How the Special Olympics has changed our lives

It took 8 years. It took 8 years to finally get the correct correlation of diagnosis to actually help my son. We have had our ups and we have had our downs but since starting the special Olympics our lives, all of our lives have changed for the better.

He was so excited when he was finally able to join our local special Olympics team the wildcats. We started out slow and joined the bowling team. We did so because we had tried him out playing soccer with the town team a few years ago and it didn't end well. It was an "instructional" league but most of these kids have been playing since they were in diapers, and to be honest there was no instruction involved. My son had such anxiety about playing because he was so afraid he was going to do it wrong, and because honestly he had no idea how to really play the game, other than having kicked a ball around in our back  yard.

After his first few times bowling with the wildcats I started noticing things about my son I had never seen before. When he would talk to his coaches he was looking them in the eye. He was sitting at tables with his peers and smiling and laughing with them. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. So we signed him on up for volleyball.

During volleyball practice I was that mother, yanno the one who refused to leave him there without me there. So I sat on a folding chair in the hallway. It was in that hallway I broke into tears because I heard them yelling and cheering my boy's name. I don't know what he did, and I still don't, but that doesn't matter. They were cheering him on. They were standing behind him. They were lifting him up in ways he has never had happen outside of our home before and it touched my heart.

Then...it was time for hockey. I am not going to lie I was down right nervous and thought we were crazy to sign him up. In all honesty I thought we were setting him up for failure. I could picture the soccer fiasco all over again. But the most amazing thing happened. HE LOVED IT! Not only did he love it but he wasn't half bad at it either.
So every sunday I climbed onto that wildcats bus and went and watched my boy play his heart out.

I'll never ever forget the first time he was on the winning team. I looked at him and asked him if he was excited that his team won. His response will always, always, ALWAYS sit with me. He looked at me and said

"oh...we won? I didn't even know I was having so much fun"

THAT IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT! My eight year old reminded me what it is all about. It has nothing to do with winning or losing, is about having fun and playing the game. Every game I went to I watched my little man play better than he had the game before. It was all about personal best. It was also amazing to see the coaches reinforce the same thing. Try your hardest, play your hardest and have fun. It doesn't matter if you win or lose.

Not only has my son learned how to play sports, but by being a part of the wildcats he has learned more independence and is losing his fear of trying things for himself. My little man has learned better self care, he has learned that there are people out there who care about him for who he is no matter what. He has things to talk about, and is so happy. These are things I never thought I was going to see happen for him.

Not only has being part of the wildcats changed his life, but it has changed mine as well. I so love going to his practices, and his games and watching him play, and spending time with the other athletes. I can honestly say I love each of the athletes as if they were my very own. These athletes and coaches alike have the biggest hearts, and take you in as if you were family. For a bunch of misfits like us that is a HUGE deal.

For all you special needs parents out there I highly suggest signing your kids up with your local special Olympics team if they are interested. It is a life changing, heart filling experience that is a joy to behold.

I love the wildcats and they are stuck with us weather they like it or not.