Inland Regional Center (IRC) Athletes Stay Healthy and Thrive While Competing in Sports

Eunice Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics, once said, “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” This is now the motto of the Special Olympics and athletes everywhere. On Saturday, Oct. 18, more than 75 athletes from San Bernardino and Riverside counties, who are served by Inland Regional Center, competed in the Special Olympics Southern California Regional Fall Games in Rancho Bernardo, Calif. IRC athletes with developmental disabilities such as intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Down syndrome, and autism participated in softball, soccer and tennis. “I don’t like the word special or disabled,” says Coach Keith Nelson. “I tell my athletes they just have different abilities.” Keith Nelson, a current IRC Board of Trustees board member, has been coaching Special Olympic teams for many years. Milestone achievements include winning the gold medal in basketball at the 2014 Southern California Summer Invitational Games and a silver medal in floor hockey at the 2013 Special Olympic World Games in South Korea. Although Nelson and his team love winning, it is more about keeping the athletes healthy and productive. “My main goal as a coach is to keep them motivated and promote healthy eating and living,” he said. Keith’s son Ryan has been competing in various sports like basketball, floor hockey, and soccer for 12 years. “I like to win but I also like playing with all of my friends and being healthy,” said Ryan, 28. Research shows that sports training and competition are beneficial for people with developmental disabilities and IRC strongly encourages its consumers to engage in physical activity and sporting events to further their inclusion, independence and empowerment. According to the Special Olympics, athletes are five times more likely to hold a job than the general population of people with intellectual disabilities. The athletes are gaining more than sports skills; they are being trained for life. Teammates and coaches have become a great support system for many of IRC’s athletes. Deandre Patton, a 27-year-old IRC consumer and Team USA member, is a team leader with a natural athletic ability who encourages his fellow players to learn from mistakes and celebrate great wins. His favorite part of participating in Special Olympics is the friendships. “I make new friends all the time. I love my teammates, they are my best friends,” said Patton. In addition to the Special Olympics trials earlier this month, hundreds of IRC consumers competed, coached and sponsored the 8th Annual SoCal DisAbility Sports Festival held at Cal State University, San Bernardino. In addition, Consumer Advocate Ivan Enriquez and Family Support Specialist Regina Kuruppu and staffed an outreach table to talk one-on-one with event attendees about the resources IRC has to offer. Inland Regional Center Inland Regional Center of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties (IRC) is one of 21 Regional Centers in California serving more than 29,000 adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.