meghan-for-page-(2).JPG Meghan likes to play football and one of her favourite things is to stop the ball with her feet and not use her hands. She likes to kick the ball, too. And she likes to laugh with the other athletes and coaches.

Meghan’s mum says that Special Olympics has an enormous impact on Meghan’s life. As a family, they aren’t big followers of sport and they didn’t think Meghan would be, either. But Meghan’s found out there’s a lot of fun to be had on the football field and not only has playing football helped her lose weight, but it’s made her more aware physically. Sometimes it’s hard to make friends but at Special Olympics, Meghan has found a very accepting world.

“I thought it might be fun for Meghan. But it’s been wonderful. It’s helped her physically and socially and at Special Olympics, she’s part of a group.”

Meghan’s mum says that playing sport with Special Olympics gives Meghan something of her own. “Meghan will say, ‘I’ve got football on Monday,’ and she does. She’s got something. It’s hers. She has people there who she knows, independent of our family. It’s her own thing; it isn’t part of ‘us’”.

Megan’s mum likes that Special Olympics is all about trying your best. It’s a lovely attitude, she says, to celebrate trying, being and participating.

Megan is in her final year of secondary school. Her family is happy that she’ll still be playing football with her friends at Special Olympics. It’s something she’ll keep doing as part of her social life.