Allen County Coach Finds Joy in Paying it Forward

Josh Rice loves the sports he grew up playing. Nothing beat hitting the court or lacing up his spikes for a few hours with friends.

Rice’s dad coached most of those teams. It created a bond between the two that has lived on to this day. It’s a connection he hoped to share with his own children.

Alas. Rice’s children have other interests, and he loves sharing those times with them. But that longing to give back remained. He wants to share the joy of sports with a new generation.

Enter Special Olympics Indiana’s Campaign for Coaches.

“I saw the commercial, and I viewed it as an opportunity to fulfil that life goal and pass on my knowledge,” Rice said.

Special Olympics Indiana launched its Campaign for Coaches in August 2024. It is a statewide effort to recruit and train 1,000 new coaches within its nearly 70 county programs.

After filling out the interest form at SOIndiana.org, Rice talked with Allen County Coordinator Donna Hazelett. The two discussed his interests, and Rice began coaching the Allen County 5-on-5 basketball team.

The rewards were instant.

“I’ve been really impressed with how much they are driven to get better and do well in practice,” Rice said. “They are always looking for pointers. It’s a lot more than I was expecting than when I got into it.

“We are always talking about strategies and what they will do better this time to win. It’s nice to see them step up and take leadership roles on the team.”

Allen County practices each Wednesday and plays in tournaments on the weekends. Their goal is to qualify for and compete well at the Indiana Adult State Tournament on April 5-6 at the Pacers Athletic Center in Westfield.

“Josh is learning about our program and our athletes,” Hazelett said. “All of our coaches like our program, they like the athletes, and they love to support our community.  Most have no connection to us through family members but are still dedicated to helping others learn the importance of fitness through sports.”

Rice works for a credit union that emphasizes the need for employees to volunteer within the community. He also believes in that concept. He’s currently in discussion to help revive the softball program and potentially bring that back to Allen County.

Rice’s 15-year-old son even has come to practices and helped coach as well. It’s provided a chance for Rice to start building that bond and share his love of sports with his children.

“We can always use more coaches,” Rice said. “Every new coach lets even more athletes join the program. I guarantee you will enjoy the experience and get so much out of it.”