Nicole (front) and (from left) Brian, Karyn and Lyn Brain receiving recognition from Special Olympics Australia at an awards ceremony.
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Lyn, Brian, Karyn, and Nicole Brain epitomize the true meaning of a Special Olympics family. Their commitment to the Special Olympics organization on Australia's island state of Tasmania ensures the continued development and success of hundreds of athletes, volunteers, and coaches.
When Nicole Brain joined Special Olympics in 1991, she brought her whole family with her as enthusiastic supporters. Brian, Lyn, and older sister Karyn give unselfishly of their time, energy, and skills in a variety of sporting and administrative capacities. Nicole represented Tasmania in athletics at three Special Olympics Australia National Games — in 1992 at Brisbane, Queensland; in 1994 at Perth, Western Australia; and in 1998 at Hobart, Tasmania.
Always supportive of their daughters, Brian and Lyn have been instrumental in making the family's achievements possible. With her parents and Karyn cheering her on, Nicole has become a talented Special Olympics athlete who trains regularly in athletics, basketball, swimming, and ten-pin bowling. For her own part, Karyn is an accomplished field-hockey player, described as "a true team player."
Over the years, Brian and Lyn Brain have developed considerable expertise in several aspects of the Special Olympics movement. Considered the driving force behind the growth of Special Olympics Tasmania, Brian began representing his state at the national level in 1993. He served as the Tasmanian delegate on the Special Olympics Australia Board of Directors from 1993 to 1997. His dynamic energy and innovative ideas encouraged the Program in Tasmania to increase the number of the sports offered from four to eight. In addition to football (soccer), athletics, aquatics, and basketball, Tasmania now also offers softball, gymnastics, bowling, and "carpet bowls," a popular local sport, to its Special Olympics athletes.
"Lyn is the force behind the force, the link in the chain that keeps everything together," says Special Olympics Australia National Director Barry R. Easy. From 1992 to 1994, Lyn Brain served on the Special Olympics Tasmania State Committee as the delegate from Hobart. She became Special Olympics Tasmania's State Treasurer in 1997, serving a two-year term, and was Family Coordinator at the National Games in Hobart in 1998. Lyn regularly accompanies athletes to competitions at all levels, and "continues to perform many tasks essential to keeping athletes, officials, volunteers, and other associated people organized," adds Easy.
Through the efforts of all four members of the Brain family, general community awareness of Special Olympics has increased the already high level of ongoing support that exists in Australia. |
