Athlete Leadership at Special Olympics Massachusetts provides training and support for athletes who desire to expand their participation in Special Olympics, both on and off the competition field. Through Athlete Leadership, individuals receive instruction and have opportunities to hold positions of influence within the community. In these roles, athletes are given tools to share their experiences, document stories in the community, and encourage others to be their best selves. Athlete Leaders will help spread the mission of inclusion through the voice and perspective of a Special Olympics athlete.
Three athlete leaders, James Day Keith, Tyler Lagasse and Lumene Montissol from Special Olympics Massachusetts spoke in front of Special Olympics CEOs from across the country at the US CEO Meeting which took place in Boston.
I had the honor to sit and chat with Massachusetts own James Keith, who plays Benny in the movie Champions, a movie with most of the main characters played by people with special needs.
Do think you could swim 25 yards while carrying the weight of two metal rods? Special Olympics Massachusetts Hall Fame athlete Amanda Church does just that every time she jumps in the pool.
Known throughout the movement as Global Messengers, athletes undergo training to act as spokespeople on behalf of Special Olympics. The Special Olympics MA Inclusion Ambassador Program is for athletes passionate about their own Special Olympics journey and want to share the mission of inclusion with community organizations. This opportunity will empower athletes to build inclusive relationships with Special Olympics MA partners, businesses, and community organizations. Through training, athletes will sharpen skills such as public speaking and storytelling, which they will use both within and outside of the Special Olympics community.
This opportunity will focus on two key initiatives for revenue generation for Special Olympics Massachusetts: Fundraising and Corporate Engagement. We want to help empower athletes to tell their stories by building inclusive relations in the community.
This program is designed for athletes who love storytelling and are interested in learning about sports media, including social media takeovers, broadcasting, and more! This program will teach you the basics of storytelling & content creation. Following course completion, athletes will be considered content creators for Special Olympics Massachusetts and will be able to pitch story ideas & create content for the Special Olympics Massachusetts website and social media platforms.
Known globally as Health Messengers, Fitness Captains at Special Olympics Massachusetts are eager to stay active and healthy, and want to motivate the Special Olympics community to do the same! Fitness Captains will unlock key insight regarding the importance of hydration, nutrition, and fitness routines. Through various training sessions, they will learn how to motivate teammates, coaches, and the community!
An 8-week course that provides athletes with a technical skill set that enhances their ability to be a leader and advocate for themselves and others in all aspects of health. After the training, athletes will have the knowledge and skills necessary to promote healthy habits to their fellow athletes, coaches, and community! There are three paths you can take as a Fitness Captain: