An Athlete’s Story: Price’s Cinderella Tale is Still Being Written
I am an individual who has had to overcome many different obstacles in life. This includes health issues at a young age and difficulty in certain social situations.
Even with these challenges, I have defied the odds and have been able to make an impact in both the sports world and the world at large.
I used to be someone more interested in video games than sports. This caused me to gain a lot of weight. I also used to have trouble in school because of medications (Abilify, Haldol, etc.). I was pulled out of public school in fifth grade by my parents because of health problems and anxiety issues.
In 2014, my appendix exploded. I had tried Special Olympics before that but this latest medical issue really served as the springboard to where I am today. I truly turned my attention and effort to sports following my recovery.
When I was 14, I returned to the Special Olympics Indiana Johnson County program and started competitively swimming. I went to the Summer Games in Terre Haute that year and won three gold medals (25 backstroke, 25 freestyle, and 100 medley relay).
I went back the next year at age 15 and competed with others who I had never swum against. I placed 7th in the 100 medley relay, 4th in the 25 freestyle and earned the bronze medal in the 25 backstroke. This was a turning point in my competitiveness because it led me to understand what I needed to do in order to compete at a high level against the people I swam against that summer.
Alongside this, my health got better, and my anxiety gradually lowered as my physical fitness improved. I went back to public high school. I competed in Unified Track and Field where I did the shot put, the 100-meter dash and the 400-meter dash. Our team went to the Unified Track State Finals at Indiana University that year, and we placed 8th.
Through that offseason, I began a strength and conditioning program that had a profound impact on my health and performance. I also increased my participation in Special Olympics activities, adding basketball, flag football and even ballroom dancing to my schedule.
Later that year, I started my third year of swimming. Competing against similar athletes as the year before, I placed 6th in the 50 free, 3rd in the 50 back won a gold medal in the 25 back. I worked hard and overcame difficulties all year in preparation, but I feel like I accomplished something that I feel I wanted to do.
I continued to do better over time as well. I won at least one gold medal in swimming each of the next six years. As my participation in Special Olympics grew, I eventually was given more opportunities by people who saw my enthusiasm for swimming and participating in Unified Sports. We also brought a Unified Champions School Banner to my high school, Center Grove.
As a result, I received opportunities within Special Olympics and Unified Champions. This includes:
- Being a Youth Ambassador for the U.S. Lakes Region part in 2019-2021.
- Getting selected as one of four male swimmers to compete at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando, Fla. There I won a gold in the 50 backstroke with the fastest time overall in any heat. I also earned silvers in the 25 backstroke and 200 medley relay.
- I also got opportunity as being the only Special Olympic athlete from Indiana to compete at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, Germany. My 200-meter medley relay team won silver. Individually, I finished sixth in the 100 backstroke and eighth in the 400 freestyle, an event that I had never done before.
Succeeding within Special Olympics has also led to opportunities outside of Special Olympics.
After earning a full scholarship to the University of Indianapolis, I studied communications and public relations and earned a bachelor’s degree in 2024. While at UIndy, I earned a Healthy Diploma in which I was committed to all the types of wellness in life (spiritual, intellectual, social, physical, mental, environmental, occupational, financial and self-responsibility). I got the opportunity to compete on the Greyhounds swimming and diving team as a walk-on. I even served as a keynote speaker at the 2022 NCAA convention, where I spoke on my experience as a swimmer on the spectrum.
From humble beginnings as a Special Olympics Indiana swimmer, I have found overcome a plethora of obstacles into successful chapters in life. I feel I am doing everything it takes to be successful in life.
[JF1]What does this mean? I am unclear.