Tag: sports
Elgin’s Winfred Cooper honored as inspiration to teens with autism
Daily Herald
Winfred Cooper of Elgin, Ill., was honored over the weekend by the HollyRod Foundation at a Los Angeles red-carpet event where Holly Robinson Peete said he is an inspiration to teens with autism. You may be one of the thousands of people who saw Cooper’s amazing touchdown at a high school football game last fall. He’s now in college in Elgin.
Calling him an inspiration to teens with autism, the HollyRod4kids Foundation honored Elgin’s Winfred Cooper with its Champion Award this past weekend.
The awards were given out at a large, celebrity-filled fundraising gala called DesignCare, held at billionaire businessman Ron Burkle’s estate in Beverly Hills.
After walking the red carpet into the party, Cooper, 19, and his father, Winfried, met several celebrities, including Marcus Allen, Sugar Ray Leonard and Samuel L. Jackson. They also spent time with the foundation’s founders, actress Holly Robinson Peete and NFL star Rodney Peete.
via Daily Herald | Elgin’s Winfred Cooper honored as inspiration to teens with autism.
Posted on July 28, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: athletes, Autism, sports, teenagers with autism
Florida teen swims his way to 2011 Special Olympics in Greece
St. Petersburg Times
The sky is spitting an afternoon shower as Michael Tuason arrives for practice at the New Port Richey Rec Center pool with his mom. The tall, lanky teenager greets his waiting dad with a brief “hi,” then quickly strips to his bathing suit and tucks his black, shoulder-length hair under his navy blue cap.
Before long, the star of the Pasco Piranhas Special Olympics swim team is in the water, ready to go.
“How many?” Michael, 18, asks his coach, Rita Miller.
She barely gets out, “Give me 20,” before he’s off, swimming the freestyle and easily lapping the two other swimmers sharing the lane.
“Just look at him go,” Miller says, “He won’t stop till he’s done all 20 laps and then he’ll ask me again, ‘How many?’
“Now you see why he’s going to the World Games.”
via Autistic Pasco County teen swims his way to 2011 Special Olympics in Greece – St. Petersburg Times.
Posted on July 28, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: athletes, Autism, Special Olympics, sports, swimming, teenagers with autism
Spanish soccer coach fulfills son with Down syndrome’s wish
Catholic News Agency
The coach of Spain’s world champion soccer team, Vicente del Bosque, is a man of few words and gestures. However, last week he experienced one of the most emotional moments of his life when he fulfilled the dream of his 21 year-old son Alvaro, who suffers from Down’s Syndrome, by allowing him to hold up the World Cup trophy to the applause of the team.
“My son changed my life,” Del Bosque has said on more than one occasion. Alvaro is his second son, and Del Bosque learned that he had Down’s Syndrome several weeks after his birth. “At first we cried a lot,” he told author Gemma Herrero for her book, “39 Stories of Solidarity Surrounding Sports,” but he added, “Now when I look back I think, we were so foolish.”
via Spanish soccer coach fulfills wish for Down’s Syndrome son :: Catholic News Agency (CNA).
Posted on July 21, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Down Syndrome | Tags: athletes, Down Syndrome, soccer, Spain, sports
Autism and Summer: Summer Special Olympics
Nearly 3,000 athletes with autism, Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities are headed to Nebraska for the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games.
The Summer Games July 18-23 in Lincoln will feature athletes competing in 13 sports - including swimming, soccer, track & field, bowling, golf, bocce, volleyball, gymnastics, tennis, powerlifting and softball.
Organizers have erected a Special Olympics Town for the athletes, 1,000 coaches and 15,000 friends and family members expected to attend.
One feature – a 20-foot-long memory wall where people can write tributes to Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who died last year.
While this national event is huge – and the world Special Olympics next year in Athens will be even bigger, Special Olympics events are held nationwide and around the world. (Sixteen Special Olympics soccer players showed the world just how talented they are during the World Cup.) At any level, as the athletes compete, they change attitudes about intellectual disabilities, and they become more confident and empowered.
Do you have a family member competing in the Special Olympics? Everyone’s a winner in these Games!
via Pershing to be Special Olympics Town.
Posted on July 13, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism, Down Syndrome | Tags: athletes, Autism, Down Syndrome, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics, sports
Autism and karate: An autistic teen’s black belt
Charlotte Observer
Wondering about the benefits of martial arts for children with autism? Read this story about a teenager in North Carolina who gained enormous confidence along with his black belt. Congratulations, Nick! (And congratulations to his parents for finding an activity that suited him and that he grew passionate about.)
If you met Nick Talent four years ago, he probably didn’t look you in the eye.
Shy, muted, insecure – for most 14-year-olds, those traits come with the territory.
Nick has autism.
Now he’s 18.
Extend your hand, and he’ll shake it.
Look him in the eye, and you’ll meet his gaze.
Smile and give small talk, and he’ll do the same.
Throw a punch, though, and you’ll find yourself on the ground.
Just ask his karate instructor.
Posted on July 7, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: activities, Autism, children with Autism, karate, martial arts, sports, teenagers with autism
Autism and Summer: Sports and autistic children
Sports have many benefits for autistic children — exercise, structure and, of course, fun!
But many children with autism don’t do well on athletic teams. If communication or social issues are keeping your autistic child on the sidelines, think about individual sports this summer.
Skateboarding has really caught on in the autism community, thanks in part to the work of the A.skate Foundation, which holds clinics nationwide.
Swimming is an important skill for your child to learn — and some communities even offer swimming lessons for children with autism.
Your autistic child may also enjoy tennis, martial arts or hiking.
Skateboarding, hiking, karate…. or Little League? Does your autistic child do better with solo sports? Any recommendations on good sports for children with autism?
Posted on July 7, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: Autism, sports, summer
Boy with autism, Down syndrome will throw first pitch at Red Sox game
Kennebec Journal
A Maine boy with autism and Down syndrome will throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park in Boston Tuesday, disability awareness night. Go Jackson! (And go Red Sox!)
Jackson Hickey will be on the mound Tuesday night at Fenway Park, not as a replacement for the battered Red Sox staff but to throw out the first pitch.
The 11-year-old from West Gardiner will be center stage on disability awareness night prior to Boston’s game against Tampa Bay. Jackson’s mother, Jayne, entered her son’s name into a contest promoted by Exceptional Parents Magazine and got a response within 24 hours.
“I filled out (a form) and I saw the Red Sox were an option,” she said. “I said ‘I’d really like to make his dream come true.’ ”
The magazine honors a special family each year and selected the Hickeys for their compelling story.
via West Gardiner boy to throw out 1st pitch at Fenway | The Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME.
Posted on June 28, 2010 | 2 Comments | Category: Autism, Down Syndrome | Tags: Autism, Boston, Massachusetts, Red Sox, sports
Golfers play 42 courses in 24 hours for Alzheimer’s charity
Journal Live
We’ve seen a lot of golf fundraisers for Alzheimer’s — but this is fundraiser in northeast England is a lot of golf for Alzheimer’s!
FORTY two courses, 365 miles, 24 hours – that’s the novel challenge facing four plucky golfers.
Peter Simpson and three golfing buddies are aiming to play a hole at every course in Northumberland today.
Peter, the full-time manager and secretary at Alnmouth Golf Club, has organised the challenge to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society, after his 87- year-old mum Florence suffered from dementia prior to her death last year.
via JournalLive – News – Today’s News – Golfers to play 42 courses in 24 hours for Alzheimer’s charity.
Posted on June 23, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Alzheimer's, Dementia | Tags: Alzheimer's, fundraising, golf, sports, UK
It’s National Go Skateboarding Day! Take an autistic child skateboarding
The A.skate Foundation named today National Go Skateboarding Day, with the hope that skateboarders and others will take a child with autism skateboarding.
Skateboarding can be a great sport for some autistic kids – even if they never get beyond sitting on their boards – because there are no coaches, no teams relying on you and limited social skills required. Check out this ESPN story for some awesome stories about autistic children and skateboarding.
One of our major initiatives this year centers on Go Skateboarding Day. On June 21, skateboarders around the globe will celebrate the pure joy of skateboarding by dropping everything to go skate. On that day, we would love to see skateboarders everywhere make the day even more special by taking a child with autism skateboarding. It’s a crazy idea, but one that’s perfectly suited to skateboarding.
via The A.skate Foundation – National Go Skateboarding Day Campaign.
Posted on June 21, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: activities, Autism, children with Autism, skateboarding, sports
Down syndrome stories shared on “My Great Story”
National Down Syndrome Society
The National Down Syndrome Society has a fantastic new web feature, My Great Story, that tells the stories of some of the 400,000 people with Down syndrome living in the U.S. – often in their own words. There’s a place on the site for people to continue to share more great stories. Here’s the beginning of one of the stories, written by Sara Wolff of Pennsylvania:
Sara Wolff, The Public Speaker
Moscow, PA
My name is Sara Wolff. I am 24 years old and My Great Story is about my Public Speaking.
I’d first like to share a little bit about myself with you. I definitely have something unique about me—and that is an extra 21st chromosome, called Down syndrome… which, by the way, has never stopped me from doing anything!
I don’t think of myself as having “DOWN” syndrome but “UP” syndrome because I am an upbeat and positive person. I have been raised with the motto “Never” say “Never” and the words “I can’t” don’t exist.
via National Down Syndrome Society – Sara Wolff, The Public Speaker.
Posted on June 15, 2010 | 1 Comment | Category: Down Syndrome | Tags: activities, celebrities, Down Syndrome, sports