The Special Olympics has played a crucial role in promoting respect, inclusion, and acceptance for people with intellectual disabilities through sports.
In Brunswick County, the program has grown substantially in the past three years, with the help of the county parks and recreation department, and the work of Alyssa Coln, local coordinator for the program, who is a parks and rec employee. Coln created a small but active organizing committee which is also credited for growing the number of sports in the county, and an outstanding spring games at Town Creek Park in Winnabow annually.
The (new this year) Mile Run Club, coached by Ed Beckley is set to attend and participate at Run Sunset Beach. The club is sponsored by Coastal Race Productions who offers a wide variety of inclusion options for those with different disabilities.
Coach Ed Beckley of Ocean Isle Beach is a lifelong runner of 61 years and has logged more than 50,000 miles on the roads. Ed started coaching in the early 1980s, teaching cross-country skiing and running with Special Olympics in Virginia, where he served as President of Richmond Special Olympics. He further served as Vice President of the Virginia State Board of Directors for Special Olympics. He is currently a member of the Brunswick County Special Olympics Organizing Committee, and a coach for the mile run, and Pickleball. He has coached scores of athletes of all ages and abilities, for all distances. He is accredited or certified by USA Track & Field, the National Federation of High School Associations, the Road Runners Club of America, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training, and Special Olympics-North America.
His motto is, “Coach from the heart and leave no-one behind.”
The one mile is set to start at 8:30 in the Sunset Beach Park April 12th and I invite you to come out to support them on and let’s keep moving forward together!
JoJo pictured above with the Special Olympic Running Team, Coach Ed Beckley is on the far left.