The Walton, Georgia (USA), Unified Team is Golden
by Dave Berry, Special Olympics coach
In 2000, the Special Olympics Unified Sports® football (soccer) teams from Walton County, Georgia (USA), met at the Special Olympics Georgia State Summer Games at Emory University. Coaches Sean Callahan from Monroe and David Berry from Loganville faced off in an inter-county battle for the gold medal. Berry's team was defeated and the Monroe team won gold.
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From 2001 until present, the Walton United teams have won gold medals every year in the Senior Unified Division. Pictured here is the 2005 gold medal winning team. |
The following year the two teams combined in a “unified” way to become “Walton United.” Athletes and Unified Sports partners were recruited from public schools' Special Education Departments, football teams and the general student population. After competing in local Games, the teams joined forces to become the dominant team at the Special Olympics state competition. From 2001 until present, the Walton United teams have won gold medals every year in the Senior Unified Division.
For years, the teams depended on local sponsorships and donations to buy uniforms and shoes. With local organizations, such as Kiwanis and the American Legions, and businesses, like Maxi Price Chevrolet, new uniforms were bought from another benefactor, Eurosport. Since then, shoes, balls, shin guards and other items have been donated by various companies and the Loganville High School's football booster club.
Four years ago, Berry gathered autographed football items signed by players and teams, like Ronaldinho of Brazil and Barcelona, Manchester United, Brad Friedel, Kasey Keller, Eddie Lewis and Arsenal. He was able to “trade” these items to a local football supplier for some brand new adidas uniforms and socks. The team's new “look” will be identified as Loganville United for the Unified Sports team and the Monroe Hurricanes for the Special Olympics athlete-only football team.
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The 2006 “Walton United” team |
The greatest feature of Unified Sports, as both Berry and Callahan can attest to, is that all the players are on the same field at the same time, playing the greatest sport in the world. Football not only teaches skills to the athletes when they first start to play, it also shows them that they, too, can compete just like everyone else. No disability can keep them from playing a sport that they have come to love. They are equal in all aspects of the game: from defending shots, tackling the ball, heading away potential goals, but also scoring. Our rule has always been: Only the athletes score.
Finally, thanks to Special Olympics Georgia and to Walton County, we have a team to be proud of and boast about every day. From July until March, they can't wait for football season to start.
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