Officials said it was the fourth year that the games were being held in York County.
CBS21 was at the York Ice Arena for the speed skating games, where even the ice warmed the hearts of those in the community.
One local athlete named Dana Shick said this was her 12th year competing in the Special Olympics. Many of her fans have said that, so far, she’s on a roll.
“It’s a thrill. It’s a thrill to watch her compete with other athletes. It’s a thrill to meet other athletes as well,” said Lynn Shick, Dana’s mom and the local speed skating team’s chaperone.
Shick’s 32-year-old daughter is a long-time speed skater and a committed athlete who is determined to win.
“She was saying today that they ‘crushed it’ in the relay. So, she was thrilled about that,” said Shick.
Dana was among the more than 500 people with special needs across Pennsylvania who were going head to head with athletes from Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia in four different winter sports, including bowling, floor hockey and floorball.
“I think when Dana got started in the Special Olympics, it [had] changed – basically – her life. She has enjoyed competing and speed skating. She also does track and field. And so, I think she’s just grown [and] made friends,” said Shick.
“It’s not only an opportunity for our athletes to showcase the hard work that they’ve put in this whole season, but it’s also a chance for them to forge some friendships and find peers and connections,” said Jackie Lipenta, Special Olympics of Pennsylvania’s director of volunteer and athlete experience.
Community members cheering on the athletes from behind the glass were hardly able to contain their excitement.
“It’s just wonderful the whole atmosphere in the Special Olympics family, and that’s what the speed skating team is. It’s like a family,” said Shick.
Speed skating brought the Special Olympics home, but Dana brought home the gold, winning one for every race she was in.
“The coach always says, ‘You’re just running your own race.’ It’s the sportsmanship, it’s the attitude and it’s the effort,” said Shick.
When Shick asked her daughter what else the coach had told the team, she responded, “Skate hard and have fun.”
Like Dana, many other competitors celebrated their huge accomplishments at the end of the day. Meanwhile, friends and family held onto a memory they’ll always cherish.
“My hope [is] that this is an inspiration for everyone and a reminder that there’s a place for everyone,” said Lipenta.
The athletes are expected to start up their training for the Special Olympics PA summer games of 2024 sometime within the next week.