participants understand they need to be meaningfully involved on their team; that is, everyone contributes to the team through their unique skills, personalities and other social and leadership qualities," Lynch says.
Not surprising, this commitment has led to lasting friendships among team members, as Eisenbaum's team member, Jason Smith, 37, explains:
"The entire week was an awesome experience. One of the best weeks of my life. It was exciting, emotional and tiring, all condensed into one, too quick week," Smith says. "I remember on the first day of competition, I thought to myself, we've lost a day already; this week is going to pass by too fast. And it did. It was sad to leave, but I am happy to have had the opportunity to attend and share the memories with some of my best friends."
Lynch agrees: "Often times, individuals with intellectual disabilities are on the sidelines, not fully engaged socially in their neighborhoods. Unified Sports environments nurture relationships among people who usually are disconnected in society. It brings people with and without intellectual disabilities together comfortably and facilitates friendships among them. It is so rewarding to see the impact these relationships have among all of the participants, and the enlightenment in attitudes that is engendered
What's next for the D.C. bocce team, which includes Special Olympics athletes Yentome Parker, 47, and Kevin Boyd, 45?
"We'll be back on our local playing field in D.C. this fall, once again competing for the gold, D.C. gold that is," Smith says. "Realizing it would be difficult to make the 2011 games in Greece next summer, we plan to campaign to attend the 2015 International Games."
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