Special Olympic Moment

The Olympics to begin next week, as we have been reminded by the Olympic-themed commercials that inspire us to support team USA and buy batteries or chicken nuggets.   The Olympics are filled with memorable moments--from the Miracle on Ice,  Mary Lou Retton's perfect score, the Dream Team, Dorothy Hamill's gold medal, to the more recent Apolo Anton Ohno and Michael Phelps claiming multiple gold medals in their respective sports. 

As the Olympics begin, we must remember not just the media darlings, but all of the athletes who have devoted much of their lives to their sport.  The sacrifices made by these athletes are amazing, and many toil in anonymity for years before and after representing their country in this global fortnight of sport.  Play Like a Champion Today supports the ideals of the Olympics--sportsmanship and fair play and the unifying presence of sport.  We support all of the athletes, their coaches, and their families who have worked so hard and sacrificed so much for Olympic dreams to become reality.  Today, we would like to highlight the work of a fellow sport-support organization and send a shout-out to the Paralympic Athletes--whose games will follow the Olympic Games in early March.

The first official Paralympic Games were held following the London Olympics of 1948, and the event was geared towards WWII veterans who had been injured during the war.  By 1960, the games were formalized and open to more participants, and have grown since then.  To learn more about the Paralympic Games, please click here.

Image compliments of Masters in Special Education Degrees