Special Olympics Material Archive

A letter written by Michelle Nicola, a Teen SOYO Special Olympics Coach

“Let me win but if I can not win, let me be brave in the attempt.” At the Special Olympics Pennsylvania training camp, this is what someone would hear the athletes and coaches shouting as they played their sports and ate their meals. This motto means a lot to me because for the past two summers I have been a volunteer coach at a Special Olympics training camp in Pennsylvania .

 The first time I traveled to Special Olympics was in the summer of 2004. During the first days of training I was scared, did not know anyone, and wanted to come home. I knew I needed to stay because I had made a commitment to myself, to the coaches, and to the athletes. It is a good thing I stayed because it turned out to be one of the greatest weeks of my life. No education or credentials could have taught me the life lessons I learned while at camp. I found a patience and sense of determination in myself that I never knew existed. The athletes amazed me each day with their enthusiasm and pure hearts. Every morning I was greeted with a hug and smile from each athlete in my cabin and those on my team. If an athlete fell in soccer, they would get back up and got to the ball. Nothing could bring them down. As I coached that week teaching the fundamentals of basketball, I realized I was not the one doing the teaching; the athletes were teaching me how to live and love life. Each morning they woke up with a smile on their faces, excited and ready to embrace the day. As I stayed in cabins with the athletes I saw what a struggle it was to brush their teeth or put on a shirt, and I considered myself fortunate that I could do those everyday tasks. While taking care of my body was easy, taking care of my life was something I learned from the athletes. They live each day with such enthusiasm and never complain even with all the struggles they face. I saw so many scraped knees and hurt ankles, but I never once saw a broken spirit.

 My experience at Special Olympics might be similar to what I will experience at college. When I first arrive, I may want to come home. However, all I have to do is recall my times at Special Olympics and I will regain the determination to succeed. Just like I owed it to myself, the coaches and athletes to be at camp, I owe it to myself, my family, and my peers to succeed in college. I have seen the struggles that people with mental and physical disabilities face and I have learned to treat them as equals. Through my experiences at Special Olympics, I will be able to teach others how to accept people with disabilities and discover abilities within themselves. Special Olympics was one of the most enriching experiences of my life. The lessons I learned will help motivate me to be a successful college student. The Special Olympics motto, “Let me win but if I can not win let me be brave in the attempt,” not only pertains to success in sports, but also success in life.

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