Special Olympics in Doral, its own community

Anna-Marie Martinez loves her job.

As head coach of Doral?s Special Olympics program she is inspired daily by the effort and excitement her athletes put into practice.

Martinez had never spent time with children with intellectual disabilities, and she quickly found them to more special than anything else.

?They?re very enthusiastic about what they do and it?s helped me to see things in my life in a more positive light. They?re very inspirational,? Martinez said.

Martinez began as a volunteer in 2009 when the fledgling program was practicing on their own home-made bowling alley made from a red rug and plastic pins. There were nine athletes on the team.

Two years later they have 28 athletes and practice at Bird Bowl in Westchester.

The Doral kids compete at sports like bowling, track and field, and basketball against Special Olympic teams from elsewhere in South Florida. Special Olympics seasons are eight to ten weeks, and the top athletes go to summer and fall state competitions, which are free to the players.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the Special Olympics in 1968 giving children the chance to enjoy motion and pride in what they could do.

Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in my attempt.

This is the athlete?s oath for Special Olympics.

Mark Thompson, executive director of Special Olympics in Miami-Dade County says he witnesses bravery in athletes even before they step into the game. He remembers one young woman, typically shy, reciting the oath with self-assured perfection in front of a 1,000 of her comrades.

?I guarantee people will feel better about life after an event,? Thompson said. And he is not just referring to the athletes.

Given Thompson?s 22 years of experience in the non-profit sector, he thought he had a lot to offer.

?Shortly after it gave me more than I could possibly give back,? Thompson said.

This is a familiar testament given by many of the volunteers, families, and staff within the program?s wide orbit. Miami-Dade County has 80 programs and 2,500 athletes.

The Doral Special Olympics has blossomed into a community with its own dedicated pack of volunteers and supportive families showing up for competitions to cheer and help out.

?I have had several parents tell me that it has been hard to find programs their children can grow in and have long term development in,? Vianca Peron said. Peron serves as the Special Needs Programs Coordinator of Doral.

Lina Mejia said her daughter Paulina Botero started making friends and she became more sociable after she joined the Doral team.

?It?s like a family,? Mejia said.

And the athletes do win. Doral walked away in 2010 from its first state competition with one gold medal and two silver medals.

?One of the global benefits of the program is exposing the community to the misconceived perceptions of the population?s abilities,? Thompson said.

At competitions the number of hugs given out probably outnumbers the score, regardless of the sport being played. Given the challenges these kids face their generosity adds to their bravery.

Botero, 14, had to miss out on several events this year due to a litany of conditions she battles daily. Botero?s mother, Mejia, carries a printout and flash drive in her purse listing all her daughter?s ailments along with contact information for her doctors. She says her daughter teaches her to fight but she wishes some would try more to understand this population.

?There are a lot of people that don?t understand them,? Mejia said. ?They are really special. There is no evil, there is no hatred. Everything they have is lovely.?

The Special Olympics? number one priority is the athletes but their work is meant to reach a larger scope; to change attitudes and impact lives for the better.

Botero made it to the state championships for ramp bowling at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Kissimmee. There were 6,000 bowling athletes at the competition. Botero went home with a silver medal.

?I like to be with me friends,? Botero said.

With basketball season concluding Martinez takes inspiring anecdotes. She recalls one young man trying for two years to make a basket. One day at practice, his shot suspended in the air, closer to the net than he had ever come and went in.

?Everything stopped. It was like a mini-celebration in the middle of practice,? Martinez said.

Now with a year-round schedule of seasonal sports and regular practices, Coach Martinez manages more than a full-time coaching schedule. She nurtures her relationships with her athletes.

?You need to be a very patient person, you need to be understanding and kind. I tend to look at the bigger picture, I?m more concerned with whether the athletes are having a good time,? Martinez said.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/12/22/2558244/special-olympics-in-doral-its.html

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