Summer Games Cycling Organizers Seek More Coaches as Enthusiasm Increases

Some childhood memories last a lifetime.

The first day of school. Bedtime stories with a parent. Going to a friend’s birthday party.

Pamela Dunlap relives one of her earliest joyful memories as often as she can.

Riding a bike.

“For so many of us, it’s a given that riding a bike is one of the first joys we remember,” Dunlap said. “For some Special Olympics athletes, they didn’t have that experience. For one reason or another, they didn’t get the chance. Maybe they weren’t able to. Maybe someone thought they weren’t able to. In either case, it’s never too late to build that core memory.”

Dunlap is a cycling enthusiast and a member of an Indianapolis cycling club. She recently completed her second year as the cycling venue manager at the Special Olympics Indiana Summer Games, where she felt new levels of enthusiasm and motivation from the 50-plus athletes who took part.

She sees a growing interest in the sport.

“I challenged every coach and athlete to bring three friends with them when cycling practice opens back up next spring,” Dunlap said. “Everyone said they will.”

The Rec East cycling facility at Indiana State University looked a little different this year. A dozen members of the IU Health Momentum Divas rode the track alongside athletes to provide support and encouragement while a designated area for bike inspections and repairs became part of the landscape.

Dunlap implemented the changes after taking in Special Olympics Michigan’s cycling championships.

“You go faster in pack,” Dunlap said. “You feel supported. You feed off of other people around you. And we could see that this year on the track.

“By involving the Divas, we are creating a safe space for the athletes to learn and love what they are doing. They performed at their highest abilities. We also opened up the Summer Games to volunteers who want to be there and are already talking about coming back next year.”

The 2025 Summer Games also was the launch of Inspection Alley. Head mechanic Bob Wilson was onsite both days to assist riders. His team, which included Crossroads Cyclery shop owner Jim Mauriello, took every athlete through the routine of checking their bikes for faults or needed repairs.

“We found loose chains, seats that needed fixing, even a tire that needed to be replaced,” Dunlap said. “It was a great experience for athletes to learn about their bikes and how to fix them. And the best part is it ensured that their bikes were the best they could be for the rides.”

Dunlap credited former event captains Cindy and Ken Hart for laying the foundation for what she and event manager Susan Burkle are doing now. The athletes and coaches seemed appreciative.

“The athletes at Summer Games are so positive about what they bring to every race,” Dunlap said. “They never focus on their weaknesses or what they can’t do. They only focus on their opportunities for success.”

The more people learn about cycling, the more they get excited about it, Dunlap said. The sport draws upon those earliest memories of peddling down the street and feeling the wind in your hair.

And with the support of coaches, the Divas, local bike shop owners who solicit donations, the goal is to grow the sport and put everyone on the best equipment they can ride.

“Cycling in itself is just a joy. Period,” Dunlap said. “It can be very scary for people with intellectual or physical limitations to ride a bike. But when you do it in a safe, supportive environment, it is a great joy that can change how you perceive yourself.”

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Anyone interested in learning how to be a Special Olympics Indiana cycling coach can visit the Campaign for Coaches website and fill out the coach interest form.