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PITTSBURG —
There’s going to be a lot less of Scott Ball when he competes in the Special Olympics World Winter Games, scheduled Jan. 29-Feb. 5, 2013, in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Ball, Arcadia, has already trimmed off more than 130 pounds, dwindling down from 370 pounds to 236 pounds.
“Scott learned in January that he would represent TEAM USA in snowshoeing competition at the World Winter Games, and he’s lost 60 pounds since then,” said John Lair, New Hope Services program director and Special Olympics coach.
“I’m trying to watch what I’m eating and walking these halls,” Ball said. “John is doing it with me, too.”
Lair said that Ball is currently on a diet of 1,800 calories per day.
“When Scott started doing this, he said he wanted a buddy to do it with him, so I am,” the coach said.
The athlete also exercises. In addition to his walking, wearing a weighted vest to make it a little more challenging, he also faithfully practices his snowshoeing.
“He goes to Schlanger Park and runs in the sand,” Lair said. “He trains all year long, and only took a three-week break last year.”
Ball said that he’s been snowshoeing for seven years and involved with Special Olympics for 25 years.
A member of the New Hope Bulldogs Special Olympics Team, he was inducted into the Special Olympics Kansas Hall of Fame in 2011.
“I do 14 sports,” he said. “I do flag football, baseball, swimming, bowling, bocci, golfing and weight-lifting, and rodeo for sure.”
In rodeo, Ball leads a horse around barrels. His goal is to get up on the horse.
“My grandpa had a farm and he let me get on his horse,” Ball said.
He also enjoys helping with the annual Polar Bear Plunge, a fundraising event for Special Olympics.
“I raised over $1,000 for the Polar Bear Plunge,” Ball said. “I like being in Special Olympics, and I like being with John and all my friends at New Hope.”
He loves traveling, and has been to Las Vegas and New Orleans, and has attended numerous Kansas City Royals games, the Royals Clinic and the Major League All-Star Fan Fest. Now Ball is looking forward to the WWE Smackdown in Kansas City.
He’s also looking forward to all the traveling he’ll do for the World Winter Games.
“In early December Scott will go to Lake Placid, N.Y., to do a week of training with TEAM USA,” Lair said. “There are about 500 TEAM USA athletes going over."
There’s going to be a lot less of Scott Ball when he competes in the Special Olympics World Winter Games, scheduled Jan. 29-Feb. 5, 2013, in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Ball, Arcadia, has already trimmed off more than 130 pounds, dwindling down from 370 pounds to 236 pounds.
“Scott learned in January that he would represent TEAM USA in snowshoeing competition at the World Winter Games, and he’s lost 60 pounds since then,” said John Lair, New Hope Services program director and Special Olympics coach.
“I’m trying to watch what I’m eating and walking these halls,” Ball said. “John is doing it with me, too.”
Lair said that Ball is currently on a diet of 1,800 calories per day.
“When Scott started doing this, he said he wanted a buddy to do it with him, so I am,” the coach said.
The athlete also exercises. In addition to his walking, wearing a weighted vest to make it a little more challenging, he also faithfully practices his snowshoeing.
“He goes to Schlanger Park and runs in the sand,” Lair said. “He trains all year long, and only took a three-week break last year.”
Ball said that he’s been snowshoeing for seven years and involved with Special Olympics for 25 years.
A member of the New Hope Bulldogs Special Olympics Team, he was inducted into the Special Olympics Kansas Hall of Fame in 2011.
“I do 14 sports,” he said. “I do flag football, baseball, swimming, bowling, bocci, golfing and weight-lifting, and rodeo for sure.”
In rodeo, Ball leads a horse around barrels. His goal is to get up on the horse.
“My grandpa had a farm and he let me get on his horse,” Ball said.
He also enjoys helping with the annual Polar Bear Plunge, a fundraising event for Special Olympics.
“I raised over $1,000 for the Polar Bear Plunge,” Ball said. “I like being in Special Olympics, and I like being with John and all my friends at New Hope.”
He loves traveling, and has been to Las Vegas and New Orleans, and has attended numerous Kansas City Royals games, the Royals Clinic and the Major League All-Star Fan Fest. Now Ball is looking forward to the WWE Smackdown in Kansas City.
He’s also looking forward to all the traveling he’ll do for the World Winter Games.
“In early December Scott will go to Lake Placid, N.Y., to do a week of training with TEAM USA,” Lair said. “There are about 500 TEAM USA athletes going over."
"It will be my first time in New York,” Ball said. “Then it’s a 16-hour flight to South Korea. I’ll meet a lot of new friends and they’ll have dances for us. I love dancing.”
He’s going to try to lose another 15 pounds before he goes, and he’s determined to do his best.
“We have a board with all our world champions on it, and Scott has been dreaming of being on that board,” Lair said.
Ball is currently trying to raise funds to help cover expenses associated with training, travel and uniforms. Anyone wishing to contribute may visit www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/specialolympics-kansas.
