autumn/winter 2014

Welcome to the autumn/winter edition of Connect magazine!THE last few months have been an incredibly busy period for Special Olympics Ireland. In June 1,500 athletes travelled to Limerick to take part in the 2014 Ireland Games. Over the course of three glorious days, athletes from around the country competed in 13 different sports, as well as a non-competitive Motor Activities event. Aided in their efforts by some 3,000 dedicated volunteers, the athletes performed brilliantly, with 2,200 medals awarded and numerous personal bests achieved.

No sooner had we waved goodbye to Ireland Games did attention turn to the 46 Irish athletes set to compete at the 2014 European Games in Antwerp, Belgium in September. Team Ireland received a fantastic send-off from our friends in the Dublin Airport Authority and Team Ireland sponsor, Aer Lingus, who kindly sponsored the flights of the squad.

In Antwerp our athletes featured in seven sports, taking home 57 medals, 31 placement ribbons, as well as posting countless personal bests. To cap off what was a fantastic performance by Team Ireland, our men’s seven-a-side football team had the honour of being awarded the Fair Play award in recognition of their exemplary conduct on the pitch. Team Ireland returned to a hero’s welcome at Dublin airport as delighted family members, supporters and media gathered to cheer and applaud their efforts.

A huge thank you rightly goes to the 18 strong management team who worked with the athletes to prepare them for the 2014 European Games and accompanied them to Belgium for the two-week adventure. Undoubtedly the memories will stay with them all for a lifetime!

As 2014 draws to a close our attention now turns to the bright lights of Los Angeles where the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games will be hosted next summer. For the 88 athletes selected to represent

Ireland at these Games, this will be a major event in their lives and everyone connected to Special Olympics Ireland is determined to make it an unforgettable experience for them.

To achieve this objective we will once again be reaching out to our corporate friends via the Support an Athlete programme. To cover the cost of sending Team Ireland to Los Angeles, Special Olympics Ireland needs to raise €400,000, no small feat in this current climate. But we remain confident that businesses will agree to support our athletes and play their part in telling the story of the 2015 World Summer Games.

Meanwhile, our regular ongoing programme will continue for our remaining 9,433 athletes with local area competitions, leagues and development days planned for the coming year. Unfortunately we enter a new sports scene with reduced staffing resources due to a major restructuring programme that has been underway during 2014, following a detailed review, commissioned by the Board. The strategic and organisational review has resulted in redundancies in some roles, as well as other cost-saving measures being implemented. I would like to thank those staff members who have moved on having provided years of dedicated service. Furthermore, I would like to thank our current staff and our many stakeholders for their patience and understanding as we work our way through this difficult transition phase.

I hope Special Olympics, and particularly our staff members, will receive your support as we strive to deliver the best programme possible, albeit with less resources. Thank you for your dedication to making the lives of people with intellectual disabilities so much richer through sport

Best wishesMatt English

Matt EnglishCEO Welcome

WHEN it comes to European Games, Special Olympics Ireland has a long and proud tradition of involvement. Not only have Irish athletes competed at each and every European Games every held, Dublin also hosted the very first European Games way back in 1985. The competition has come a long way since then and is currently open to athletes from all 58 countries active in the Europe/Eurasia region. In 2006 the European Games was firmly established into Special Olympics four-year-cycle meaning the event is now staged in Ireland in the same year as our National Games. In practice this means a very busy but rewarding 12 months for our athletes and volunteers. And 2014 was no exception!

On September 9th 46 athletes and an 18 strong management team flew to Belgium for a two-week adventure. Belgium had been gearing up for the 2014 European Games for well over a year and, with the help of 4,000 volunteers, the organisers were determined to make the event a huge success. According to Special Olympics Ireland’s Competition Development Manager, Elaine Twomey, who was Head of Delegation for TeamIreland, the Belgian people madegood on their

FOCUS ON: 2014 EUROPEAN GAMES, ANTWERP, BELGIUM

46 Irish athletesparticipated in seven

sports at the 2014Special Olympics

European SummerGames.

Paul Gordon from Omagh, Co. Tyrone, on his way to win a 100m Gold Medal at the 2014 European Games

promise to deliver a fantastic games and the Irish athletes and their management team enjoyed a hugely positive experience.

“Without a doubt the 2014 European Games was a success. From the very moment we arrived in Belgium everything ran like clockwork. Both on and off the field of play, Team Ireland was amazing. Each of the 46 athletes participated to the best of their abilities, achieving personal bests in so many of their events, they displayed exemplary sportsmanship and the

58 delegationsfrom Europe-Eurasia,

totalling 2000athletes, took part

in the action over thecourse of the Games.

Team Ireland pictured with sponsor Aer Lingus ahead of departure to 2014 EuropeanGames

medals and place ribbons came too.”

“A good competitive and enriching experience was had by all involved and both coaches and athletes gained huge international experience that will benefit them for a long time to come. The whole experience was capped off when our seven-a-side men’s football team were awarded the Fair Play aware in recognition of their conduct on the pitch. It really was the icing on

the cake,” explained Elaine, who has been involved with Special Olympics, as a staff

member and volunteer, for well over 20 years.

One of the standout highlights for any athlete attending European or World Summer Games is the host town programme during which athletes get to sample a new country and its

culture. For Team Ireland in Belgium, this meant having a chance to sight-see

and make friends with other athletes from their base in Geel, a city located in

Belgian province of Antwerp.

“We spent three days staying with host families in the town of Geel, who welcomed us in to their homes, and their hearts. The organising

committee there had a plethora of events organised for us which allowed us to get a feel for Belgium and also to get used to some beautiful warm, sunny weather. We also had great opportunities to do some sport training and they had organised local Special Olympics athletes to compete against to get us ready and geared up for competition.”

Special Olympics is built on a strong foundation of volunteering. In fact, after the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Special Olympics Ireland has the second highest number of volunteers, with 25,000 registered with the organisation. The 2014 European Games was yet another example of dedicated individuals coming on-board to ensure athletes have the very best experience possible. This included devising and implementing a comprehensive

training plan in the run-up to the Games. During these sessions the athletes were also provided with additional training on nutrition/healthy eating, code of ethics and some cultural training. Training sessions were organised in a number of venues around Dublin and the football team had a few of their sessions in UL, as the majority of players were from Connaught and Munster.

“I cannot stress enough how crucial a role the management team play in ensuring everyone has the best experience at a Games,” explained Elaine. “Participating in Games at this level is an honour for any athlete but the enormity of the occasion can sometimes be a little daunting for them. It is vital that the best preparation possible is done with athletes and this is where the coaches excel. It’s not just about what happens on the court or in the pool or on the pitch that matters. For a team travelling to Games it’s all about teamwork, cooperation and getting to know everyone, supporting each other and creating a cohesive unit that can meet challenges head on and still come back having had a wonderful experience that has helped create lasting friendships.”

4000 volunteers, 300officials, 300 medical

coaches, and 2500 family members helped to make

the 2014 European Gamesan event to remember.

To represent your country on the international stage is definitely one of the biggest honours in life. When I was chosen to captain the Special Olympics seven-a-side football team at the 2014 European Games in Belgium it was like a dream come true. It meant the absolute world to me and I knew how lucky I was to be doing it.

Sport is one of the most important things in my life. As well as being an athlete with Special Olympics, I am also studying coaching in Stiofain Naofa in Cork. One day I hope to have a career in this area. I’ve been playing football with Ballincollig Gunners Special Olympics Football Club in Cork for four years. We’re a successful side but competing at home in Ireland compared to playing other teams at European level was always going to be a big step-up. But I was determined to do my very best at the European Games in September and make sure that myself, and all my team-mates, enjoyed the experience.

By the time the Games came around I was really excited and couldn’t wait to get to Belgium. For the first few days in Belgium we stayed with host families in the city of Geel. We went on day trips and learned all about the history of the area. I was blown away by how welcoming everyone was and enjoyed learning all about a different county and culture.

ATHLETE STORY: WAYNE O’CALLAGHAN

The real business of the 2014 European Games officially got under way on Saturday September 13th at the Opening Ceremony in Brussels. The next day the sport competition began and we had one victory against Israel and lost against Serbia. All of our team played very well but so did the other teams so I knew it was going to be very competitive. Over the next few days my team did very well and the rest of Team Ireland athletes also posted great results. There were lots of personal bests as well as medals which was great.

After a great run of results the football team made it to the final. Once again we were facing Israel. Even though we had already beaten Israel in the qualifiers, I was so nervous going into the game. Leading out the team in front of all our supporters is something I will never forget.

We won the match 4-0. It was an absolutely amazing feeling to know that we were taking home a gold medal and all our hard work had paid off. Our coaches did a fantastic job and really helped us to achieve our dreams. In recognition of our conduct on the pitch the team was also awarded the Fair Play award. All in all, my trip to Belgium with Special Olympics Ireland was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

Wayne O’Callaghan in action and posing with gold medal at the 2014 Special OlympicsEuropean Games in Belgium

WHEN it comes to Special Olympics there are many reasons why volunteers choose to give up their free time. It can be a love of sport, a belief in making this country a better and fairer place for all, or a desire to improve their local community.

Many of the hard-working and dedicated volunteers registered with Special Olympics Ireland also have personal reasons for getting involved. Bridie Waldron from Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo was bitten by the Special Olympics bug after her daughter registered as an athlete. The care assistant with HSE West has been involved with daughter Niamh’s club, All Stars Special Olympics Club in Claremorris, Co Mayo for ten years now.

“Being the mother of a special needs daughter I became involved in Special Olympics in 2004 when my daughter enrolled in the All Stars Special Olympics Club. I used to take her to training each week as it was 12 miles from my home and I would stay there until training was over.”

Having established herself as a regular face at the weekly training session it was only a

matter of time before Bridie came to the attention of a coaching staff that are always on the lookout for new volunteers to help support the club and their activities. Bridie’s volunteer role sees her getting involved in various different projects from child protection training programmes, fundraising events, to coaching at the All Stars club. It also means she gives up two and a half hours every week, but this is a sacrifice that Bridie is all too willing to make.

“There are many positives to being a volunteer. For example, watching the athletes develop in so many ways, seeing their ability at sport improving, new friendships develop, their confidence growing and their communication skills improve. All of this makes it a very worthwhile and rewarding role.”

Often times, Bridie is inspired by the athletes at her club and how they have improved their life and health through sport.

“One athlete through exercise and healthy eating has lost three stone in weight. Another athlete has developed from a 400m walker to a 5000m runner. Thanks to this increased fitness, this athlete has just completed a personal challenge of climbing the highest mountain in each of the 32 counties of Ireland. Now that is what I call an achievement!

“There was another athlete who three years ago we felt might not be suitable to the Javelin competition. But he was determined to continue with it and proved us all wrong and went on to win a bronze medal at the European Games in Antwerp Belgium this year.”

Sharing the athletes’ joy as they achieve and develop is what Bridie enjoys most about her role as a coach and volunteer.  “When an athlete wins a medal be it gold, silver or bronze, the warmth of their hug and the joy you feel to see them so happy makes me proud to be a volunteer.”

VOLUNTEER PROFILE: BRIDIE WALDRON

Athlete Niamh Waldron and her mum Bridie at the 2011 Special OlympicsWorld Summer Games in Athens

The Eastern Region is looking to expand its evening volunteer support centre team. The team of volunteers based in Northpark Offices, Finglas will carry out a variety of administration roles and volunteer recruitment. We would be delighted to hear from you to give you more information. Contact Joanne on 01 891 2000 or joanne.kelly@specialolympics.ie

Upcoming Events

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ARE you prepared to take the plunge for Special Olympics Ireland? This December we are asking supporters to get ‘freezin’ for a reason’ and sign up to one of our festive Polar Plunges. Taking place in various locations around the country, icy-cold Polar Plunges are a unique and fun way to raise vital funds to support Irish athletes with intellectual disabilities. The thoughts of taking an ice cool plunge might leave you shivering, but when you consider the impact the funds raised will have on close to 10,000 athletes, we are sure you will quickly shake off that freezin’ feeling! The events are organised by our friends in An Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) through their association with the international Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Polar Plunges are happening at the following locations: Would-be plungers are encouraged to register early online at www.specialolympics.ie/polarplunge to secure their place!

Friday 5th December - 10am: Belfast International Airport - registration £10

Saturday 6th December - 11am: Clogherhead, Co Louth - registration €15 Saturday 6th December - 11am: Forty Foot, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin - registration €15

Sunday 7th December - 12pm: UL Activity Centre, Killaloe, Co Clare - registration €15

Friday 12th December - start-time TBC: The Strand, Athlone, Co Westmeath - registration €15