Special Olympics organizations around the world are celebrating 50 years of supporting those with intellectual disabilities, through a love of sport.
The Special Olympics movement was founded in 1968 on Soldier Field in Chicago.
But according to one Special Olympics website, in the early 1960’s studies on the effects of fitness levels of children with intellectual disabilities were ongoing at the University of Toronto, led by Dr. Frank Hayden. He found that those with intellectual disabilities could learn the skills to participate in sport, while getting physically fit.
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Jason Agnew has been a Special Olympics Coach in New Brunswick for many years and he says it holds a special place in his heart, “I grew up with it. I have been fortunate enough to coach with my father and mother. I have coached with my children, who are all now volunteering with me. In 2014, my son and my father and I were all at the National Special Olympics Games held in Vancouver.”
His father started the program in Moncton in 1980, when Jason was just 7 years old.
“These athletes through Special Olympics, no one works harder, no one puts more effort into preparation for competition and no one makes coaching more fun than our athletes do. They work very hard, and they train twelve months of the year,” Agnew says.
Their goal is often to compete well, but also build a lot of friendships along the way.
