NOTE: This profile is part of a weekly series intended to show the hearts and guts of Special Olympics West Hawaii participants. It is also a chance to get to know each other better. Readers will hopefully gain a better appreciation and knowledge of what each athlete, coach, volunteer, family member, friend or supporter brings to the organization. Enjoy!
Name: Shane J. Follosco
Age: 20
Hometown: Kailua-Kona
Nickname: “Shaner”
What activities you participate in with Special Olympics West Hawaii? What activity do you like most and why?
Shane trains and competes in basketball, bowling, T-ball, swimming and soccer for. His favorite sport is swimming because he enjoys being in the water and learning the various strokes.
What have you learned through Special Olympics West Hawaii or gained from being part of a team?
Through sports, Shane has learned to be brave and be alert. Being part of a team has taught him the importance of getting along with others and that he cannot win every time. Traveling to games with a large group means there will be waiting, which has taught him patience.
Why did you join Special Olympics West Hawaii?
Shane was a soccer player in elementary school. When he got older, he wanted to continue playing sports and Special Olympics gave him the opportunity to do that.
How long have you been with Special Olympics West Hawaii?
Shane has been an SOWH athlete since November 2006.
What is the best part about participating with Special Olympics?
The best part of Special Olympics for Shane is traveling to state level games on Maui and Oahu. He loves to compete and see friends he has met from other area programs. The highlight of games weekend is the Saturday night victory dance. Even after a long day of competition, he has enough energy to dance the whole night.
Do you have any hobbies or activities that you like to do during your free time?
Shane loves hula. He has been dancing and performing for two years as a member of Hula Halau Makanani under the direction of Kumu Hula Lona Warner. Shane enjoys music very much. He loves to play his harmonica, ukulele and accordion.
He likes to play his video games (Wii, PlayStation, Game Boy) and watch television. He also collects miniature cars and small action figures from favorite movies. When he goes out, he picks one to carry along to his activities.
Who is your favorite professional athlete or role model and why?
Shane’s role models are all of his SOWH coaches. They are very patient and know how to make learning fun.
Share an accomplishment — something you’re proud of.
Shane is very proud of the gold, silver and bronze medals he has earned in competition. Last year, he honored and chosen to be SOWH’s Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year. His award was a beautiful koa bowl.
What goal do you hope to accomplish in 2009?
Shane wants to continue working hard, doing his best and winning awards. His goal for the Spring sports season is to swim faster.
Favorite pitch, swim stroke or sports technique/move? Why?
Shane’s favorite races in aquatics competition are the freestyle and relays. He excels in these events.
Additional remarks from Madeline Follosco, Shane’s mom:
Shane is very friendly and gives extra hugs, kisses and smiles. For strangers Shane will usually have some kind of sense of a person he does not know. He sometimes hugs people he feels are safe.
Shane is really smart and he knows the different types of relationships he has with certain people. He knows what he can get away with different people. He chooses to communicate with us to his own advantage.
What is most important to Shane is his family, especially his sister, Shanley.
This is just a little look at who Shane is. It is very hard to write down who he is because we can’t explain how or what Shane does to touch our lives, but we know he does. He is remarkable and the best way to know Shane is just to spend a little time with him.
9:42 pm on March 8th, 2009
I’ve always felt that it’s important for people in the general community to see our athletes as individuals; to discover that they are more “alike” than they are “different” from everyone else.
Too often, people with intellectual disabilities are segregated from the mainstream – their individuality lost in an anonymous (even perhaps over-protected) group with very little chance for personal interaction.
Knowledge, understanding and ultimately, relationship are stepping stones to full inclusion. SOWH Unified Sports helps athletes and people without disabilities get to know one another on the playing field and now, this opportunity is also presented through Athlete Profiles.
Thanks for letting us “…spend a little time ” getting to know Shane!