When Accessible Recreation Program Coordinator Leonard Woodson first joined Evanston’s Parks and Recreation Department, its Accessible Recreation program only offered bowling, swimming and track.
Now, 35 years later, Evanston runs more than a dozen Special Olympics programs and adaptive sports catered to kids and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities.
Athletes are currently gearing up for the track competitions at the regional Special Olympics Spring Games in mid-May. Qualifiers from the meet will join the delegation of 15 Evanston athletes who will compete in swimming, powerlifting and boccia in the statewide Summer Games held in mid-June.
Chicago resident Chris Nichol has been swimming competitively for 22 years, part of the Evanston team for six of them. Nichol has clinched the gold medal in regionals every year, securing a spot at the Summer Games. In 2015, he returned from the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles with two silver medals.
“I really like swimming with Evanston a lot because I’m with my favorite coach,” Nichol said. “We like to joke around a lot, and he’s a great guy as well.”
Every Wednesday, Nichol commutes to YWCA Evanston/North Shore for swim team practice, which is led by Woodson and a group of volunteers.
Isabella Wallace (Weinberg ’24) joined the Special Olympics swimming program as a coach in her senior year. Her experience as a former Division I swimmer for Northwestern has helped her develop a special connection with the athletes.
“I was right there, and I know how they feel,” Wallace said. “It’s fun to celebrate their victories and help them after some tougher races as well.”
While Special Olympics are catered to individuals with intellectual disabilities, the city’s adaptive sports program is designed for those with physical disabilities.
Four athletes formed Evanston’s first adapted sports team and competed in the Maine-Niles Association of Special Recreation’s annual boccia tournament in Des Plaines on March 23. They came home with a gold and a silver medal.
“It’s so much fun to have the competitive aspect in there too,” said Evanston’s Inclusion and Accessibility Division Manager Lauren Ruiz. “It’s fun to meet every week in practice, but it’s great to bring your skills and meet new people in the area who have the same interests.”
Some athletes join for some recreational fun and socializing while others are looking to refine their technique ahead of competitions, Woodson said.
The Accessible Recreation program aims to tailor offerings to each athlete, according to Leonard. In the adaptive pickleball and boccia programs, the rules accommodate both individuals using wheelchairs and those without one.
“We take you as you are, we accept you as you are,” Leonard said. “Let’s take a look at what your abilities are, and we’re gonna work from there to help you with having fun.”
More than 50 athletes participate in Evanston’s Special Olympics programming year-round, with many competing in more than one sport. One of the most popular programs is basketball, with 30 players spread across three teams.
Evanston resident Caroline Colianne has been a part of the Evanston Special Olympics program since 2006, competing regionally and nationally in swimming, track, basketball, snowshoeing, volleyball and flag football.
When she first joined, Colianne said she was shy when interacting with teammates and nervous at competitions. But participating in Special Olympics made her more outgoing, and she has invited many of her friends to join as well.
“I do like doing team sports because you’re working with other people, so you have to communicate more,” Colianne said. “I just try to cheer my teammates on and try to give them good advice like ‘You can do it.’”
The Accessibility and Inclusion Department also organizes social events for participants to build money management and social skills. Some activities include mini golfing, bowling and a trip to the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Woodson said that many participants have shared stories of being discriminated against growing up, but he prioritizes building community in Evanston.
“We’re one big gigantic family. We look out for each other, and we try to go and support each other,” Leonard said. “The one thing that I’m most proud of is giving them the ability to say, ‘Hey, look, look at me, look at what I can do.’”
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Related Stories:
— Evanston athletes compete at Special Olympics USA Games, Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games
— Special Olympics Super Plunge raises money, awareness on the shores of Lake Michigan
