Meet Joe! 
He is almost 10 years old and is going into 4th grade. He lives in Brookings with his mama, papa, and baby brother, Wyatt. He has two cats Matt the Cat and Maxxwell.
He started Special Olympics last year and is part of the Special Olympics Brookings delegation. He has tried swimming, athletics, and softball. He is looking forward to bowling and basketball, too.
His hobbies include building big marble runs, fun contraptions, and playing with his trains. He likes to go on hikes, do scavenger hunts, swim, bike, and shoot hoops! He also joined the Brookings Super Spurs Soccer Club (a new Brookings soccer club for those with disabilities).
One favorite memory he has from Special Olympics was when his mom, grandma, and brother took him to Spearfish for the State Summer games. He received two gold medals in swimming. A gold, silver, bronze, and a ribbon in athletics. He had a lot of fun with his swim partner, Danielle, and teammates. He also got to carry the Brookings delegation sign into Opening Ceremonies. It was his first trip to the Black Hills! They stayed an extra day and he got to see Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. He can’t wait to make more memories!
“Special Olympics has helped me meet people like me! I may not always communicate well, but my team has been very patient. My coach, Kelsey, works hard to keep us all active and involved!” – Joe
