Volunteers are the backbone of Special Olympics Pennsylvania. Without our volunteers, we’d never be able to provide competition, leadership, health and so many other opportunities to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout Pennsylvania.
Congratulations to Sara Stellman, Chester County, for being named our Volunteer of the Month for February 2024!
Sara is featured this month as an Athlete as Coach, meaning she was a Special Olympics Pennsylvania athlete and has now become coach throughout the program. Sara is from Downingtown, Pa., where her love for Special Olympics Pennsylvania originated. After some season-ending basketball and cheer injuries, Sara decided her love for sports was too strong to leave the court. That’s when her passion for coaching was ignited.
We had the chance to chat with Sara about how she started coaching for Special Olympics Pennsylvania, her passion for helping others, what inspires her and so much more. Congratulations Sara on this accomplishment, and we are so lucky to have you as a coach!
“I was an athlete from 2011 to 2017. I graduated high school in 2011 but then I had to go through the life skills program, so I was almost 19 in 2011. I started out as a cheerleader first and then I started basketball in 2012.
Cheer began with Special Olympics Pennsylvania, and I also cheered with the Faith, Hope & Love League in Downingtown. We would cheer alongside our flag football team. One season, after our senior coaches had graduated, I was asked to cover coaching the last few games. But once the flag football season ended, it was competition cheerleading season.
The cheerleader who helped me coach that flag football season was the one who helped us create a competition cheer team. I cheered for 5 years. In the summer of 2016, I got hurt running and was told I could no longer cheer, but I was asked to coach.
Since transitioning from an athlete to a coach, I miss the cheer days but I’m glad I’m coaching. I used to live in Delaware County, and when I was a little girl and was on a cheer squad, I used to tell my coach, ‘When I grow up, I want to be just like you…’ When I was a cheerleader, I always looked up to the coaches in high school. So now, I feel like all the coaches think I’m awesome and respect me after being with Special Olympics for so long as an athlete.
Because I was once a Special Olympics athlete, I believe some of the athletes I coach are inspired. They know I was injured and decided to coach, and I still love Special Olympics. I didn’t let an injury ruin my chances of becoming a good coach. I needed to listen to my body…
When I got hurt again, I was getting ready for a basketball tournament in 2017. I was shooting a foul shot for fun, and I could not jump. I had to get that checked out and was diagnosed with jumper’s knee. I had to sit out during the tournament. I asked my coach, since I couldn’t run or jump, if I could be the coach’s helper, and they said yes! The year after I got hurt, they started a Unified basketball team and I offered to coach.
Everyone to this day says, ‘You’re the best! I can’t believe you went from cheerleading to coaching!’
Right now, I coach the Downingtown Dominators. We’re an all-ability cheer squad. I also coach a basketball team and we’re practicing for a tournament in April. I’m also a part of Best Buddies at West Chester. I didn’t do Best Buddies in high school, but someone recommended me to do it with West Chester. For Best Buddies, I have a peer buddy and I’m the person with the disability. I have a college student who I hang out with one-on-one.
As a coach, I’ve learned I can’t do the routines for cheerleading. But every so often if someone is out, I can fill in for a little bit. Athletes just have to realize if they’re coaching, they can’t do what they’re used to… I’ve also learned that when other athletes are having a hard time, I remind them to take a deep breath and think about what they’re going to do next.
I love coaching because I get to be involved with the sport for so long and see the other side. I love everything about Special Olympics Pennsylvania. Because us with disabilities, we always get frowned upon. With [Special Olympics Pennsylvania], everybody loves it.
I remember our first season of competition cheer. People thought it was weird having an all-ability cheer team. All these years later, they love us. We used to get dirty looks because we were not the same as other cheer squads. Now, whenever the team competes, the whole gym goes wild when we’re done. We all cry.
Knowing that my athletes have the same problems as me and went through what I went through, it makes me feel good to keep coaching them. It feels good helping people. I didn’t want to be on the sidelines and not get involved.”
