Until 2014, the 500 to 600 special needs athletes in Santa Rosa County had to go to Pensacola to participate in sports.
That is when Michael Stone came on the scene.
Today, Santa Rosa County offers around 20 different sports, and a triathlon and open water swim has just recently been added.
“This is my eighth year with Special Olympics,” Stone said. “While my official title, the Senior Manager of Community Engagement Area Coordinator of Healthy Athletes, sounds pretty confusing, my job is to create opportunities for athletes.”
Special Olympics is not just about sports.
“It’s about their health and well-being," Stone said. "We use sports to engage the participants in socialization. We also use sports to provide health screening, like foot, eye, and dental checks. It’s amazing what all we can cover under the guise of sports!”
Even during the 2020-21 COVID shut-down period, Stone found ways to keep his athletes connected.
“We used virtual tools and kept the kids active, and we used those same virtual tools to perform wellness checks that we were unable to do in person," Stone said. "While it wasn’t ideal, we never missed a beat.”
The Special Olympics program adapts and tries to keep its members engaged as they grow.
“We start with children as young as 2 through our school programs, with teachers doing the bulk of the work," Stone said. "Then students move into the 8 to 11 age group, known as the ‘little elites,’ where, while not quite ready for the community program, they’re kept engaged through their schools.
"When they reach middle and high school they move into the community program and work with coaches,” he added.
Stone said that the bulk of the work done in Special Olympics is done through volunteers.
“We always need coaches, mentors, fund-raisers, and volunteers for events.”
Those interested can contact Stone at michaelstone@sofl.org or 850-291-6234.
“Publix is our premier state sponsor, and Jan. 5 through 18 will be our annual Torch Campaign, with our athletes on hand in local Publix stores selling $20 worth of store coupons for $1. It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year.”
Stone said he loves his job and working with the athletes.
“We get to watch life-changing things happen in these athletes’ lives every day," he said. "We get more good news in a day than most folks get in a year!”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: 'My job is to create opportunities for athletes'