|
|
 |
Alan Burke coaching basketball: "Let the athletes achieve and enjoy, and everything else will fall into place."
|
When Alan Burke's son Wayne came home one day with a flier from school about Special Olympics, little did either know that this would change their lives forever. And little did Burke realize he'd be a national Special Olympics basketball coach.
In 1978, when Wayne started competing in Special Olympics, father Alan was like the majority of folks, watching from the sidelines and cheering his son on in athletics, basketball, floor hockey and softball at regional, state, national and international levels. But as time passed, the elder Burke realized that he wanted to do more, so he started volunteering as a coach and timekeeper at local meets, promoted the cause at endless fundraising events and, along with the rest of the family, eventually followed Wayne to the 1997 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Canada. The amazing part of that sojourn was that Burke actually delayed a major heart operation — six-way bypass surgery — to support his son and attend the Games.
Luckily for Special Olympics Australia, not to mention his family, he recovered ... recovered well enough to be named the Program's Assistant Men's Basketball Coach for the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games in North Carolina. Even more impressive, in 2001, Burke was named Men's Head Coach for Special Olympics Australia in time for the New Zealand National Games in Auckland. Despite only three days to assemble the team of 10 athletes, they still struck gold.
Over the years, Burke gained coaching qualifications in many sports, including basketball. When he became the Victoria State Director of Basketball, he continued to promote Special Olympics, growing his local region to five teams and the State Program to nearly 20 teams. After the 1999 World Games, one of the best sporting moments in his life according to Burke, he was eager to share the joys and experiences with anyone who would listen. His greatest strength is that he has inspired volunteers to become coaches and athletes to continue to pursue their dreams.
Alan's wife Pat, son Wayne and his other children, Sue, Peter and Steven, are extremely supportive of Alan and the Special Olympics organization. They have made Special Olympics an integral part of their family.
Burke has done much for the movement since the day Wayne came home with the flier. Be it a local, national or world stage, the basic tenets from Burke have stayed the same: "Let the athletes achieve and enjoy, and everything else will fall into place."
Reprinted from Spirit magazine, by Pervin Das Gupta, Senior Manager, Operations, Special
Olympics Asia Pacific
|
