Nearly 1,600 compete in Special Olympics School Games

By Jeremy Twitchell

Saturday, May 2, 2009 | 1:59 a.m.

Hundreds of students spent Thursday and Friday at Western High School cheering, helping out and competing alongside their special needs peers at the Seventh Annual Special Olympics School Games.

In all, almost 1,600 disabled and non-disabled students competed, representing 61 Clark County Schools.

Maggie Schwarz, Special Olympics’ regional director for Nevada, said the games provide a life-changing experience for both groups of students.

“For a lot of the special needs students, it’s the first time they’re competing in sports and it’s the first time they’re wearing their school colors and competing on behalf of their school,” Schwarz said.

It’s a responsibility the athletes took seriously. Just ask Cameron Wilson, a junior at Del Sol High School who piloted his wheelchair to top honors in the power weave competition, which required competitors to race 100 meters and weave in and out of cones along the way.

Del Sol took top honors overall at last year’s games, and Wilson, who has cerebral palsy, said he was anxious to do his part to contribute to a repeat.

“The fact that I beat it, did an awesome job and defended the title for my school made it all worthwhile,” he said.

For other athletes, the thrill of the games is enough on its own. Wilson’s teammate, Keaton Mabry, followed Wilson in the power weave, and when the gun went off, he was so excited by the cheering that he couldn’t reach the controller on his wheelchair. As an assistant took the control and helped walk him through the race, Mabry simply exulted in the attention.

“It puts tears in my eyes,” said Pam Doph, a special education aide at Del Sol who helped the students prepare for the games. “You just have to love them unconditionally, because they love you unconditionally.”

Moments like that keep the volunteers coming back each year. The games require about 250 volunteers a day, Schwarz said, and between corporate sponsors who give their employees a day off to help and individual volunteers, there are always enough helping hands to keep things running smoothly.

Valerie Murzl, one of 60 volunteers from Station Casinos, said she comes back every year because the games never fail to provide an uplifting experience.

“Particularly this morning, as I was driving here, I was thinking that with the world as messed up as it is, it’s a great thing to be able to come down and spend a morning being inspired by children,” Murzl said. “You realize that things really aren’t so bad. What these kids are achieving, despite their obstacles — we should be ashamed for whining about our problems.”

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, who made an appearance at the games Friday morning to take in a few events, meet the athletes and pose for pictures, came to a similar conclusion.

“Life is worthwhile,” he said. “(The students) love each other, care for each other. It’s a beautiful thing to see and be a part of.”

For the athletes, the games were equal parts competing and cheerleading. When they weren’t on the track or in the field, they were in the stands or lined up along the fence screaming for their teammates.

Centennial High School senior Donte Moore takes this role more seriously than most. While he waited to be called to the 100-meter run, he paced along the fence while the women did the same event, watching for teammates and cheering each one on by name as they ran past. For added effect, he pumped and waved his arm as if to push each teammate to run a step faster.

“For me, I’m so glad I’m here,” Moore said. “Year before last, we won it all and I’m just excited to be here with my team. My goal, and everybody else’s goal at Centennial, is to win the whole thing.”

Tyndall Taylor, a sophomore at Centennial who helped Moore stretch and get ready for the race, said she became involved in the games last year because it combined her love of running track — she competes for Centennial — and working with special needs students.

“I just love it,” she said. “These kids are amazing. I’ve done track and I love it, and it’s awesome to see them have the same opportunity.”