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Matthew Gallineau
Dustin Parrott
English 201
24 June 2014
A Celebration Of The Human Spirit
Slide 1
Special individuals with cognitive disabilities should be able to train and compete in
sports at a national level. Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of Special Olympics in the year
1968, shared a belief that these special individuals should be able to compete like everyone else
in the world at an Olympic level. Eunice‘s motto was that exceptional children are exceptional
athletes and should be afforded equal opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities. She
believed these individuals should be able to attain their highest potential in life. Special
Education has enhanced the progress and growth of Special Olympics programs; teachers
motivate and give their students confidence to look beyond the classroom and help them to be a
part of organized sports in the global community. Through Special Olympics these athletes can
clearly visualize their abilities, learn to apply their strengths and our less concerned with their
disabilities. They learn more about themselves and their hidden talents and as a result become
well-rounded individuals. Organized sports have enhanced these individuals’ social and physical
attributes; thru training and participation in Olympic events these athletes have the opportunity to
become more physically fit and at the same time possibility meet and establish new friendships
that may last a life time. In the long run, participating in Special Olympics has helped many
individuals with cognitive disabilities maintain healthier, productive and more content lifestyles.
The ultimate goal is to assist each individual in adjusting to circumstances that they have never

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experienced before and provide them with the opportunity to explore and develop as a person.
Many of them become so proficient in sports that they have attained leadership and mentoring
roles in the Special Olympics community. Special Olympics gives individuals with intellectual
disabilities the freedom to compete in sports without peer pressure. At every Olympic event, all
athletes are winners.
.Footnote #1 Collins, Bill and Foote,J “You know Eunice, The World Will Never Be The Same
After This” “Internal Journal of Special Education, vol 26, No. 2011, pg 1-9
Slide 2
Throughout history we can point out people that have changed the way we think and live.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, eldest sister of President John f. Kennedy, was a change maker for
individuals with intellectual disabilities. Eunice’s sister Rosemary Kennedy was stricken with
mental retardation as a child. Eunice’s father Joseph Kennedy had founded the national
foundation for mental retardation in 1948; Eunice wished to pursue her father’s mission to
change society’s perceptions and the treatment given to individuals with intellectual disabilities.
In 1962 Eunice Shriver Kennedy launched the Special Olympic program by inviting kids with
intellectual disabilities to explore a variety of sports and physical activities in her own back yard
in the form of day camps. The community got wind of her camps and from 1962 to 1968 more
than three hundred camps were established over the country. Eunice Kennedy Shriver and her
husband R. Sargent Shriver were motivated to provide more services to this population; they
pushed the government, thru the Kennedy Foundation to obtain funding for Special Olympics
programs and for the U.S and international Olympic committees to endorse the recognition of
the Special Olympics. The Shriver’s started the first Special Olympics in July of 1968 at Sadler

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field in Chicago, Illinois. During this event there were roughly one thousand participants from
Canada and the United States. The sports events in this first Olympics were hockey, track and
aquatics. Eunice and R. Sargent Shriver started the first winter special Olympic games in 1977
which took place in Steamboat Springs, Colorado where athletes engaged in the sports of skiing
and skating. The Shriver’s continued with expanding the Special Olympics movement further by
extending the games internationally to the middle and Far East Asian countries of know as the
former Soviet Union. R. Sargent Shriver served as the president of the Special Olympic
foundation and the chairmen of the Special Olympics’ international committee. Eunice Shriver
passed away in August of 2009 and R. Sargent Shriver died in January of 2011. Their legacy
continued through Eunice son‘s Timothy Shriver’s hard work and commitment to their cause. He
became the Special Olympics ‘chairmen. Eunice and R. Sargent Shriver were responsible for
changing the lives of many individuals afflicted with intellectual disabilities. Eunice Kennedy
Shrive’sr dream was that these individuals should not have to change themselves to reach their
full potentials in life; rather society would be the one to change especially their false perceptions
of these individuals. She believed after seeing this individuals display their God given talents on
the Olympic field that society would accept them. Today this movement has involved over two
hundred special Olympic programs, more than 3 million athletes and with 32 sports events and
800 countries.
Slide 3
Special Olympics is to the world’s greatest movement .promoting human acceptance and
universal human value that the world has ever seen. These are the worlds deeply wounded
victims of prejudice Special Olympic athletes represent a challenge to intolerance, prejudice, fear
and human misunderstanding. Eunice Shriver once said, “putting a ball in a slow learners hands,

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and seeing them score, that’s when the perception of someone can change.”(1) What separates
Special Olympics from every other competition is the love of being a part of something. They
become confident and empowered by their accomplishments. They no longer see themselves as
being someone who is alone and compromised by their disabilities because they are a valued
contribute to their Olympic sport team. .
FOOTNOTE 1 - Collins, Bill and Foote,J “Special Olympics Benefits to All.” Internal Journal
of Special Education, vol 26, No. 2011, pg 1-9
Slide 4
The way Special Olympics can be defined is unbounded joy. You can see this in the faces of the
athletes, their families and friends during the Olympic events ;exzuberiating happiness in their
celebrations. The Special Olympics exemplifies a feeling of positive affirmation by reinforcing
no matter what your disability is you can accomplish great things. Special Olympics are a
wonderful opportunity to help transform people’s lives. In the 2008 Olympics in East Asia,
special Olympic athlete Sipho Mjoka from South Africa expressed, “being here has been like a
dream for me. Coming here being in these games is more then I imagined. It got me out of my
world”.(2) These events provide them with courage to learn on their own and to apply this
knowledge to their lives. It also gives them the oppuritnity to meet and interact with new friends.
Special Olympics has given many individuals with intellectual disabilities a reason for hope,
Brendan Foley, who has Downs Syndrome locked himself away from his family after his
grandfather died. Brendan’s life changed when a coach saw his talent to catch a ball. Shortly
after this recognition, Brendan was participating in the 2007 Special Olympic game in Shanghai

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as a team member of the Australia soft ball squad. Brendan Foley’s mother, Lynn Foley said,”
Special Olympics became so important in his life; he works out five times a week. (3) Being a
part of a team brought him back to us.” (3) Special Olympics provides individuals that have
intellectual disabilities a forum for world acceptance of who they are.
FOOTNOTE # 2 6.Wendel,Tim “Special Olympics Brings New Hope and Prospects to China”
Exceptional Parent, vol. 38, p.g 12-26
FOOTNOTE#3 IBID pg 15
Slide 5
Those who volunteer to help out each individual during the Olympic Games really play
an important role on the development and progress of these athletes make. They wear a variety
of hats prior and at the games such as role models, chaperone, care giver, partner, coach, teacher
and friend. They form a unity with the challenged individual through training. They are the ones
that assist these athletes with the development of their vision of the special Olympic games. They
not only prepare them and teach them sport related skills that enhance their performance but they
serve to model and build their character which is an essential part of their play. During the
preparation and training these volunteers bring enthusiasm, motivation ,commitment and positive
thinking which help these athletes to be there best. They are required to attend Coach Excellence
programs where they partner with sports organizations to attain the necessary coaching skills to
mentor these athletes through the Olympic Games. This training assists these coaches to
recognize their athletes potential, specifically being able to tap in to strengths and abilities of
these athiletes. They teach their athletes to learn routines. Coaches instill stratergies to enhance

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learning and the importance of following direction. Many of these coaches feel their lives have
been transformed forever after having the privileged of mentoring these special individuals.
Slide 6
Special Olympics mission to develop cultural inclusion for individuals afflicted with
intellectual disabilities. The special Olympic organization started Unified sports with the
intention that for athletes with and without intellectual disabilities will compete and play on the
same teams. This partnership has shown to have a positive effect on players. It has changed
attitudes and has broken down barriers that have kept these special athletes apart from others for
generations. Many of these partnerships have developed into lifelong friendships. As a result of
the disabled athletes have demonstrated improved physical self-concepts which have enhanced
their belief in themselves as an athlete. The goal of Unified sports is to formulate a bond amongst
these players and to enhance the intellectually disabled athletes social relations and acceptance
with their teammates. In ninety percent of the unified sports teams these individuals have
reported an improvement in skill level and engagement which has enhanced their social
relationships with their teammates. Unified sports in Special Olympics has brought out the spirit
of the sports and has kindled the flame of commonalties amongst these players. The first unified
sports game was in 1991, in Massachusetts with an Olympic soft ball team. The athletes with
intellectual disabilities who participated in this game were less shy, and were much more
adjusted to the team. There are thousands of unified teams in the special Olympic programs. The
majority of the athletes with disabilities indicate that they enjoy these games and they look up to
their peers without disabilities. People with non-disabilities learn more from those who have
disabilities. A person with intellectual disabilities has gifts to bring in every conversation and to

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the playing field. Special Olympics aren’t just about the sport it’s about incredible amount of
unity, comradeship, friendship, and bonding.
Slide 7
Training for each athlete is just like any other sporting event. They work very hard to win
and compete with others. In order to compete in the Special Olympics athletes must have been
formally diagnosed with an intellectual disability prior to the age of eighteen. The special
Olympic organization requires each athlete to train for a period of eight weeks prior to the
competition and for three hours each week. In order for an athlete to compete at the Special
Olympics they must qualify at the local and state level in order to be a contender. In 1991 The
Healthy Athletes program was formulated to ensure all special Olympic athletes receive free
health screening, health treatment and necessary medical follow-up. This screening is to
enhance the training and competition by ensuring the athletes are physical fit and healthy enough
to compete. Healthy Athletes program implements hands on training which is accomplished by
professional trainers, physical, occupational therapists and coaches. The athlete is given
knowledge of the sport, given a performance evaluation and taught skills to enhance their
abilities and comfort level. Special Olympic athletes train for traditional sports, their training
consist of motor skill, weight training and coordination exercises. Each Olympic athlete is placed
in a division of their chosen sport with other athletes that have similar attributes such as
capabilities, age and sex. Eunice Shriver during the first Olympic game ensured the Olympic
oath was conveyed to all the participants,” Let me win but if I can not win, let me be brave in the
attempt.”(4) I think the most important thing about the games is when each person feels they
accomplished something and that they were a part of something larger than they knew back at
home. At previous Olympic Games the last athletes crossing the finish line receive more cheers

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than the leaders themselves. They should all feel happy that they were given the opportunity to
better themselves and train for the Olympics.
FOOTNOTE#4 IBID pg 2
Slide 8
Special Olympic events occur every two years and our very expensive to put on. Many of
these events budgets exceed more than ten million dollars. There is funding for Special Olympics
at local, state and federal levels of the government but it unfortunately is not enough. The Special
Olympic committee and chairperson are continuous canvasing for sponsors and supporters, in the
private and cooperate level, to subsidize the cost of the Olympic events. Cooperate sponsorship
provides 90% of the special Olympic funding; some of these cooperation funding comes from
such companies as Mattel, Procter Gamble, ESPN, AT &T. Many Marketers of global business
support the Special Olympics to improve awareness of the cause and to enhance growth of
community based special Olympic programs. There are social groups, whose sponsorship has an
impact on the quality of the games, this includes the Lions club who contributes and supports the
Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program. Many celeberties, including movie and
professional athletes such as Bono, Arnold Swarzenegger, Ellen Farrell, Matt Flair, Michael
Phelps and Scott Hamilton have given major contributions or have sponsored fund raiser events.
W.W.E is sponsoring the 2014 Special Olympics in New Jersey. They promise to bring a lot of
money and attention for Special Olympics. Many major dignitaries such as nelson Mandela,
President Clinton and Princess Charlene of Monaco, have been at Special Olympics and support
the special Olympic events, they have served as ambassadors to this organization which drew
national attention to the organizations and led to an increase in sponsorship.
Slide 9

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The mission of Special Olympics is to make a difference of the lives of individuals with
intellectual disabilities. The Special Olympics games transforms these individuals by
empowering them with confidence, improving their health and fitness and helping them to be
more socially adjusted individuals. These games allow them to live out their dreams and gives
them life changing experiences which in turn brings about emotions that they never knew
existed, the comfort of friendships, the feelings of pushing themselves to the limit when training,
the excitement and joy of competition and sure victory of winning. Over the past thirty plus
years special Olympic athletes have proven that they can and will succeed; they overcome their
obstacles with pure determination and heart. They are truly an inspiration to everyone.
Bibliography
1.Borntrager,Randy “A Battle Cry for Inclusion”Exceptional Parent, Feb. 2006,Vol. 36, issue 10
pg.12-18
2. Briere,Donald ‘’Effects of Unified Sports Basketball Program on Special Education, Students
Self-Conceptsfor Student Experience’’ Teaching Exceptional Children Plus. Vol 5. Article 1,
Sept. 2008. pg 1-12
3. Collins, Bill and Foote,J “You Know Unice, The World Will Never Be The Same After This
Internal Journal of Special Education, vol 26, No. 2011, pg 1-9
4. MacLean Jr, William E “The Rest Of The Story. Research and Practice for Persons with
Severe Disabilities”, Fall 2008. Vol .3 pgs. 146-149.
5. Shah, Nirvi ‘Sports Teams Extended Reach” , Educator Week, July 2012, pgs 1-5

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6.Wendel,Tim “Special Olympics Brings New Hope and Prospects to China” Exceptional
Parent, vol. 38, p.g 12-26
7. Vanderslice, Ronna “Special Olympics Benefit to All” Delta Kappa gamma Bulletin,
Winter 2002, vol 68, pg 5-10