As sports writers, we tend to focus our attention on the big things in the sports world. We yearn to have the chance to interview the famous coach, cover the controversial topic or write on the exciting games. While all that is good, there are also some things of great importance that we tend to forget or push aside.

This is not done intentionally to downgrade these athletic events. Rather, we just get caught up in sports and forget about the little things in the world that are also of great significance.

One topic that I have personal experience with, that we as sports writers sometimes don’t focus on as much as we should, is Special Olympics or other activities involving individuals with physical or mental disabilities.

I have always heard about Special Olympics and thought it was a great idea, but really did not think much of it until I was exposed to activities involving these individuals.

During my sophomore year in high school, I attended a leadership workshop that involved doing some work in the community. Our group was assigned to go to a community center and participate in athletics with children of all ages.

When I first heard what we were doing, I was a little apprehensive because I have always felt sorry for those with disabilities and just did not feel comfortable around them.

However, little did I know that it would be a wonderful experience that I would never forget.

When we got there, it was decided that we would play a softball game with the children. When we first started, I was a little nervous, because I had never been thrust into a situation like this. However, as the game went on, I really enjoyed myself and learned a lot about the kids.

I really do not know who won the softball game that day because that was of no importance. The important thing was that we made those children, who face adversity everyday-whether being ridiculed by their peers, looked down upon or laughed at-happy.

Just being able to make those children feel like they were no different from anyone else for that two-hour span was probably one of the greatest feelings I have ever experienced in my life.

After that day, I vowed that I would do more work at these kinds of events.

During my senior year, I was given the opportunity to work in this type of atmosphere when my high school helped out with Special Olympics Bowling.

Again, I was a bit nervous before going to help with this event, but I remembered how good I felt after the experience I had during my sophomore year.

While helping my group of teenagers bowl, there was one that stood out from the rest of the group. His name was Dane.

I remember going up to the end of the line and helping him roll the ball down the lane. As the ball veered down the lane, I prayed so hard that it would not go in the gutter, because I wanted Dane to feel the excitement of knocking down some bowling pins.

Unfortunately, the ball only went down the entire lane a few times, landing mostly in the gutter. I told Dane that it was okay and that he’d get it next time.

Time after time the ball went in the gutter, but Dane still came up to bowl each time with the same enthusiasm, as if he had just thrown a strike on the previous bowl.

After that day, I had the same feeling that I had the previous time I helped with children and teenagers with disabilities.

Unfortunately, during this past winter break, I read on the back page of the newspaper that Dane had died. At first I was shocked, because when I had last seen him, he was fine.

Then I started thinking about him and the day I spent bowling with him. I remembered the joy he had while bowling and how he demanded that I go find his mom across the bowling alley so that she could come watch him bowl.

Although I have not volunteered with any Special Olympics activities since that day during my senior year, I plan to do so whenever I have the time.

I encourage all those who read this to also take an active part in these types of activities as well. We need these children just as much as they need us.

Just from working with them, I realized how lucky I am and how brave they are.

I could not imagine having to go through a day in their shoes, having people mocking me, laughing at me and labeling me as someone whose name was frequently used in front of the word “cannot.”

Just the courage they show by participating in events like Special Olympics is remarkable. They should be commended regardless of where they finish, because everyone is a winner.

If you decide to volunteer for these types of events, do not do it because you feel obligated. Do it because you want to, and, most importantly, for the teenagers like Dane who always went up for that next bowl with the pure joy of just being able to bowl.

For more information, visit http://specialolympics.org.