Athlete Leader Summer Nagele Continues to Amaze at State Bowling Tournament
By Randy Kindred
In a matter of three hours, Summer Nagele sang the national anthem to open the 2025 State Bowling Tournament, participated in doubles competition, received a medal, chose her sandwich for lunch, answered a reporter’s questions and prepared to compete in singles.
It was a busy schedule for anyone, but especially for a 20-year-old whose doctor once told her parents she may never walk, talk or eat on her own. Nagele is a Special Olympics Illinois Athlete Leader and has been crowned four times as Illinois Miss Amazing, a program for girls and women with disabilities.
Miss Amazing indeed.
Currently the Illinois Miss Amazing Teen Queen 2025, Nagele’s disability went undiagnosed for many years. Autumn and Michael Nagele of Champaign sought answers for their only child and, despite the doctor’s grim early prognosis, “We never set limits on her,” Autumn said.
“It took 16 long years and we finally got a diagnosis,” Autumn added. “If she wants to do something, we’ll try to support her in any way we can. Because of that, she is the amazing human she is today. She doesn’t let anything stop her.”
Summer was diagnosed with KCNK9 Imprinting Syndrome (also Birk-Barel Syndrome), a condition so rare her mother said she is “one in about 100 in the world” to be diagnosed. Characteristics include intellectual disability, decreased muscle tone and unusual facial features.
Yet, there she was Saturday at Victory Lanes in Decatur, performing the national anthem, serving as a friend and mentor to her 12-year-old doubles partner, Alorah “Lou” Rosenberger, and embracing one of the nine sports in which she participates, most through Special Olympics Illinois.
“Special Olympics Illinois has meant that I’ve grown more confident, more self-esteem,” said Summer, a Champaign Central High School graduate who works at Rally House in Champaign. “My confidence grew a whole lot. I was able to self-advocate for myself before, but with Special Olympics Illinois, I kind of got the ability to get more confidence in advocating for myself.”
That has led to advocating for others. In her role as an Athlete Leader, she speaks to organizations about the benefits of programs such as Special Olympics Illinois and the Miss Amazing program.
Summer’s three previous Miss Amazing titles were 2017 Illinois Miss Amazing Preteen Queen, 2019 Illinois Miss Amazing Junior Queen and 2023 Illinois Miss Amazing Teen Queen. This year, she also was first runner-up at the national Miss Amazing competition in Chicago.
Summer said she relishes spreading the word about the program, saying it helps others “build self-confidence and self-esteem and allows people just like us to compete.”
“We all have some sort of disability,” she said. “It’s just so much fun to do it and you get to tell them about your passions.”
She embraces being an Athlete Leader, saying it “enables me to do what you saw me do this morning … sing the national anthem, and also give speeches and tell people who might not know a lot about Special Olympics Illinois more about Special Olympics Illinois.”
Autumn Nagele said her daughter “enjoys telling people about the things she does and Special Olympics Illinois is right at the top of the list.”
Michael Nagele expressed pride in how his daughter has grown from a young, inexperienced athlete to a mentor and positive role model.
“We really look at what we have, not what we don’t have,” he said. “There’s a quote I remember that says something like a flower doesn’t look at other flowers, it just blooms. I think about Summer in that way.
“Are there kids who can perform better athletically than her? Yeah, and there are some who don’t do as well as her. We take the wins where we can get them with her and she develops at her pace. We just really encourage her and help her to learn and grow at her own pace.”
‘Victory’ in Itself
The State Bowling Tournament had long been at Landmark Lanes in Peoria. Special Olympics Illinois learned in mid-September that a change in ownership at Landmark would necessitate finding a new location.
Tracy Hilliard, Senior Director of Sports and Competition at Special Olympics Illinois, said Victory Lanes was secured by mid-October.
“We were fortunate,” Hilliard said. “Our staff that is in Decatur indicated they were looking at this facility. We had a couple of suggestions and they made the visit here. It was pretty quick.
“This is a 40-lane (facility), which is a good size. Landmark was 50, but we already have three shifts. The staff here at Victory has been phenomenal. The regional tournament is moving their tournament from Champaign to here as well.”
Millikin Lends a Hand
Decatur’s Millikin University provided several volunteers to assist with the tournament. Hilliard said the school also sends volunteers to the State Golf Tournament each September at Decatur’s Hickory Point Golf Course.
“Millikin is a strong supporter of Special Olympics Illinois,” Hilliard said. “That college has always been very supportive.”
View photos and results from the 2025 State Bowling Tournament.