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PITTSBURG —
For John Lair, volunteer Special Olympics coach, it’s not about him, it’s about his Special Olympics teams.
He’s honored to be nominated for the 2012 North America Special Olympics Coach of the year, but the New Hope Services program director would much rather talk about the New Hope Bulldogs flag football and softball teams.
He and team members are extremely proud to be the first Kansas Special Olympics teams to compete in national championships for those sports.
“This will be our third season for Special Olympics flag football, which has only been in Kansas the past two years,” Lair said. “We played Missouri teams before that. Last year we went undefeated and won the state and regional tournaments, and we’ve been invited to the Special Olympics national flag football championship, which will be Oct. 20 and 21 in Lincoln, Neb.”
The softball team has won regional, state and four-state tournaments this year, and will be going to the national championship, scheduled Sept. 21-23 at Oklahoma City, Okla.
“We’ve had a heck of a softball year,” Lair said.
Paul McHenry and Chevi Peters are members of both teams, and said they are looking forward to the championships.
“I’m a wide receiver and corner in flag football, and in softball I pitch,” McHenry said.
He’s also happy to talk about Lair and how much he does for the athletes.
“He puts a lot of effort and time in what he does for us,” McHenry said. “He works hard to make us better athletes and have a good attitude. He teaches us to work hard at what we do.”
Peters, who’s on second base and short stop for the softball team, is one of three of Lair’s athletes who is involved in the Global Messenger Program. A powerful and articulate communicator, he was selected to provide one of the recommendation letters for Lair’s North American Special Olympics Coach of the Year nomination.
Peters, who wasn’t expected to live beyond the age of 2, has had 38 surgeries in his life, including removal of a brain tumor and a kidney transplant. His dream was just to be part of a team, now he’s on the state champion Special Olympics flag football and softball teams, as well as taking part in other activities, including power lifting.
He believes that Lair is responsible for making his dream come true.
For John Lair, volunteer Special Olympics coach, it’s not about him, it’s about his Special Olympics teams.
He’s honored to be nominated for the 2012 North America Special Olympics Coach of the year, but the New Hope Services program director would much rather talk about the New Hope Bulldogs flag football and softball teams.
He and team members are extremely proud to be the first Kansas Special Olympics teams to compete in national championships for those sports.
“This will be our third season for Special Olympics flag football, which has only been in Kansas the past two years,” Lair said. “We played Missouri teams before that. Last year we went undefeated and won the state and regional tournaments, and we’ve been invited to the Special Olympics national flag football championship, which will be Oct. 20 and 21 in Lincoln, Neb.”
The softball team has won regional, state and four-state tournaments this year, and will be going to the national championship, scheduled Sept. 21-23 at Oklahoma City, Okla.
“We’ve had a heck of a softball year,” Lair said.
Paul McHenry and Chevi Peters are members of both teams, and said they are looking forward to the championships.
“I’m a wide receiver and corner in flag football, and in softball I pitch,” McHenry said.
He’s also happy to talk about Lair and how much he does for the athletes.
“He puts a lot of effort and time in what he does for us,” McHenry said. “He works hard to make us better athletes and have a good attitude. He teaches us to work hard at what we do.”
Peters, who’s on second base and short stop for the softball team, is one of three of Lair’s athletes who is involved in the Global Messenger Program. A powerful and articulate communicator, he was selected to provide one of the recommendation letters for Lair’s North American Special Olympics Coach of the Year nomination.
Peters, who wasn’t expected to live beyond the age of 2, has had 38 surgeries in his life, including removal of a brain tumor and a kidney transplant. His dream was just to be part of a team, now he’s on the state champion Special Olympics flag football and softball teams, as well as taking part in other activities, including power lifting.
He believes that Lair is responsible for making his dream come true.
“It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to get athletes in shape,” Peters said. “John spends many long hours in doing what he’s doing now, and that’s just to make us better.”
To put an exact number on it, Lair has put in more than 1,150 Special Olympics volunteer hours in just the last year. He has been involved with Special Olympics for 21 years, and coaching for 18 years. Lair is a certified Special Olympics coach in aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, flag football, golf, power lifting, softball, skiing, snowshoeing, tennis, unified sports and volleyball.
Lair has racked up numerous honors over the years. To list just a few, he was Pittsburg Family YMCA Volunteer of the Year in 1995, Special Olympics Kansas Volunteer of the Year in 2004, elected to the Special Olympics Kansas Board of Directors and earned North American Coach of the Year Honorable Mention in 2011 and was named 2012 Sports for All Foundation Coach of the Year.
Aaron Thompson, assistant coach for the past three years, recognizes what a great job of coaching Lair does, but something else also impresses him.
“I see how much he cares about each athlete and each consumer,” Thompson said.
Perhaps Lair’s highest honor comes from Chevi Peters.
”Without John here, I wouldn’t be doing anything,” he said. “Thanks to him, I’m proud to be where I am now, a Special Olympian.”
