Friendships, inspiration on display at Special Olympics games in Gillette

GILLETTE - Dozens of athletes were at the Thunder Basin High School track Friday afternoon, running, walking, throwing and rolling.

Jordi Stewart, 9, ran to grab a Powerade for Lander Special Olympian Nick Eisnnicher, who just completed the 30-meter slalom on the track, swerving his wheelchair in and out of cones as eighth-graders from Sage Valley Junior High timed him.

Jordi, a Buffalo Ridge student, also helped over the weekend with the basketball skills competitions, which included dribbling, passing and shooting drills. She would come alongside the athletes to walk them through the process.

Hundreds of athletes from around Wyoming competed last week in the Special Olympics Wyoming State Summer Games.

"When they figured it out, I was really happy, because I can do something, it makes me feel nice," she said. "You feel good when you help people."

Chance King, 15, stood on top of the podium after taking home the gold in the softball throw. This was his first time competing in the state games, but he's competed regionally in bowling and snowshoeing.

"I seem to really like the softball throw," he said.

His mom, Esperanza, had surprised him earlier that day, coming to the event dressed up in a Sonic the Hedgehog costume.

While she did this to support her son, "now, it's bigger than that."

"It's to show my support for everybody, because everybody can do their best today," she said.

Over the three-day event, David Manning coached a basketball team, as well as swimming and track athletes. He's coached the Special Olympics on and off for 30-plus years in several Wyoming communities, from Thermopolis to Riverton to Laramie and now Gillette. When he heard that coaches were needed, it was an easy decision to make.

"I just love the enthusiasm they bring every day, how hard they try, giving 100% ... even if they have bad days," he said.

Brady Merchant, a basketball player from Sheridan, took home gold with his team in 3 on 3 basketball. He said his team's strategy going in was offensive rebounding, and that it's not about size, but timing.

"I'm smaller, but I'm quick, so I just go for the putbacks," he said.

Merchant said he models his game after LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson, with Jokic being his favorite of the four.

"It's a blessing, I've made new friends," Merchant said, adding that he's also gotten to see old friends.

Volunteer Payton McGrath has worked with Special Olympians for six or seven years. It's become a fun annual tradition for her.

"It opens your eyes to a lot of different situations, it makes you grateful for everything that is happening," she said.

This was Jordi's first year volunteering and she said it's been an eye-opener.

"It's really inspiring, it's nice that they're cheering for each other," she said. "They don't really care that they have a disability, and they're caring for each other, and it's really nice and it's fun."

"I like seeing how excited all the participants are, how well everyone treats each other, how excited everyone gets when they win," McGrath said. "Even if they know they're losing, they're still going to cheer the winner on."

Esperanza King said just getting to meet all of the athletes and families from around Wyoming has been amazing.

"It's like these are friends we've known our whole life, it doesn't feel weird to strike up a conversation with them," King said. "It's like being part of something special, bigger than yourself."

The Special Olympics summer games will return to Gillette in 2024. Jordi said she's thinking about volunteering again next year, and added that people who didn't volunteer this year should strongly consider it then.

"They should enjoy what I enjoy right now, just volunteering," she said. "Helping these guys get through, letting them know that having a disability does not matter."