Special Olympics: Providing more than sport

Our guest speaker was Andrea Werner, who volunteers as Sports Coordinator at the Special Olympics Sydney Northern Beaches Club. Andrea was accompanied by two local members of the Athletes' Leadership Program, Annalise Fadeev and Fred Pollock. 

Andrea has been a volunteer with Special Olympics for 14 years and explained the beginning of the organisation in the US followed by Australia and what people with an intellectual disability can achieve with the right support and opportunity,

Annalise Fadeev, Andrea Werner and Fred Pollock

Global Movement

Special Olympics has grown from a backyard camp into a global movement that has been transforming the lives of people with an intellectual disability for almost 50 years. The global sporting community was pioneered by the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister to US President John F Kennedy as well as Rosemary who had an intellectual disability. Today, Special Olympics supports over 5 million athletes in 177 countries.  

Australia was the first country to follow USA and Special Olympics began here in 1976, at a time when many people with an intellectual disability were shut in institutions. While this is no longer the norm in Australia, Special Olympics continues to seek public support to ensure that people with an intellectual disability are not shut out and give them opportunities to play sport. 

Sports participation is a powerful force. It can shift the focus from disability to ability; from isolation to involvement. Special Olympics also opens the door to personal achievement, teamwork, leadership skills, pride and inclusion for some otherwise isolated members of our community. The life skills gained in addition to working with teams, the experience of winning or loosing and the gaining of independence has great impact for everyday life. Participants have increased employment attributes and greater engagement in the community. It is a great pathway to learning new skills and increasing personal development.

Special Olympics Australia Today

Special Olympics Australia offers regular training in Athletics, Basketball, Bocce, Cricket, Dance, Equestrian, Football (Soccer), Golf, Gymnastics (Artistic and Rhythmic), Netball, Power Lifting, Sailing, Softball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Ten-pin Bowling and Winter Sports (Alpine Skiing and Snow Board). 

On the Northern Beaches, at least 7 sports are taking place each week, providing both fun & fitness and competitions within Sydney. The overall age range of the athletes is from 8 years to 65 years.

Northern Beaches has wide range of sports and a large contingent of volunteers and athletes.

Covid restrictions has affected activities this year, but since many venues in the Northern Beaches are council or government owned/controlled they have been able to train since July however, competitions outside the region have not been able to be held. This situation is hopefully going to improve in 2021.

 Normally each year there are hundreds of competitions from local through to international competition. During competition, athletes are placed in divisions so that they compete against people of similar ability.

State Games are usually held annually, with some states hosting multi-sport games, while others hold a separate competition for each sport.  Junior games have an age range of 8-16 years. The next National games will be held in Tasmania in 2022. The World Games are held every four (4) years, the next will be in Berlin in 2023. 

Meet the Special Olympics Leaders

Andrea explained that there are 4 leaders in Northern Beaches and they are selected because of their individual skills and encouragement of team members. Both leaders at the meeting demonstrated a high degree of professionalism and pride in their role and told us about their involvement with Special Olympics and how they had benefited from it.

Fred Pollock has been involved with Special Olympics for over10 years and plays & coaches Basketball and they play every week and train once a week. He was in the team from NSW in the last National meeting held in Adelaide and won the Bronze medal and now the team  players wear elite jerseys. Fred said the time spent in Adelaide was most enjoyable since in addition to the basketball matches, there was dancing, games and a talent quest.

As a leader he is involved with training and organising, public speaking and award ceremonies, and committee meetings where they are expected to provide feedback & suggestions.

Fred has a full time job and is an SES volunteer.

 Annalise Fadeev has been involved in Special Olympics for the last 25 years and plays a multitude of sports including tennis, swimming, 10pin bowling and dancing (Hip Hop). All this takes a large amount of her time but thoroughly enjoys it. She enjoys speaking at events and was missing a Hip Hop function to be at the presentation. She also participates at awards and committee meetings

Annalise represented Australia in tennis at the last World games held in Abu Dhabi and won the bronze medal for individual tennis and came 4th in doubles.

Annalise has a full time job at Allambie Heights.

Olympic Connection

Like the Olympics and Paralympics, Special Olympics believe in the power of sport to create a better world. Each organisation has a slightly different focus and very different levels of awareness and funding.

The Olympics is an iconic and well supported major sporting event for elite athletes.

The Paralympics is a major sporting event for elite athletes, mainly with a physical disability with awareness and funding on the rise.

Special Olympics is a year-round multi-sports program for people with an intellectual disability – of all capabilities – who also have access to robust competition pathways including our World Games which is hosted on a four-year cycle in summer and winter sports.

Did You Know?

• Special Olympics is the only organisation authorised by the International Olympic Committee to use the word "Olympics". This authorisation is enshrined in a Protocol of Agreement signed in 1988.
• The organisation is totally self-funded - all support is at grsss- roots level. Awareness and funding are key priorities of the organisation.
• Bunnings BBQs are a major fund raiser.
  
• The 2021 Special Olympics Golf Day is being held at the Long Reef Golf Club on Friday 26th February. (Note to all golfers!)
  
• Swimming is the hardest sport to stage due to pool availability and costs of pool hire. Volunteers are very much needed.
  

Annalise Fadeev, President Lindy and Fred Pollock after the meeting

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

President Lindy thanked Andrea, Annalise and Fred for their very motivating and thought provoking presentation and agreed that exploring ways of closely working together in the future must be a high priority.