Proud aunt enters 10th year as Shrewsbury Special Olympics volunteer
By Lori Berkey Contributing Writer

Lynn Pearson, co-director of the Shrewsbury Parks and Recreation Department's Special Needs Program, anticipates another successful season. LORI BERKEY

Shrewsbury - Lynn Pearson used to attend Special Olympics banquets as a guest. She'd clap as her nephew, Ryan Dixon, and other athletes from the Shrewsbury Parks and Recreation Special Needs program were called to the podium for awards. She was moved by the sheer joy and exhilaration that filled the air.

Then, more than 10 years ago, she heard that volunteers were needed to partner with athletes on the unified softball team. Pearson signed up and has been a Special Olympics volunteer ever since. In addition to her current duties as a soccer coach, Pearson is also the Shrewsbury Special Needs co-director, along with Virginia Davidson.

The year-round Shrewsbury program off ers training and athletic competition in eight sports to people with intellectual challenges. A traditional team format is available, along with a unified team option that pairs athletes with partners who are not challenged.

According to Pearson, the program is also a social network, with holiday parties for families, picnics and other celebrations throughout the year.

Individuals with special needs who are not athletically inclined are welcome to participate in the social events, Pearson said. Parents can bring their child to a party to find out what Special Olympics is all about.

Pearson said she's seen athletes start out shy and without friends, but that they soon gain a whole group of comrades cheering for them.

The program promotes being a good sport. Pearson said that regardless of whether someone has special needs or not, there's often a competitive drive to win. The athletes may have different levels of intellectual capabilities, she said, but the majority of them have the same thoughts and emotions as any other athlete. Teamwork and cooperation are emphasized.

Pearson witnessed the outcome of such lessons when she watched unified basketball. One coach's goal was to have every athlete score. Partners feed the ball to the athletes to provide the opportunity to score. In one game, there was one athlete left who had not yet scored. As the partners blocked everyone so the last athlete could score, the opposing team's partners recognized what was happening and blocked their own team from grabbing the ball from the athlete.

"I don't remember who was winning or losing," Pearson said. "It didn't matter … Both teams let this kid shoot and the partners would hand it back to the athlete. And then when he finally got a basket everybody went nuts and it was just amazing."

The Shrewsbury program participated in the first national Special Olympic USA Games in Iowa last year. Pearson coached the Massachusetts team, and her nephew competed there in bocci.

"Having gone to Iowa, the Special Olympics program as a whole opens the doors for so many individuals with special needs, but I think it also opens the door for society as a whole to recognize and to understand that these people are valuable members of our community and our society and they have a lot to off er," Pearson said.

Upcoming events for Shrewsbury athletes include the soccer assessment rounds in Oxford Sunday Oct. 14 and the state competition in Byfield Sunday Nov. 4.

Pearson said more volunteers are needed to coach or partner with athletes. To participate or volunteer, send e-mail to Shrewsburyspecialneeds@ yahoo.com. For more information, visit http://www. shrewsbury-ma.gov/parkrec and click on the special needs programs button.