During our State Poly Hockey Championships, which is one of our loudest and rowdiest competitions, I glanced at the Special Olympics athlete who is pictured here and was immediately taken back to some of my favorite moments growing up: Hitting a tennis ball against the garage door, dribbling a basketball in the church parking lot across the street, driving golf balls into the woods behind our house. All of these were uncomplicated, inexpensive, personal moments in sport that I enjoyed and that impacted me in a deep way.
In the Special Olympics movement, we talk a lot about the tangible benefits sport brings, including increased levels of self-confidence, improved physical fitness, and better developed social skills, just to name a few. However, rarely do we give mention to that which isn’t as visible, studied, or shared – the way sport can nourish the soul.
It’s not easy to write about one’s soul, especially in this context, but here’s my thoughts about it. For decades I have watched our athletes participate and wondered if God, through sport, may be providing them a space where they are free to experience themselves in a way of their own choosing. I think it is during those moments that the soul is nourished. It is during those moments IT IS WELL with them. It is in watching our athletes experience those moments we can feel inspired to invite more people to be a part of Special Olympics New Mexico.