Special Olympics Indiana looking for volunteers as dedicated as these parents

Jackie Ziaja wanted her son to participate in sports just like other little boys.

“Asher was very much involved in school sports when he was little. But when you get to that certain age, it gets very competitive,” Ziaja said. “I don’t want him to be at the point where he’s going to lose friends because he can’t hit the ball for baseball.”

Ziaja hoped to get Asher, who has Down syndrome, involved with Special Olympics once he turned 8 years old, but there wasn’t a program where they live in Culver, a small town in Marshall County.

A caseworker who works with the family suggested Asher get involved with an equestrian program in nearby La Porte County. Asher’s father, Joe Short, got him signed up.

“I was a volunteer firefighter for 20 some years. I had just retired,” Short said. “Having that volunteerism void in my life, I went over there (La Porte), and the experience was just amazing.”

Short didn’t stop at just enrolling Asher. He also became a volunteer in the equestrian program.

“I got a little workout every week, running around the arena being a side-walker or a horse handler,” Short said. “We went over there with Asher. He loves all animals.”

Following the La Porte experience, Jackie and Joe were approached by officials with Special Olympics Indiana to start a program for their area. Next thing you know, Jackie was named county coordinator and Joe assistant coordinator for Marshall-Starke County.

The next step was to get Asher involved in basketball.

But to do that, Ziaja needed to become the coach, even though she had never done it before.

“I have always been a coach out on the bleachers for my oldest son, Donavan,” said Ziaja, who has worked in banking for 15 years. She started coaching basketball two years ago. “We wanted this for Asher. It’s been a learning curve I think for everybody involved, but it’s been wonderful. It’s grown so much. I love it.”

Barb Michalos, Northern Indiana regional manager for Special Olympics Indiana, said there’s a big need for coaches as more athletes sign up for sports and other programs.

That’s why the nonprofit has started the “Campaign for Coaches” to find volunteers to coach an estimated 19,000 athletes statewide.

“As we expand our athlete numbers, we obviously need coaches. We have so many county programs that would really like to offer additional sports or more teams of a sport they currently offer,” Michalos said. “You can’t do that without coaches.”

Michalos said there are several reasons why people like to volunteer to coach.

“The joy, the happiness, the satisfaction, the idea that you are contributing to a more inclusive community and a more inclusive world,” Michalos said. “I think that is one of the beauties of being a coach in Special Olympics.”

Having previous experience as a coach is not necessary.

“If you have the love of people, you can be taught the rules of sports, but you have to have heart,” Michalos said. “You have to be inclusive in your mindset. That’s more important because we can teach you everything else.”

While Ziaja coaches basketball, Asher’s father Joe coaches an equestrian team he started this summer for Marshall and Starke counties.

“I wouldn’t say I’m an expert. I grew up riding horses, so this was a bit of a learning curve for me,” said Short, who is the vice president of sales for a machinery company in South Bend.

Ziaja said she didn’t know what to expect in her first year of coaching but that should not scare away others who may want to get involved.

“I had some athletes that had never dribbled the ball before. I had athletes that weren’t anywhere close to hitting the basket because it was just not reachable for them at that time,” Ziaja said. “You just have to manage. Everybody is different so you have to figure out ways that work for them.”

Ziaja said she also likes to see what a child or teen is capable of. Some are shy to try at first and their parents also may feel apprehensive about letting their child participate.

“That’s what we are here to do is to give them those opportunities regardless of how fast you can learn it,” Ziaja said. “You never say you can’t because you don’t know unless you try. That’s the thing with our children: We visually see something like an impairment or a disability then we just automatically assume in our minds that maybe they can’t do something.”

Beyond the athletes, Ziaja said the exercise the coaches are getting is also needed.

“You’re improving your own health. It’s a positive environment to be in. You’re impacting their lives. And then, you’re improving their health too,” Ziaja said. “We have to break those barriers. These athletes are so capable and are so smart. I mean, they can do more than I can.”

Read more stories from the current issue of Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.