Sept. 26 was a very rewarding day for Josh Budd ‘15. After competing in five area tournaments and three state competitions, Budd earned himself a Letterman jacket.

Budd placed first in track and field and soccer. His two favorite sports are bowling and soccer but he competes in bowling, basketball, soccer, and track and field. Budd reached a personal best this year scoring a 130 in competition. He first competed in the Special Olympics in 2011, and earned his letterman in 2014.

“This is a big accomplishment for Joshua,” Coach Benjamin Losey said. “It takes multiple years to make it to enough state competitions to earn your letter jacket.”

The District is unique in giving letterman jackets at the Special Olympics. It’s one of the few, if not the only district that does this. It’s a great opportunity for differently abled students to pursue their talents and gives them a goal to work towards.

“Josh and other students react with pride and a sense of belonging to the school they attend.  I feel proud that they have worked hard to earn it and that our school district is active in our Special Olympics program,” Coach Losey said.

Budd spent a lot of time training, which he enjoys. There are many levels of competition which makes it a long process. The first competition is at a regional level, then state, following is nationals, and lastly world. World is very hard to qualify for, but a couple of years ago, the District sent powerlifters to China where they compete every four years in the same city the Olympics are held. To start qualifying for a letterman jacket, the individual must be in ninth grade and has to have reached five Area competitions and three State level tournaments. Budd has accomplished this and will be sporting his new jacket.

“I really enjoy Special Olympics because it is always a great workout,” Budd ‘15 said. “In the past I felt nervous about getting my letter jacket, but now I feel like I have earned it.”