A Special Event

Lee Gerding sets out to win every race he enters. But in the heat of a race, the Southlake Carroll senior's priorities might suddenly change. Although he's a competitor, Gerding is the type of person who would stop to lend a hand to a fellow racer who tripped and fell - even if that means falling behind the other runners he's trying to outpace. "It's more important to have fun with your friends than win the race," Gerding said. "But I like the gold medals." Gerding is a member of the Southlake Carroll team that competed in the Area 11 Spring Games in late April at the University of Texas at Arlington. The two-day Special Olympics event - which featured 1,000 athletes and thousands more family members, coaches and volunteers from Fort Worth and surrounding areas - gave athletes with physical and cognitive special needs a chance to shine in competition. "Hopefully this program will make our kids more independent and have a sense of pride," said Susan Huey, co-head of delegation for Fort Worth school district Special Olympics. "Special Olympics shows what they can do - not what they cannot do." At the Spring Games, the athletes competed for gold, silver and bronze medals - and ribbons for fourth, fifth and sixth place and participation - in track, soccer, softball throw and turbo jav, a modified form of javelin. Other Special Olympics sports offered for athletes ages 8 and older include swimming, tennis, bowling and basketball. In addition to serving as head of delegation for the 42-member Southlake Carroll Special Olympics program, Stacy Carey also coaches the athletes in track and bowling. Carey said the participants do not just learn about the fundamentals of sports. They come to know about the dedication it takes to improve and excel; about the importance of practicing; about what it means to be a part of a team; and about what it feels like to win or lose. "For these kids, it's not just about the important long-term benefits of exercise. It's getting to be part of a team," said Carey, who has been a part of Special Olympics for nine years. "We see social benefits. We see self-esteem improve. We see people take a leadership role." Many beginners start out simply trying to finish a race. Over time, though, Carey sees them develop into seasoned runners hoping to shave seconds off their best time. "Now, they're crossing the finish line and saying, 'What was my time? What was my time?'" she said. "They understand what it means to cross the finish line first. They know what it means when you're not first." The Special Olympics program was almost non-existent in Fort Worth schools when Huey arrived in December 2000 as the coordinator of the district's program for students with autism. Huey, who has been involved with Special Olympics for 35 years, convinced administrators to launch the program and provide uniforms, transportation and practice facilities to nurture its growth. The Fort Worth program, which had just four participants in 2003, today boasts about 250 athletes. Huey said parents, teachers and student volunteers from Arlington Heights High School and other campuses have helped increase the program's popularity by word of mouth. That's because anybody who gets involved gets hooked, Huey said. "Many people think of it as, 'Let's go have a good time and help those handicapped kids,'" Huey said. "That's not what it's about. It's true competition in an athletic sense." A recent convert is Joel Maxwell. In November, Maxwell left a career in corporate America to take the position of Area 11 program director. As he reflected on organizing his first Spring Games, Maxwell said he is thankful that he made the decision to become involved in Special Olympics. "It came to me and I just said, 'This is something I need to do and want to do.' And I'm glad I did it," Maxwell said. Maxwell's favorite moment of the Spring Games was watching the athletes mix and mingle during the opening ceremonies. They played carnival games, danced and enjoyed gathering with their peers, he said. "Nobody that's involved in Special Olympics doesn't come away uplifted not only for helping out with Special Olympics but for becoming better themselves," Maxwell said. One of Carey's favorite aspects of Special Olympics is that it can be a lifelong activity for the competitors. Gerding and others can continue playing with their school district squads for a few seasons after graduating from high school. But they are encouraged to transition gradually to competing for one of the Fort Worth area's adult teams. "They can do it from ages 8 to 99," Carey said. Carey is also hooked for life. She said she enjoys watching the athletes sit next to their friends on the bus and cheer on their teammates as they perform to the best of their ability. "The blessings we get back from these kids is ten-fold more than we could do for them," Carey said. "It's such an awesome opportunity to be a part of their lives and make a small difference."