Bigger Than The Score: Isaac’s Special Olympics Journey

For this Special Olympics athlete, stepping onto the field means having an opportunity to

compete, connect, and be part of something bigger than himself. His connection to baseball

began when he was young, and over time, soccer became another way for him to experience

the excitement of competition. Joining the Special Olympics gave him a place where that

passion could continue to grow alongside teammates who share the same enthusiasm for

sports.

“What intrigued me was the love of the game for soccer and baseball, ever since I was a little kid I used to play t-ball. Ever since then I wanted to join a sport to make myself known and grow with other players, pretty much just playing for the love of the game, it’s just fun to play with other players. We’re pretty much just like one big family on the team, which was a real big push to join the special olympics for soccer and baseball.”

Years of participation have given him plenty of chances to experience what makes each sport

special. Baseball brings him the thrill of stepping into the batter’s box and being on the field,

while soccer gives him another outlet for his admiration of Team USA and the energy that

comes from playing alongside others.

“So I have been playing in the Special Olympics since 2013, I would say I’ve been playing

around 7 years already going on 8, but the most favorite part of baseball is just playing on the field, hitting the ball. It feels like playing a major league game, America's pastime. Soccer I tried it because I love watching Team USA play and how they represent their country. It’s pretty fun and exciting, sometimes it feels good to play against other players, other times it's fun to just get out there with everybody and have everyone cheer you on.”

Getting ready for a game is also part of the experience. Rather than letting nerves take over, he has developed his own way of settling down before competition. His routine gives him time to concentrate on the upcoming game while remembering that enjoying the experience matters regardless of the final result.

Isaac scoring a 3-pointer for his team

“So my game day routine has a few parts to it. Usually what I do is put on some music to listen to before my game, it kinda relaxes me because you know sometimes there are players that are taller or bigger than us, and this still reminds me that we’re gonna have fun. Even if we don’t win, I know I at least tried my best to help the team win a medal. Most of the routine involves eating a lot of fruit or cereal, listening to music, and kind of blocking everything out, letting my mind wander off and relax.”

Competition has also given him memories that go beyond wins and medals. One of those moments happened when an opposing softball player was injured during a game. Instead of continuing with his own turn at bat, he noticed what had happened and chose to help. For him, that moment captured something important about what sports can teach people about looking out for one another.

“Yeah so my favorite memory for each sport, I’d say the first one would probably be Softball on our last game of the season where we got our medals. I remember there was this one player on the other team who was running to catch the ball. I remember he accidentally fell and couldn’t get up. So before my last at bat, I told the umpire “somebody’s hurt over there.” I pretty much canceled my at bat to go help him and walk him back to his dugout. It felt good to help out and be a good sport even if he wasn’t on the same team. It’s like they say in the Special Olympics that “even though we aren’t on the same team, we’re still part of one big family.” That’s probably my favorite memory for Baseball, and for Soccer, my most favorite memory is probably when I scored a last minute goal and we got gold medals. I remember we were celebrating and my team dunked me with gatorade because I was Captain a few years ago. It was so exciting. Usually you don’t really get many chances to remember something like that a lot. But that’s what I would say are my two favorite memories.

Most players you know are usually about themselves, but you see some baseball players and

you see how they help somebody else, whether it's a player or even a fan, they show how

happy they are to see them. One of my favorite players that retired is Albert Pujols. I remember I used to watch his interviews and I would see him play and think “Man this guy is really good.” But once I heard his daughter had down syndrome I would always hear about him participating and donating to different foundations and charities, being really happy when he’s around his family and his foundations. I guess that is another one of the reasons that I love baseball so much because you always see him and you see how happy the kids are when they are around him, and he just loves to be there.”

Those experiences have shaped the advice he would give to someone thinking about trying the Special Olympics for the first time. His message is centered on participation and making the experience meaningful, regardless of which team comes away with the victory.

“I always try to make sure that everybody, not just on my team but every team, will have fun, win or lose because it’s worth the challenge.” Taking part in competitive sports has not always been easy. He has encountered opponents who may have appeared physically stronger or taller, but those situations have taught him to concentrate on what he can control. Instead of measuring himself against another player's physical characteristics, he focuses on effort and the responsibility he has to his teammates.

“There have been some times where I have faced adversity. Sometimes it would be like if we were facing another team with taller players, I would tell myself “Oh I just gotta try the best I can, and if we don’t win at least I know I gave it my best shot, not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog. As long as I know I tried my best, that’s all that matters. It’s not about the physical traits of one person just as long as that person tries their best, as long as they tried to help the team to win.” That’s how it should be, players shouldn’t worry about physical advantages, as long as they tell themselves “as long as we try our best and have fun, that’s all that matters.” Sometimes you see really short players like Jose Altuve, when I see them I tell myself it’s not about the height. As long as you have love for the game and put everything out there to try your best, that is all that really matters at the end of the game and at the end of the day.”

His interest in sports reaches well beyond the two sports he competes in. Following professional teams and athletes has become another way for him to stay connected to the games he loves. His favorites span baseball, soccer, and basketball, with particular appreciation for players who bring intensity to their competition and continue to perform through difficult circumstances.

“Baseball: I have about 3 favorite teams. I would say the first one would be the St Louis

Cardinals and then second Los Angeles. Of course the third one would probably be Houston

because of Altuve and how he plays the game, and doesn’t really show fear even when facing pitchers that could be a whole foot taller than him.

For soccer, my favorite team, well only would be Team USA. I love the history, the

representation, our nation’s flag. As for a favorite player, I'm not 100% sure about soccer. For

basketball I would probably vote for Boston just because of the history of them and their whole franchise, it’s been number one in the country and it’s crazy because I always look into that and the rivalry, them and the Lakers. I guess that’s one thing I love about us because we’re rivaly with the west coast, we both have been in the finals so many times as the number one and two teams in the league.

Those are my favorite teams but definitely my favorite baseball player would be Albert Pujols. If I had my own baseball team, the players I would want on my team would definitely be Albert Pujols for one, for sure Tony Gwynn Jr, Joc Pederson, and last two would definitely be Aaron Judge and Jordan Walker from St Louis. I would want this core if I ever played on a major league team, mainly for having the intensity these guys bring and knowing that I have reliable hall of fame teammates to keep it moving. I like Tony Gwynn Jr. I remember I found out his dad passed to cancer and that hit me hard. It really hits you when you see what Baseball players go through, and even though they go through that they still play their best game. It’s hard not to think about that when playing the game in front of thousands of people. I think it’s more difficult to be in the dugout away from the game and try to not think about stuff like that. If I’m a baseball player, even if I am going through it, I still have to be up there for my teammates and do the best I can. Worrying about something like that during the whole game can be really distracting when trying to play the best game possible.”

For him, the meaning of sports can be found in all the moments surrounding the competition: preparing before a game, encouraging teammates, helping an opponent, celebrating together, and continuing to compete when circumstances are difficult. The field provides a place to challenge himself, but it also gives him a community where he can share his enthusiasm with

others.

His experiences in Special Olympics soccer and baseball have helped shape a perspective built around effort, sportsmanship, and enjoyment. Whether he is stepping up to hit, chasing a goal, supporting a teammate, or watching his favorite professional players, he continues to find reasons to love the game. And for him, that may be the most important part of all: showing up, giving everything he has, and making sure the people around him have a chance to enjoy the experience too