The Shadow
On Thursday, February 1, the Virginian Review sat down with Ruth Britt, Area 18 Special Olympics Area Coordinator, and Benjamin “Ben” Nicely, Assistant Coach for Area 18 full-court basketball team, to discuss all things related to the teams they manage. Britt began volunteering in 2004 and became the Area Coordinator in 2013 where she has held her position for the past 11 years.
The Area 18 Special Olympics Team is local to the Alleghany Highlands and seasonal. They cover a number of sports which include, but are not necessarily limited to football (soccer), bocce ball, bowling, basketball, and softball. As a sports reporter, I believed I was doing fairly well in terms of knowing my sports, but bocce ball was a new one. I had to ask.
“It’s kind of like bowling. It’s kind of like croquet,” Britt said, “but you’re throwing the ball.” My curiosity got the better of me following the meeting and I did additional research to discover the general rules behind bocce balls. From what I have uncovered, the balls appear to be the same as croquet balls in that they look heavier than a football, soccer ball or basketball. They also come in various colors of red, green, blue, and yellow. Initially, a jack is thrown out on the green and teams take turns throwing their bocce balls to see who can get closest to the jack. The closer the ball is to the jack, the higher the points and the team with the most points wins.
Currently, the Area 18 Special Olympics Teams have around 50 athletes and are at the tail end of their basketball season. During the weekend of February 24-25, they will be traveling to Henrico County to compete in the State Championship.
“We want people to know that there is an athletic group of people here competing,” Nicely said of the volunteer position he finds “completely rewarding.” “…This is an awesome time to be involved in this group.” One athlete, Ricky McCoy has been friends with Nicely for a number of years and is the one who inspired him to get involved. Another athlete, Tyreek Yancey, did something that most of us cannot: He sunk a shot from half court. Nicely was kind enough to show me the video. From what I recall, it was all net.
The interview concluded with Britt and Nicely sharing a quote that is often shared at the Special Olympics: “Let me win, but if I can not win, let me be brave in the attempt.” The words, appropriately borrowed from ancient Roman gladiators, are to remind those with disabilities not to be afraid to try, no matter the outcome.
In hearing these words, I was reminded of a music video that was released in 1994 by Garth Brooks called, “Standing Outside the Fire.” It was the first music video that made me weep, as it rejoiced over those who “dance within the flame” and take risks, even if they might “get burned” in the process. The video also showcases a young, special needs man running track against non-disabled competitors, tripping, and falling down. With wounds on his face, his father encourages him to get back up and finish the race because it wasn’t about winning. It was about finishing what you started and just being “brave in the attempt.”
