Since the Special Olympic World Games are set to begin this weekend in Berlin, I started thinking about the origins of the Special Olympics and different contributions the organization has made toward the advancement of improving the lives of people with disabilities throughout the years. It also got me thinking of how its founder and her family that has taken over since her passing, have been true trailblazers toward increased options for recreational opportunities, better health, and increased inclusion of people with disabilities.
Special Olympics was started in the 1960’s by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of President John F. Kennedy. During this time in history, other disability rights activists were speaking out to help improve the lives of people with disabilities and Ms. Shriver’s idea was along the same vein. She had advised President Kennedy about different ways the president’s administration could improve different areas of life for people with disabilities during that time as well.
They both knew firsthand the importance of improving different areas of life for people with disabilities since one of their sisters had an intellectual disability. Eunice Shriver proved to be an ally of the disability community and an early advocate for the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities. She wanted to give kids with special needs a place to play so the Special Olympics was born. As of July 2008, Special Olympics has 3 million athletes in 180 countries. Special Olympics has now expanded how they help people with disabilities through different health initiatives and increased awareness. These endeavors are truly moving the needle forward with the idea of full inclusion for people with disabilities now with Tim Shriver, Eunice’s son, taking over the reins.
My first experience with Special Olympics was in elementary school in my adaptive gym class. I was not very good at a lot of the sports we played except for bowling. At that time, I had lost interest in playing a sport, but I love to bowl now. That experience opened my eyes to the reality that just because I had mobility issues, did not mean there was no possibility of me being physically active. It helped me recognize that even I could have the chance to try different sports and other activities that were typically only for people without disabilities throughout my life.
Special Olympics caught my eye again later on in life. Finding different avenues of adaptive sports has allowed me to maintain my mobility and meet new people. It has also given me the opportunity to help raise awareness about what it is like to live with a disability to others outside the disability community. Special Olympics is not only a great way to participate in sports but, it also helps build self-esteem and learn the value of teamwork. Participating in different events gives someone the chance to make new friends, get exercise and have fun. It makes exercise a reality and places the opportunity for better health outcomes within reach because there is an avenue available to explore different ways to increase your level of activity. Getting involved in Special Olympics is a good way to find out about adaptive sports teams and outdoor groups if that is something you would like to learn more about.
A disability should not stop you from participating in an activity you love or want to increase your skill level if there is a resource out there for you to utilize. The only thing left to do is find out what your strengths are, what you enjoy doing in your spare time and the groups in your community where you can get involved.
Even today, there are many benefits the Special Olympics continues to provide to the disability community and the world. It is hard to say if Eunice Kennedy Shriver could have envisioned the impact Special Olympics would continue to have throughout the world today when she founded Camp Shriver so many years ago.
Not only has the organization grown and touched many people’s lives, but it has also opened the doors of adaptive sports for athletes with a range of disabilities. Special Olympics is one of the reasons people with disabilities have a chance to be involved in a sport they enjoy. Using inclusive practices of allowing athletes with disabilities to compete alongside athletes who do not have a disability is an innovative way to forge inclusion and acceptance into an area of our society that can showcase the overall value of people with disabilities when they participate in an activity that is so often overlooked. Suddenly people watching the games will be focused on the athletic skills of the individual and the fact that these athletes have a disability will become secondary to their strengths in that event. Viewers will also see the contributions each athlete has made to their team to get them where they are in the competition.
Broadcasting the Special Olympics World Games on network television is an opportunity for those outside the disability community to see that people with disabilities can accomplish different things and be involved in various sports. This concept is contrary to what people may mistakenly believe to be true of what it is like to live with a disability. It can help shift how people with disabilities are seen in our society and move the conversation toward other ways of acceptance and inclusion for a community that is often underestimated and forgotten.
To view the original article published on Mama’s Munchkin Blog click here.
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