Softball hosts annual practice with Special Olympics

Last Tuesday, the CSB softball team held their annual practice with the St. Cloud Special Olympics softball team.

The connection between the CSB softball team and the Special Olympics team is a remarkable one that has developed since Head Coach Rachael Click began coaching the Special Olympics team in the summer of 2018.

“I was coaching them in the summer and thought it would be cool to do some sort of unified game or joint practice with our team and the Special Olympics team,” Click said. “It’s important to give back as a group and team.”

The CSB players and coaches had a profound effect on the Special Olympics athletes. A few of these athletes have reached out to coach Click in the past week to thank her and let her know how much fun they had and how they appreciated the event.

“[The athletes] talked about coach Click all the time, so when I told them they would be scrimmaging the softball team, they were super excited,” Special Olympics Coach Mary Ridgeway said.

Click coached this team in the summers of 2018, 2019 and 2021. In the summer of 2022, Ridgeway, a current CSB senior, began coaching the Special Olympics softball team.

“These athletes were always the highlight of my week,” Ridgeway said. “They came with an unbelievably positive attitude to every practice and had the ability to lift everyone else’s mood.”

Ridgeway also said the team would not have been successful without the help of Garrett Mueller, Jocie Larson, Sofie Bock and Peyton Miller, all current CSB+SJU students. The CSB+SJU community also had a significant impact on the Special Olympics athletes. Over 40 students came to the practice and supported the teams. Members of the CSB+SJU Special Olympics Club and swim teams were present at this practice and ensured these athletes felt encouraged.

“Seeing the support of the CSB campus made [the Special Olympics athletes] super excited,” Ridgeway said. “It’s great to see the connection between the campus and these athletes.”

The impact felt wasn’t just by Special Olympics athletes, though.

“As much as we hope they learn, they teach us a lot of things that are way bigger than the sport,” senior Jordyn Swoboda said.

Watching the joy playing this sport gave these athletes provided CSB athletes with a lot of perspective.

“Seeing how happy [playing] made the Special Olympics athletes made me realize how great this sport is and how great my teammates are,” junior Bryn Carlstrom said.

Click agreed and mentioned how fulfilling working with an organization like the Special Olympics can be.

“You walk away having a better perspective on everything. You understand what really matters,” Click said. “It’s a reality check and just a feel-good way to make somebody’s day and have them make your day.”

Going forward, the softball team will continue to hold a yearly event with the Special Olympics. Click mentioned the possibility of getting Special Olympics athletes involved in other campus events or recognizing them during a game next spring.

More than 8,000 individuals with disabilities around Minnesota are impacted by Special Olympics each year through athletic competitions, free health screenings and leadership training. Without willing volunteers like Click, Ridgeway and many others, none of these things would be possible.

“I want to encourage people who haven’t done anything with it to give it a try,” Click said.

Ridgeway echoed Click’s thoughts on the magnitude of volunteering with the Special Olympics.

“Even if you’re hesitant, take the leap and show up at one of their activities,” Ridgeway said. “You’ll absolutely love it.”