Sawyer Boulette: Unified Champion Club and Special Olympics

“Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” –Special Olympics Motto

That quote seems to adhere to everything in life. Whether it’s sports, work, or relationships we all are discovering new strengths, abilities, skills, and successes in life by being “brave in the attempt.”

Sports have always played an integral role in my life. Starting at a young age and as a collegiate basketball player, I found myself loving the challenges of the failures and triumphs that sports bring. Like many athletes, sports gave me an outlet to grow and evolve during my childhood and teenage years; they instilled purpose, accomplishment, and self-esteem.

Competitions gave me a sense of pride and belonging; I loved representing the schools and valued the camaraderie of being on the team. My goal was to be better because I knew others were equally passionate. Winning seemed to be the ultimate focus for the players, coaches, and fans.

Little did I know that the power of sport and the life lessons learned along the way would continue to follow me into my adult years and change my life. I was introduced to Special Olympics Maine and unified sports for the first time in 2013. I knew the mission and vision of the organization was to provide opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities through sports but soon learned it was much more than that. Unified sports pairs people with and without intellectual disabilities to play and compete to create a climate of inclusion and acceptance.

I fondly remember attending a high school Special Olympics unified basketball game and couldn’t believe what I was seeing. A Special Olympics athlete missed a shot and his opponent rebounded and allowed him to shoot again; that basket was followed by a hug and a high five. This was a common theme throughout the game. Even though these athletes are fierce competitors, they also understood the joy that comes with allowing their opponent to succeed. The game was more than just winning; it was about being brave in the attempt.

I was asked to join the Special Olympics Maine board of directors in 2015 and in 2018 was selected to attend the Special Olympics World games in Abu Dhabi, the largest sporting and humanitarian event in the World. While there I had the privilege of participating as a partner in Unified sports for the first time. At times, I couldn’t tell the difference between an athlete and a partner. It was the perfect example of true inclusion and the power of sport bringing people of all abilities, ethnicities, and gender together.

On the 13-hour flight home from the games, a strong realization came over me. When biases are dropped and inclusion is the norm, life’s joys can be shared much more deeply. The joy that comes from others’ acceptance and success changed my life and gave me purpose. I wanted others to experience what I had witnessed in Abu Dhabi. While realizing that many high schools throughout Maine already had unified sports, my dream was to expand upon that program.

In 2019, Ken Walsh, CEO of the Alfond Youth & Community Center, made me an offer that I could not refuse; “Start your program at the AYCC” he said. Maybe it would be possible! The first step was to get the blessing of Tim Shriver, the Chairman of the Board for Special Olympics National. With that behind us, it was necessary to fund the program. Without a pause, the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation offered to fund the program for two years. I was on Cloud Nine. The Unified Champion Club for adults 18 and older was created at the Alfond Youth & Community Center.

In partnership with Special Olympics Maine, the ongoing program acts as an extension of Unified School Sports. It provides them an opportunity to be included in activities, sports, community events and continue to make lifelong friendships after graduation. This first of its kind program has soared to 140 participants and offers over 25 various recreational sports and activities.

In just two and half short years, our community has been fortunate to witness the powerful impact inclusion has on the individuals involved. Not only has the experience enhanced the quality of life for those who are intellectually challenged but it has opened the hearts and minds of the volunteers. Once we learn to accept those with challenges and have removed preconceived notions we discover that people with intellectual disabilities are brilliant teachers of that something bigger we’re all looking for. We now have a club that creates a new way of seeing individuals who once might have been thought of as “powerless”.

Our club has witnessed athletes fulfill dreams and open doors to unimaginable opportunities that just two years ago would not have been thought possible. Some have started attending college, gotten jobs, been named “Youth of the Year,” while others have simply participated on a team for the very first time and made new friends. Those originally looked at as “disabled” are now viewed as “gifted.” Blair Sharp, one of our athletes, recently through his efforts with the sports talk radio program the Big Jab raised over $10,000 for Special Olympics Maine by jumping into the ocean on New Year’s Day.

So where do we go from here you might ask. Well, I have wonderful news. The Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation Trustees have seen the success of the Unified Champion Club and recognize the importance of its effort to build better lives for people of all abilities and to foster a community of inclusion. They have agreed to provide additional funding over the next two years to assist with the expansion beyond the Greater Waterville area and into other YMCAs around the State. It’s an exciting time for people of all abilities!