All this is Amazing By Clint Armistead and Bryan Anthone, Team Kansas 6 July 2006 — He answered an ad for a job and little did he know he would find his heart. As Director of Information Technology for Special Olympics International, Aldis Berzins heads computer operations for the 2006 Special Olympics USA National Games in Ames, Iowa. While watching Berzins move a volleyball through his hands like a mother caring for a newborn, one can see that his love of the game is still intact. Aldis Berzins (left) poses with Youth Summit reporter Bryan Anthone at Opening Ceremonies after signing an autograph. Before he got into the IT field, Berzins had a successful career in men's volleyball, culminating with the 1984 Olympic gold medal representing the United States and the 1985 USA World Cup Championship. At that point, Berzins knew it was time to wind down his playing of the game and turn toward coaching for the San Diego State University women's volleyball team. “Coaching is like playing, only not nearly as much fun,” he states. One of Berzins' coaching successes would be his hand in the success of the women's U.S. Olympic volleyball team in 1996. Using his knowledge of volleyball, this computer guru helped teach Special Olympics athletes how to fine tune their skills necessary to spike at a volleyball clinic on 5 July at the Forker Building on the University of Iowa campus. “It's the best job in the computer world…I get a chance to design software to help athletes.” He created a database called HAS (Healthy Athletes Software) that helps Special Olympics track athletes and record data from their health care screenings they receive through Special Olympics Healthy Athletes®. Ron Vederman of Special Olympics International commented, “Using HAS, we can discover the percentage of athletes by region or state that need to work on a certain health aspect, like gum decay.” Healthy Athletes also will be able to inform a health care provider in the athlete's hometown of the care that is needed for the athlete. While Berzins' role as Director of IT is a large commitment, he hopes to be even more involved with coaching volleyball for Special Olympics in the future. Currently Berzins' three sons volunteer at Camp Shriver. Berzins is very proud that his sons have become involved in Special Olympics. He leaves us with these words of advice about volleyball and life: “It's got to be fun…otherwise it becomes a job.” Click here to read From the court to the computer, from the Olympics to Special Olympics, an additional profile of Aldis Berzins that includes his advice to athletes. Return to main Youth Summit Stories page