Athletes from the Western Slope recently showcased their talents at the annual Special Olympics Colorado’s (SOC) Western Region Winter Games, with alpine events on Feb. 10 at Sunlight Mountain Resort and Nordic events on Feb. 11 at Argonaut Farms.
The games drew close to 150 athletes and 50 coaches, along with countless volunteers. Spectators took in alpine skiing and snowboarding on Friday, while Saturday’s Nordic events included cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Susan Foege, SOC’s senior director of sports and competition, spoke with The Sopris Sun about the significance of SOC’s Winter Games, highlighting camaraderie, athletic achievement and Sunlight Mountain’s pivotal role in hosting the event.
Getting involved in Special Olympics athletics can begin at 8-years-old and “go all the way up until you don’t want to participate anymore,” she stated. “Additionally, we have a young athletes program for athletes ages 2 to 7 which introduces the sport.”
Last weekend’s youngest competitor was a 9-year-old, and the eldest participant was 73. She explained that the field includes repeat athletes and new ones each year.
Foege observed that the power of unity through sport, experienced by participants and volunteers, promotes a sense of belonging.
“One of the great things about Special Olympics is it shows how sport can unify everyone, which is a big part of the Special Olympics movement. Being on the hill as a skier or volunteer, watching other athletes ski and cheering them on unites everybody,” Foege continued. “That great feeling of community and family spreads joy to the athletes as we go into the events. It turns into a very big celebration very quickly.”
Glenwood Springs resident Larry Vasquez skis on Challenge Aspen’s team. At 57, he has participated in Special Olympics Winter Games since he was in the fourth grade.
Vasquez enjoys skiing at Sunlight because, “It’s like my home hills in Leadville, where I used to compete in Special Olympics at Ski Cooper,” he shared.
Originally from Vail, Vasquez expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of his family, finding inspiration in their encouragement. He dedicated his races to his siblings, nieces and nephews residing in Oregon, along with a heartfelt tribute to his late parents.
Vasquez’s coach, Ryan Forsyth, is the community connections manager for Mountain Valley Developmental Services (MVDS) and acts as the organization’s program coordinator for Special Olympics events. This is his third year of coaching Winter Games athletes.
“We do [the] Special Olympics every single season. And I’ve had participants involved in winter, spring, summer and fall events. Every time we have an opportunity to participate, we do,” he said.
“Our [MVDS] ski team goes through Challenge Aspen. We do our practices up in Snowmass and use Challenge Aspen’s programming,” he elaborated.
“It’s so I can be on the course with the racers, and they give me the qualifying jacket,” Forsyth added with a chuckle. This year, the coach was excited for the opportunity to ski down the slope as a part of the torch run.
With a large number of event participants, the coordination efforts by Sunlight’s small marketing team are vital for a successful event. Sunlight Marketing Director Matt Ericksen said that as the host venue, their responsibilities include, among others, ensuring there is adequate parking and that they have a good space for both the opening and closing ceremonies.
“It’s making sure that the course is not only set correctly but that it’s skiing well,” he continued. “It’s quite a bit of work that goes into it.”
In a display of teamwork for an event of this magnitude, Kala Casey, the creative coordinator on Sunlight’s marketing team, spearheaded an effort to distribute pre-publicity posters throughout downtown Glenwood Springs.
Glenwood Springs resident, with a longstanding presence at Sunlight, Jim Setterberg, oversees logistics between the mountain and SOC, Ericksen said.
Ericksen emphasized the value of their efforts. “It [SOC Winter Games] is one of our favorite events — easily — every year. I mean, the camaraderie, the Olympic spirit and what that stands for, and to see these athletes perform at the levels they are is cool to see. We love it.”
In praise of Sunlight Mountain’s commitment to supporting Special Olympics, Foege remarked, “They provide us with the venue to have the athletes race and turn it into a world-class race event, which is what Special Olympics athletes deserve. They’re supportive of just about anything we need, including getting our volunteers up and off the hill, making their lodge accessible for all of us and making it a day that’s all about the athletes.”
Last weekend’s winning athletes qualified for the State Winter Games, which will be held on March 2 and 3 at Copper Mountain near Frisco, Colorado. The World Winter Special Olympics Games, played every four years, will hold its next competition in Torino, Italy in March 2025.
For more information about Special Olympics Colorado, visit www.specialolympicsco.org
