EVENT STATISTICS By the numbers The Special Olympics Texas Winter Games are expected to bring hundreds of athletes and their families to the Hill Country to compete in several di erent sports over three days of competition.
outside entertainment and shopping sought out by ath- letes and their families has not been calculated, Garza said they expect the e ect to be signi cant. Although Lakeway is also sponsoring the games, most activities will take place in Bee Cave just o Hamilton Pool Road. With somany peo- ple coming into the city, res- idents can expect increased tra c, Garza said. To min- imize this, the city will use buses to transport athletes and coaches to and from hotels, and the police depart- ment will assist with tra c
control, Garza said. An active business scene combined with community support is what makes the area a good t for the Winter Games, Garza said. “I hope they have such a great experience in Bee Cave that they want to come back,” King said. “What a gift it is for our community to be able to host these fami- lies and students, and all the excitement and joy they’re going to have.”
of Special Olympics. She is also an ambassador on the importance of being healthy, active and strong. “She’s been very lonely; she’s been missing her friends quite a bit,” said Del- anie Weigand, Weigand’s mom. “That was a lot of her social interaction, compet- ing and practicing every week with di erent teams. It’s been hard being isolated. She’s de nitely ready to get back into it.” E ect on the community In addition to at least 800 competitors, each ath- lete is expected to bring two to three family members or spectators, and 90% of all attendees are expected to stay in hotels, according to Special Olympics Texas. The Winter Games are estimated to bring around $700,000 in revenue in the region for hotels, venues, rental equipment, meals and entertainment, Bee Cave City Manager Clint Garza said. Though the impact on
1,000 estimated statewide participants
80
area participants
6
$200K
sporting events
in city funding
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
SOURCE: SPECIAL OLYMPICS TEXAS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
are the main form of social interaction for many ath- letes, and when events were canceled in the initial stages of the pandemic, the ath- letes were severed from their friends and social communi- ties, Reibero said. Athlete Engagement Man- ager Bruce Clarke oversees athlete leadership initiatives such as the global messenger training, which teaches ath- letes how to give speeches. “It’s been really hard for all of the athletes,” he said. “Not only can they not compete in their sport; we’ve taken their social interaction avenue away. I know a lot of athletes have been secluded inside their homes and not really able to do that much.” To remedy this, Special Olympics Texas launched S.O. Connected, an online platform that hosts videos for athletes to stay engaged in areas such as health, exercise, cooking and hobbies. The
organization launched an esports program during the pandemic for athletes to play online video games. Even with the virtual platform, however, many athletes were a ected by the isolation, Clarke said. “It was a little sad, a little lonely,” said SydneyWeigand, a 24-year-old Austin native and athlete. “I would love to join with them [during the games] and be happy, and meet some new friends.” Weigand was named the Special Olympics Texas Ath- lete of the Year in 2018. She got involved at age 8 and has competed in several sports over the years. Though swimming is her favorite, she said she will be competing in powerlifting during the Win- ter Games. Weigand has also given speeches to governors, pro- fessional athletes, elemen- tary school-aged children and others about the bene ts
Special Olympics Texas will have six events for the Winter Games, including cycling. (Courtesy Special Olympics Texas)
Ways to
GET INVOLVED
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
HOW ATHLETES CAN JOIN
Special Olympics Texas relies heavily on volunteers to make its events happen. Residents can help with day-of activities including running games, handling merchandise, distributing awards and more. Those interested can contact the area o ce for more information on how to participate or view open positions at www.sotx.org/winter-games-volunteer .
Athletes wishing to get involved in future Special Olympics Texas events can complete a medical release form available on the organization’s website and email documents to Director of Data Management Eve Vance. www.sotx.org/become-an-athlete
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LAKE TRAVIS WESTLAKE EDITION • JANUARY 2022
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