Ryan Hanson

Ryan Hanson is an athlete leader, and advocate from Farmington, New Mexico, whose life has been deeply intertwined with Special Olympics for nearly three decades. Born in 1988, Ryan began his athletic journey in track and field before moving on to basketball. After relocating to New Mexico in 1995, Ryan became a year-round Special Olympics participant, embracing the motto, “Special Olympics is MY LIFE.”

A significant personal milestone occurred at a Special Olympics Bowling Tournament, where Ryan met his wife, an individual with Down syndrome who shares his passion for sports and community engagement. Ryan’s athletic repertoire includes golf, bowling, volleyball, polo hockey, bocce, swimming, and, most recently, cornhole.

Beyond competition, Ryan Hanson has taken on leadership roles, serving as a Global Messenger and as the athlete representative on the State Board of Directors for three years. He has also contributed to the State Torch Run Committee Board and attended Torch Run conferences in Indianapolis, Orlando, and New Orleans. Recently, Ryan was trained as a team captain and continues to work diligently as a local and state representative on athlete input councils.

Internationally, Ryan represented Team USA as a member of the Skills Golf Team at Special Olympics World Games, Ireland in 2003, and competed as a bowler at the National Games in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Ryan became a Health Messenger in 2022.Following his training, he posted health information once a week on the Health and Wellness site for Special Olympics New Mexico. Most posts included a recipe and an exercise or nutrition tip. He stays active because he is very aware of how easy it is for people with Down syndrome to gain weight and have less muscle tone in their stomach area.He walks at least 2 miles a day. In addition, he leads his bocce team in warm-ups to ensure that they fully stretch their muscles before the game.

A strong advocate for health and wellness, Ryan Hanson consistently participates in Healthy Athlete opportunities during State Games. He emphasizes the importance of lifelong health, maintaining habits such as keeping vegetables nearby for snacks, drinking water daily, and walking at least 12,000 steps each day. This commitment to healthy living reflects Ryan’s belief that health is a daily, lifelong pursuit.