Special Olympics China athlete Li Baiming; Li’s mother, Ma Yehong; and 2009 World Games coach Yao Nan at the Idaho Ice World in Boise. Li took fourth place in the first event she competed in.
A Coach for Life
Former professional speed skater Yao Nan would rather teach Special Olympics athletes than anyone else. Prior to becoming a Special Olympics coach, she had limited knowledge on the topic of intellectual disabilities, and the mistaken impression that people with intellectual disabilities couldn’t do very much, let alone learn how to skate. When she accepted an invitation to attend the 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Alaska, she said the athletes’ ability took her breath away. “I couldn’t believe it. They were good! I couldn’t take my eyes off them.” When she got back home to China, Yao signed up to be a coach.
“Their determination to succeed is extremely strong. “For example,” she explained, “It took three years for one of my athletes to be able to skate on the ice. It took one year for her to learn how to put her skates on. The next year, she learned how to walk on the ice. After the third year, she could finally skate. The athlete, her parents and I were jumping for joy. The athlete accomplished something she never thought she could do. As a coach, I never felt so proud of anyone in my life.”
Special Olympics China athlete Li Baiming, 12, competing in speed skating at the 2009 World Games, was inspired to join Special Olympics after the movement’s World Summer Games held in Shanghai in 2007. Her mother, Ma Yehong, from Harbin, who accompanied Li to Idaho, said that she was devastated when her daughter was diagnosed with intellectual disabilities at six months.
“Because China has a one-child rule, I was heartbroken,” she said. “But she’s my sunshine girl now,” said Ma. “Since Special Olympics came into her life, she is happy and more interested in everything. Before she sat at home and drew or looked at books. She has so many friends now. She meets them at competitions. And if they live far away, Li chats with them online.” Ma said that the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games were the best thing that happened to China. “Since those Games, more people are paying attention to those with intellectual disabilities. They are more aware and they want to do something to help,” said Ma.
Yao recognizes the transformational power of sports for athletes like Li. “They are really able to grow, make friends and be proud of their accomplishments for the first time,” says Yao “I’ll definitely be a Special Olympics coach for life.”