RICHMOND – The Magoffin County Special Olympics traveled to Richmond for Special Olympics Kentucky Summer Games, bringing home plenty of medals and ribbons, as well as a slew of memories.
Kisha Sowards, the coach and coordinator for the Magoffin team, told the Independent, “Going to the Special Olympics Summer games in Richmond is far more than just a competition for our team and athletes. It goes beyond winning a ribbon or a medal- this is a day where all our athletes can be nothing short of who they truly are. Our athletes look forward to the competition all throughout the track and field season, asking almost every practice if they will be going and if they will be able to stay in a hotel with a swimming pool, again. The morning we left for Richmond, a parent sent a very special video of our team member Colton singing and dancing, saying ‘today is the day I get to go to the hotel with a pool with my friends.’”
With Sowards not only the coach, but also a family member of one of the athletes, her brother, Tate, she said the excitement was palpable as they traveled to Richmond.
“During the drive down, Tate asked every couple of miles if we were there, yet,” Sowards said. “Once arriving at the hotel, the parents barely had time to get their bags in their rooms before the kids were racing them down to the pool!”
While it’s hard to beat pool time, the athletes had a great time on Eastern Kentucky University’s campus, she said.
“Walking across campus on competition day is a joy that someone can’t describe- you just have to experience it,” Sowards said. “All throughout the day I heard athletes saying, ‘this is the best day ever!’, and volunteers, parents and coaches congratulating everyone they passed that had a ribbon or medal. It’s almost like a festival for the kids. They have singing, dancing, games, tons of tents set up with products to give to the athletes. They even have a place on campus called ‘healthy athletes’ where the athletes can go and get things like free eye exams and glasses/sports goggles.”
This year’s events reminded Sowards why she volunteers her time and energy to the local chapter of the Special Olympics.
“As for my personal experience this year, I was not only a coach and coordinator, I was a family member of a competing athlete,” Sowards said. “My commitment to the team is partly because I always wanted something available for my little brother Tate- something where he could be himself and learn his independence. This year, I was able to watch him compete at the state competition for the very first time and do just that. He was so proud of himself, and that is worth it all!”
She also highlighted the important role donations play for the team’s experiences.
“One of the most important aspects of our team here in Magoffin is keeping everything free for our athletes and their families,” Sowards said. “It is no secret that we are reliant on donations and fundraisers that are held in our community just for our team. Last year we had only four athletes that advanced to state from our team. This year, our amount doubled and out of 13 athletes, eight of those competed in the state competition. Our weekend of competitions started on Friday when Lee’s Famous Recipe provided our entire team (athletes, parents and coaches) with lunch free of charge before we were graciously escorted out of the county by the Magoffin County Sheriff’s Department. Because of the continuous support from our incredible community, we were able to book a hotel with a pool and have pizza, chips, drinks, and sweets for the entire team the night before the competition. We were blessed enough to also provide new track uniforms and new running shoes for every athlete on the team, all thanks to the people of Magoffin that support us!”
“Our goal for Magoffin County Special Olympics is to teach our athletes independence and provide a space where they feel welcome and are comfortable being themselves. If you ask any member of our team, they will tell you we are more like a family than a team.”
