RJ Nealon
RJ Nealon is a Special Olympics North America communications fellow and athlete reporter, alumni of the University of Alabama and former ESPN intern.
Content By This Author
Special Olympics Michigan Sets Standard with Two Teams at NIRSA Championships at State-Of-The-Art Facilities
It’s a crisp sunny day in late spring at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The 2024 NIRSA National Basketball Championships are taking place and two teams from Michigan are in town looking to bring home the championship.
5 Min Read
Inclusion and 10 Years of ESPN Partnership Celebrated at Perth Amboy High School
The gymnasium at Perth Amboy High School is at capacity with the student body, gearing up for the traditional students vs. teachers basketball game.
5 Min Read
Special Olympics Alaska’s Emily Tymick Named SONA Sports Person of the Year, Credits Longtime Love for Competition
Emily Tymick first got involved with Special Olympics as a volunteer and was hooked quickly, turning it into a career. More than a decade later, she was recognized by her peers as the SONA Sports Person of the Year.
4 Min Read
Special Olympics Finds Competitive Edge at NIRSA Flag Football Championships
It’s a cold and windy weekend in the quiet college town of Stillwater, Oklahoma, but despite it being winter break for Oklahoma State University, you can hear the cheers of students. The campus is playing host to the NIRSA Flag Football national championships, an opportunity for campus rec teams to come together and compete for the trophy and bragging rights. Among the competitors is a group of people truly committed to the inclusive power of sports: the seven teams in the Special Olympics College Club Unified division.
5 Min Read
Special Olympics Nebraska Athlete Takes on Capitol Hill Ahead of Sargent Shriver Global Messenger Term
Throughout Washington D.C., Special Olympics athletes, Unified partners, and staff from 47 states and the District of Columbia are meeting with members of Congress to advocate for the continuance of funding for the movement’s life-changing work in education and health.
5 Min Read
Singleton Siblings Find Passion and Support for Each Other Through Special Olympics
Alex Singleton has laced up his cleats countless times throughout his amateur and professional football career. It’s part of his well-honed pre-game routine, something that does not change from game to game. But on December 3, 2023, there was a change. A noticeable and meaningful one.
4 Min Read
Special Olympics British Columbia Athlete Making Difference Within Community
“I got involved with Special Olympics when I was in school and I was put down all my life. So, I found out about Special Olympics and how they accepted people and how we get the opportunity to compete.”
3 Min Read
Rose Pleskow Holds a Meaningful Role with Special Olympics Partner Brightspot
When Pleskow is not swimming in the Potomac River alongside her mom or running on the track, she can be found within the walls of Brightspot—a software development company just outside the nation’s capital in Reston, Virginia.
3 Min Read
Special Olympics Missouri Athlete to Pursue PGA Tour Membership Card
Thomas Cleek has been playing golf for as long as he can remember. The pairing—Cleek and golfing—was just one of those things that was meant to be.
2 Min Read
Special Olympics Oklahoma Fighting Peacocks Playing for Something Larger
It is an overcast sky in the middle of September as the leaves break away from the trees, signaling the changing of seasons.
4 Min Read