Special Olympics has new coordinator

VW independent sports and submitted information

The Van Wert County Special Olympics board has announced the appointment of Taylor Hughes as the new coordinator, effective immediately. She’s replacing Margaret Miller, who served as coordinator for more than 20 years.

Hughes is an elementary intervention specialist at Lincolnview Elementary. She graduated Crestview High School in 2015 and the University of Cincinnati in 2019 with her teaching degree. After college graduation, she began her teaching career at Warren County Educational Service Center in Mason as an intervention specialist in the social communications program.

During her high school years, Hughes spent several hours as a volunteer with bocce and as a softball individual skills coach with Van Wert County Special Olympics.

The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

According to the mission statement, athletes find joy, confidence and fulfillment—on the playing field and in life. They inspire people in their communities and elsewhere to open their hearts to a wider world of human talents and potential.

Van Wert County Special Olympics participates in year around team and individual sports. Team sports include basketball and softball. Individual sports include bowling, bocce, swimming, track and field, as well as basketball and softball skills. There are also unified sports that combine traditional athletes with Special Olympians.

Van Wert County Special Olympics is looking for athletes, volunteers, and coaches. Special Olympics athletes are people who are eight years old or older and who have an intellectual disability. Volunteers and coaches need not to be trained in any sport, but only have the desire to help athletes grow in their ability and as a person. Volunteers are considered the backbone of the Special Olympics movement. They can also be unified partners – playing alongside athletes – or fans cheering in the stands.

For more information or to become involved, join the Van Wert County Special Olympics Facebook page or contact Hughes at taylorhughes.10@gmail.com or call 419.231.1948.