When Theo Lewis ’24 signed up for the Special Olympics at the Club Fair at the beginning of his sophomore year, he wasn’t entirely sure what he would be getting himself into. Now, nearly two years later, he could not be more pleased with his decision to give people with disabilities the opportunity to participate in sports.
Special Olympics, an organization started to give children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities the opportunity to play sports, has since established programs in schools all over the country.
Lewis said, “I kind of knew that the Special Olympics was about playing sports with people who have mental disabilities, but I wasn’t sure what the program was like at Deerfield.” He elaborated, saying, “I went the first day and really enjoyed it and I kept going back, and at the end of the year the two leaders who were both seniors needed replacements and I ended up getting chosen as a leader.”
Lewis has worked tirelessly to make the program a success at Deerfield, not only in regards to the overall outreach of the program, but also the success of the North Valley Bears, one of the Special Olympics’ teams, who were able to win their most recent floor-hockey tournament. Lewis, along with Lauren Sobczak ’24, can often be seen making announcements at sit-down meals discussing the latest S.O. events or playing floor-hockey scrimmages in the Main Gym on Sunday mornings.
Most recently, Lewis, alongside other Special Olympics members, took part in a polar plunge, a Friday morning swim in the icy Deerfield River. According to Lauren Sobczak ’24, the plunge was “dedicated to bringing awesomeness to the Special Olympics,” she said.
When asked about his goals for the program, Lewis said, “I think what we want to do at Special Olympics is to foster a community where students can help out the greater Greenfield and Deerfield communities. I know Deerfield can often become a bubble, and I think this is just an opportunity to help out the community.”
Lewis understands the importance of getting involved with the community, not only for the good of the program but also for the benefit of Deerfield students. He explains that it is also important for Deerfield students to do community service to gain insight into different perspectives outside of a classroom environment.
Looking into the upcoming months, the program looks to expand into different sports other than the field hockey scrimmages they usually hold according to Lewis. Lewis said, “This year we are trying to continue this into the spring.” Since then, the team has been doing track on Sunday mornings. “I hope it’s something that we’ll be able to continue with in the future,” Lewis said.
As for the future of the program and Lewis’ legacy as the leader of the Special Olympics at Deerfield, Lewis said he is not focused on the outcome just yet. “I’m not entirely sure yet what my legacy will be with the Special Olympics,” he said with a chuckle.