111: How Does the Special Olympics Change Lives Outside of Sports?

In its 50+ years, the Special Olympics has served as a beacon of inclusion for aspiring athletes with disabilities. This now-worldwide institution started in 1968 in Chicago and was the brainchild of Eunice Kennedy Shriver — President John Kennedy’s sister. At that time, developmentally disabled children were often institutionalized and intentionally separated from their families. Eunice had seen how societal pressure ultimately affected how her sister, Rosemary, was treated because of her intellectual disability.

She was inspired to look for constructive and enriching programming options for those with disabilities and found very few of them, so she set about to create one of her own, using participation in sports as its overarching theme.

The program that Eunice envisioned has grown dramatically over the years, and there are now more than 5 million Special Olympic athletes worldwide, representing 200 countries. In addition, each state in the U.S. has its own chapter of the Special Olympics, with California being represented by two due to its size and population.

But, while most of us associate the organization primarily with these athletic events, in reality, the Special Olympics does much more to improve the lives of people with disabilities — far beyond the realm of sports participation. In the newest episode of Absolute Trust Talk, Kirsten Howe spoke with Tyler Krochmal, Senior Manager of PR and Communications for Special Olympics Northern California (SONC).

Tyler is a pivotal part of the Special Olympics’ media team — he’s heading to Berlin for the International Special Olympics in June — so he’s well versed on the organization’s overall mission. He even participated as a volunteer coach for a number of years. And because Tyler oversees the Special Olympics’ Athlete Leadership program, which allows athletes with disabilities to learn real-world skills that help them develop confidence and expand their opportunities in life, he’s seen firsthand the impact that this organization can have — even when there’s no sporting event involved.

In this episode, we’re going to discuss:

• The impressive growth that the Special Olympics has seen since its inception and how that growth reflects today’s more enlightened and inclusionary approach toward people with disabilities.
• How participation in the Special Olympics is a watershed moment for athletes with disabilities. Many athletes’ interest is kindled by watching their chosen sport on television and signing up to participate. Unlike other aspects of their lives, disabled athletes don’t have to worry about the judgment of others. There are no particular ability levels required — only the desire to participate.
• The various ways Special Olympics is committed to supporting people with intellectual disabilities far beyond the athletic field to enhance their physical and emotional health.
• How the Special Olympics provides enriching participation opportunities for coaches and other volunteers as well as the athletes themselves.

And more!

Don’t miss this very uplifting episode, as Kirsten and Tyler delve into some of the lesser-known ways that the Special Olympics enriches the lives of disabled adults.