Gaston is a 23-year-old and currently working in Judo Klub Sokol, where he mostly works as a coach for inclusive groups. He is a Judoka and has been since he was just 7 years of age. Gaston was always interested in working with people with diverse abilities. He is furthering his education at University of Coimbra, where he is pursuing a Ph.D. surrounding inclusive Judo in the field of Adapted Physical Activity. Gaston is part of the Unified Generation because he is proud to spread the importance of Inclusion in society, both through Unified Sports and promoting socialization at various levels.

Tina is a 20-year-old from the capital city of Slovenia, Ljubljana. She finished school in a special program at the Janez Levec school center in Ljubljana. 10 years ago, Tina started competing in Special Olympics competitions in Slovenia. She started with running on short tracks and relay, but in the past 7 years she has competed in judo, and eventually earned her blue belt. Tina also attended 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi, where she won a gold medal! Tina believes that if we want to change the people’s mindsets, we all must work toward it together.
Gaston and Tina noticed a lack of judo instructors with special needs in Slovenia. They feel that representation is really important for youth with ID to see in all areas of their lives, including in sport. They would like to change this and give a learning opportunity to one of their athletes to become a judo instructor and lead a judo class for young children under the age of 13.
The project is based on trusting a young Judoka with intellectual disabilities and giving them a chance to share their knowledge of judo. At the end of the project, Gaston and Tina hope to get their special needs athlete/coach certified by the Slovenian judo federation as an official judo instructor, or get a certificate from the Special Olympics and help promote such ideas in different judo clubs, and other sports, not just judo.
Gaston and Tina hope to get people with special needs involved in sports and the community as judo instructors, not just as athletes, obtain official certification as judo instructors with intellectual disabilities from the Slovenian judo federation. Ultimately they hope to get new Youth Leaders to join an inclusive judo groups from other judo clubs. In Slovenia, all with an overarching goal of promoting inclusion of coaches with special needs in all forms of sport.