A devastating hurricane didn’t stop this Special Olympics athlete from reaching his goal.
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Anthony Green, Special Olympics Louisiana (USA) athlete. "Playing sports with Special Olympics has given me the opportunity to express myself like many other athletes. Sometimes when you have a disability, people look at you and only see the outside. Playing sports lets you be who you are on the inside, so you can bring that out," said Green. |
At the 2005 Special Olympics Louisiana (USA) State Summer Games, Anthony Green played on the winning volleyball team selected to compete at the first-ever National Games to be held in Ames, Iowa in 2006. Along with his teammates, Green was eager to attend the qualifying sports training camp to be held in November 2005 at Camp Beauregard near Alexandria, Louisiana.
And then, catastrophe struck the state.
"Because of Katrina, we had to reposition everything," says Charlie Courville, Director of Sports & Competition for Special Olympics Louisiana. "We worked out a deal with Camp Beauregard to hold the sports camp there this March."
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Message from Special Olympics President and CEO, Bruce Pasternack:
In recent years, communities around the world have been devastated by tsunamis, hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. We are working closely with Special Olympics Programs in these areas, and can assure you that efforts to fulfill the mission of the movement continue in the face of these tragedies. We remain committed to continuing to help our athletes train and compete, and to providing support and hope as athletes, families and volunteers deal with the enormous task of rebuilding their lives.
The Special Olympics global community stands with our incredibly dedicated teams around the world and asks for your help so that our athletes can continue to realize their potential and share their gifts with the world. If you wish to support those efforts, visit our Make a Donation page. You may direct your gift to any of the 200-plus Special Olympics Programs around the world, or to Special Olympics, Inc., where it will be put to use where it is most needed.
Thank you all for your support. |
But in the interim, Green had been evacuated from his home in Metairie, Louisiana, to an apartment complex in Austin, Texas. Displaced and living alone — far from his family and friends — Green diligently sought ways to reach his destination.
"At first I thought I might not get to go, because I was so far away and I couldn't find a ride," says Green, 46. Resolute to accomplish his goal, Green saved every possible penny in his already limited budget and, with no help from anyone, bought a bus ticket to the sports camp.
"It cost me $230 but it was worth it because the sports camp gave us an opportunity to meet a lot of the players and get a feel of what we needed to do when we got to the National Games," says Green, who made the 10-hour bus trip solo.
To attend the National Games, Green had to purchase yet another bus ticket from Texas to Louisiana, so he could travel to Iowa with his competing team. He says that if not for his job, he couldn't have done it.
"That time it only cost me $115 because I learned that if you buy it two weeks in advance it doesn't cost as much," he laughs.
Green currently works for a landscaping company in Austin. Determined to return to his former home when he can find a new place to live, he hopes to get his job back as a landscaper for ARCGNO (Association for Retarded Citizens of Greater New Orleans).
A Special Olympics athlete for two decades, Green also participates in basketball, bowling and softball — and he's considered a leader by his colleagues.
"Volleyball is his passion, and he's a very good teacher because he's worked as a coach for the New Orleans Recreation Department," says Milton Batiste, Green's Special Olympics coach in Louisiana.
"He's a good player because he keeps everybody motivated, and when someone makes a mistake, he stays calm and teaches the proper technique by example," says Courville.
Green says it meant the world to him to compete at the National games, where he and his team placed second in volleyball. "It was my first time ever competing on that level, so I think it was great that we did that well," he says.
Best yet, says Green, his participation in Special Olympics over the years has enabled him to meet new people, learn new skills, and be proud of who he is.
"Playing sports with Special Olympics has given me the opportunity to express myself like many other athletes," says Green. "Sometimes when you have a disability, people look at you and only see the outside. Playing sports lets you be who you are on the inside, so you can bring that out."
By Victoria Colette Reynolds
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