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Mike “MJ” McColgan, left, and professional golfer Casey Martin. [Photo courtesy McColgan family] |
Mike “MJ” McColgan of Danville, California, has been playing golf since he was 5 years old. He has been competing in Special Olympics for several years with superlative results.
McColgan won the Special Olympics Northern California Championship every year from 2001-2007. In 2004, he was inducted into the San Francisco Bay Area Sports Hall Of Fame for his accomplishments on and off the golf course, and in 2006, he was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall Of Fame (he is a native of Michigan).
McColgan also is the 2002 and 2003 silver medalist at the Special Olympics Golf National Invitational Tournaments and, with his father, Mike L. McColgan, was the Level 3 gold medalist at the 2004 National Invitational. (In Special Olympics golf, Level 3 is Unified Sports® Team Play — 18-hole alternate shot format that teams a Special Olympics player with a non-Special Olympics player of similar ability.)
McColgan was a member of Team USA, participating in the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin Ireland. In 2007, he served as a volunteer at the golf venue during the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China. He received a Human Services Degree and graduated with honors in 2007. With his father, he co-authored his fifth successful golf book, "The Cardinal Sins Of Golf," which is available on amazon.com
McColgan was born with a slight strain of cerebral palsy so he uses a golf cart to play. Among the thoughts that McColgan keeps in his mind to stay strong in his favorite sport are "Don't get nervous on the first tee, practice hard, and never give up." McColgan has begun to participate in Special Olympic swimming, which he likes because it helps strengthen his legs and keep him in good shape.
"Our home is filled with gold medals,” said Linda McColgan, who gave his induction speech, “but more importantly, MJ has taught our family and many others the importance of hard work, desire, and understanding; that no matter what a person's disability is in this life, the focus needs to be on abilities and not disabilities."
Off the links, McColgan works with the Dublin Police department in Dublin, California. He volunteers as an assistant football coach for his alma mater, San Ramon High School and at the Diablo Lodge Retirement Home and San Ramon Regional Hospital.
He is a Special Olympics Northern California Global Ambassador, speaking to various businesses and organizations about winning and overcoming adversity.
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