Adapted Sports Olympics blesses students as well as volunteers

Published: May 29, 2024

Author: Dave Bell

As he has for the past 25 years, George Barber this spring hosted area students with disabilities to the Greenville University campus for a day of competition and fellowship under the name of the Adapted Sports Olympics.

This year’s event, a project of Barber’s Adapted Physical Education class, brought more than 180 students to campus from schools in a five-county area around Greenville. Once here, they were able to participate in several athletic contests as well as other activities designed just for fun.

“It’s always a great day for the participants and for us,” said Barber, who is also the head men’s basketball coach at GU. “In the beginning, it was all about competition, but we found that the participants were interested in meeting new people and doing fun things, too. It still challenges them to do things they didn’t think they could do, and that’s good for building self-esteem and confidence.

“At the end of the day, they go home with a T-shirt (thanks to our sponsors) and the satisfaction of tackling those challenges.”

But it’s not just the students with disabilities who leave with more than they came with. GU student volunteers frequently tell Barber how much the day means to them. In addition to the Adapted Physical Education students, the event is made possible through the help of members of the Exceptional Child class in the School of Education, several GU student athletes, the GU cheerleaders, and the GU pep band.

“I always say that our students are the ones who get blessed by helping with this,” Barber said. “As soon as our students are paired with the athletes, the magic happens. They come alive around the kids. That’s my favorite part of the event – stepping back from my leadership role and watching our students shine. It is, indeed, a magical thing.”