Beyond the Game: A Special Olympics Pennsylvania Profile Series
Welcome to “Beyond the Game,” a series that will feature the athletes and volunteers of Special Olympics Pennsylvania. In this series, we’ll get to know the people within our Special Olympics family beyond the sports they play and learn more about their passions, interests and life experiences.
Meet 20-year-old athlete Savannah Ellis from Beaver County.
So, you know me as Savannah Ellis. I’m from a town called Aliquippa in Beaver County. I started sports seven years ago. Well, my parents decided to get me into sports because I was lacking in exercise and I was getting overweight, so they knew I had to start getting exercise more. And to get more active.
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The one thing I really enjoy [about Special Olympics] is seeing so many diverse athletes all over, like from other countries, and even when I watched the [Special Olympics World Games]. Seeing so many people all around the world coming together to play. That made me realize that when it comes to the Special Olympics, it brings everyone all together. It doesn’t matter what they look like or their disabilities because it unifies each and every one of us. And that teaches a lesson that is not just sports. Anyone, no matter where you come from, we’re all equal and we’re all in this together. And nothing is impossible.
I want to see that for the world. I want to see a brighter, healthier future for us. Not just for our health, but for our mental health, our physical health; to help us all to get along and to learn how we can coexist together instead of against each other.
It does get competitive, but I just remind myself, ‘It’s not about winning the gold medal and stuff, it’s about having fun. It’s about building and making friends. It’s about getting along and getting to know each other.’”
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I started doing Athlete Leadership in 2022. I wasn’t always talkative. I was kind of shy and it was uncomfortable talking. But I really wanted to spread the word out so much. So maybe when I got into the Athlete Leadership program, I started to get comfortable spreading the word out.
Back in high school, no one talked to me that much because I was always quiet. I was hoping someone might chat with me, but I was just kind of quiet. So, that’s how I got into Special Olympics because I want to be friends with other kids from different counties, other countries, that’s what made me feel comfortable.
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I love animals and food. I’m also into video games. I play Nintendo games, like Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog. I have wanted to be fast like Sonic the Hedgehog since childhood, so I started to build up my endurance and my stamina to get faster.
I graduated from PA Cyber, so I now go to CCBC [Community College of Beaver County], a Community College. I’m studying Liberal Studies. This is my second year there.
I want to learn to make video games [for my career]. I want to make a sequel to Star Fox Adventures, Back to Dinosaur Planet.
It does get tough along the way… No matter how I feel, I still keep thinking about my dreams that I want to make the world a better place. So I keep on trying, I keep on going until I get to reach it.
