by lauryn | Mar 19, 2026 | Athletes, Mission Focused, Organizational Impact, Region D, Region H, Sports, State Tournaments, UCS/Unified, Volunteers
By Randy Kindred and Lily Goodfellow
Tom White won more than 400 games in 26 seasons as Chicago De La Salle Institute’s boys head basketball coach. There were a lot of highs in a career that earned him induction into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Yet, White will tell you there were some “hard years” in which “people are transferring on you and there are things you don’t see.”
White coaches the game in a different environment these days, and it’s given him something new, special. His De La Salle/Southside team fell a bit short in its quest for a fourth straight IHSA Unified State Basketball Division 2 championship, but that was OK. White and his players had a third-place trophy Saturday and, more importantly, each other.
“In some of my years as a boys varsity coach … I don’t know if I was told too much that they loved me,” White said. “In this, they tell you they love you. They want to hug you. I think it’s a human need a little bit. It’s good to be appreciated like that instead of criticized.”
The weekend also featured the Special Olympics Illinois State Basketball Tournament in Bloomington-Normal. Among those at Illinois State’s Horton Field House was Mitzi Vasconcelles, a retired Springfield police officer who has volunteered at Special Olympics Illinois events for decades.
On the Court With Southside Unified
Southside defeated East St. Louis, 67-46, in the third-place game at the University of Illinois’ Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) in Champaign. That came after a 49-40 semifinal loss to Bradley Bourbonnais the previous day. Bradley Bourbonnais took second place Saturday behind champion Chicago Vaughn Occupational High School & St. Patrick High School.
This was White’s fourth year coaching Southside Unified, and while another state title was not to be, “It’s pretty darn good to be here,” he said.
“You get your school, the non-special needs kids, and every year you get different kids,” White said. “This year, our soccer team was state champs. Most of these kids who are De La Salle students (on Southside Unified) are soccer players. It makes a difference.
“It (Unified) is a cool thing. I think it’s something that high school kids need in order to appreciate who they are, what they are.”
Brandon Dorsey was part of Southside’s three-year championship run. An athlete with Special Olympics Illinois, he was a player for two years and a student assistant coach for one.
Dorsey and White were featured in an inspirational video at last year’s Special Olympics Illinois Champions Ball. Dorsey now attends Richard Daley Community College in Chicago and has a job at Jewel-Osco, but his impact on the team is still being felt, White said.
“He was just the nicest kid, played hard,” said White, who is in his 31st year as De La Salle’s athletic director. “He’s like my kid a little bit. He would be the glue behind the team. He just said the right things. His disabilities were not anything of what his heart was and his head was. He saw things and understood things.
“Awesome kid, and he still has remnants in this program. He would say NWG .. Now We Go! Then everybody would start dancing and stuff.”
Dorsey said he joined a teammate to create “hype” for Southside through music.
“My teammate is a rapper and I am a music producer, so we’d create a rap song to get the team hyped up before our game started,” he said.
Dorsey believes he is still reaping the benefits of being with Southside Unified.
“Now that I’m in college, I feel like I carry that with me,” he said. “It’s for like, ‘work as a team, do your part.’ I deal with that with work and with school, so whatever I’m doing that does not involve basketball, I feel like I’m still in it because you’re working as a group.”
Learn more and view results from the 2026 IHSA Unified State Basketball Tournament.
The Heart Behind the Medals
Vasconcelles is a Region H volunteer who got involved in Special Olympics Illinois long before she retired from the Springfield Police Department in 2002.
Her first event was the Spring Games in Springfield and she was one of only five volunteers, something she said “is unheard of today.”
Vasconcelles was among those handing out awards and medals at the State Basketball Tournament. At the Summer Games tournament, she works on the track.
She said she enjoys both roles, as well as regional and local events. Earlier this month, she volunteered at the Springfield area’s Polar Plunge, which raised more than $130,000 for Special Olympics Illinois. Asked if she participates in the Polar Plunge, she said, “I do not. As I tell people, I am the last sane person they see before they go in the water.”
Among her favorite aspects of volunteering is seeing the joy of the athletes when they receive their medals.
“Oh, they’re so exuberant. They’re so proud of themselves,” Vasconcelles said. “It’s been a long weekend for some, you know. And this is the culmination of all their hard work. That’s what’s special. And what’s really fun is no matter how they place, they’re excited.
“I mean, I like to say it’s true athletic competition. Everybody is pulling for everybody. And if you watch the games, if somebody falls down, somebody’s there to help them up. I mean, it’s wonderful.”
Vasconcelles said she has come to know numerous coaches and families as a Special Olympics Illinois volunteer, including many from Chatham. She has a treasure trove of fond memories as a volunteer, too many to choose a favorite, she said.
Asked for a word to describe herself, she replied, “Humble, I guess. Humble to be around all these wonderful athletes.”
Learn more and view results from the 2026 State Basketball Tournament.
by lauryn | Mar 16, 2026 | Athlete Leadership, Athletes, Mission Focused, Region C, Sports, Uncategorized, USA Games
By Randy Kindred
Lily Goodfellow has a message for other Special Olympics Illinois athletes, delivered through the example she sets in front of a microphone, video camera, or computer keyboard:
You can do it.
You can make your voice heard, share stories and have an impact beyond athletic competition.
“I just want them to know that they can help make the world a better place,” she said.
It is not a catch phrase for the 22-year-old Goodfellow. She lives it every day through podcasts, videos, and the written word.
Goodfellow will attend the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota, June 20–26, where more than 70 members of Team Illinois will take part in the games experience. She will serve in a non-competitive sports reporting role, producing written, video, and other content to highlight the event before, during, and after the games.
“I’ve never been to the [Special Olympics] USA Games, so it’s the very first time for me,” she said. “I am looking forward to seeing everyone and getting to interview them.”
Born with Down syndrome, Goodfellow is passionate about sports. She has competed with Special Olympics Illinois from a young age, formerly in swimming and track and more recently in basketball, powerlifting and bocce. She also loves the theater, performing throughout her youth in local productions and musicals.
“She loved being on stage and in the spotlight,” said her mother, Nancy.
That outgoing personality led to Lily joining the Hawks TV club at Naperville Central High School. She conducted on-camera interviews with Redhawks’ athletes and developed her own segment called, “Lily’s Inclusion Corner.” It highlighted inclusion opportunities within the school, many based on Special Olympics Illinois.
She was recipient of the Strongest Redhawk Award, which her mother said goes annually to “someone who did what they could to make positive change in the school and exemplified the qualities the school tries to get behind.”
Lily has served as co-emcee for Special Olympics Illinois’ Champions Ball and emcee for the Chicago Ducky Derby. She also traveled to Los Angeles three times to broadcast the Gaming for Inclusion e-sports celebrity showcase alongside another Special Olympics athlete and a professional broadcaster. In 2024, her work there led to being honored as the “Game Changing On-Air Talent” by an organization called Cynopsis.
While attending the College of DuPage, Lily began writing a weekly question-and-answer story from Athlete of the Week interviews. She has continued that for the college newspaper as a graduate of the school and recently was deemed a “Highlighted Alum” by the Board of Trustees.
“I really like all of it, actually,” she said of her media endeavors. “I think the best part is actually I have my own YouTube Channel (Lily’s Sports Beat), so I have experience doing interviews.”
Her connection to Special Olympics Illinois began early. She was part of the first class of the Young Athletes program, which introduces children ages 2–7 to the basics of sports and prepares them for future Special Olympics training and competition.
The oldest of Ross and Nancy Goodfellow’s three children, she has had the support of her siblings. Luke, 21, is a student at British Columbia University in Vancouver, and Holly, 19, attends the University of Maryland.
“They’ve both been very involved,” Nancy Goodfellow said. “Lily and Luke went through a high school leadership program together. Both (Luke and Holly) were Special Olympics Illinois peers and worked for the special rec association. They’ve been very supportive.”
Lily is a guest services associate and greeter for the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Stars. At the United Center, she checks tickets for Bulls and Blackhawks games to ensure attendees have tickets for her section.
One day, she hopes to work for some, or all, of those teams in a different capacity.
‘I want to have a career,” she said.
The goal is to do on-air, in-arena interviews, etc. Those likely would come with her standing on a step stool.
At 4 feet, 6 inches, Lily often is much shorter than the person she interviews. Thus, Nancy said, “We carry around a stool in the car.”
Height aside, Lily stands tall in all the ways that matter. That warms the hearts of her parents.
“My husband and I often say we are entirely blessed that she found something she was passionate about,” Nancy said. “For her to be able to do something she loves so much and to see how much Special Olympics Illinois and others have lifted her up and done everything possible to make her dream come true, it has been amazing.
“It’s a little overwhelming as a parent to see how much people love her and want to support her. That’s pretty great.”
As Team Illinois prepares for the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota this June, Lily will bring fans behind the scenes in a new way. Stay tuned over the next few months as she shares interviews, stories and updates, beginning with Team Illinois’ training camp in late April. Learn more about Team Illinois and the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.
by lauryn | Feb 13, 2026 | Athletes, Families, Mission Focused, Region D, Region F, Sports, State Tournaments
Athletes, families, and supporters filled Chestnut Mountain Resort on the second day of the 2026 Winter Games, where athletes moved between award ceremonies and the next round of competition. bringing excitement, and plenty of smiles, to one of Special Olympics Illinois’ most anticipated state tournaments of the year.
Among them was first-time athlete Kelial Crooks, who had just earned his first Winter Games medal. “I’m feeling pretty good,” Kelial said, holding tight to the slalom medal that marked a milestone moment in his young alpine skiing career.
Kelial, an athlete from Region F, previously competed at his local regionals, but stepping into the statewide event felt different. The mountain was busier, the cheers were louder, and the stakes were higher. And he noted how it felt to arrive at Winter Games.
“Exciting — and a little bit nervous,” he shared.
What stood out most to him wasn’t the run itself. It was the people. “Being surrounded by people and family and friends,” he said. “Happy.”
Kelial credits his coach for helping him get to this point. “I would like to thank my coach, Tom, who helped me a lot with skiing,” he said. That mix of teamwork and trust, seen across every corner of Winter Games, is part of what makes these days so meaningful.
From the Mountain to the Snowshoe Course
At Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa, Region D athlete Diego Villarreal was also celebrating a strong performance after medaling in the 50‑meter snowshoe race.
“I feel awesome,” he said, describing what it meant to compete with his team from Marquette Park.
For Diego, being part of a team is at the heart of his Special Olympics Illinois experience. “Having fun with my friends,” he said. “That’s my favorite part.”
He also takes that role seriously. When asked whether he feels like a leader on his team, he didn’t hesitate. “Yes.” And his approach to leadership is simple: be the one who brings energy.
“I was high-fiving them,” he said with a grin. “Yeah, it gets them hyped up.”
He explained why those moments matter. “If they’re having [a] down time, I try to make them right.” Diego prepared for Winter Games with stretching, drills, and regular practice across several sports. But his message to future athletes was straightforward: “Have fun. If you’re scared, take some deep breaths.”
That steady presence is something his mother, Joanne Rodriguez, has watched grow over the years.
“He started competing when he was eight, and it’s been a whole life experience,” she said.
Before joining Special Olympics Illinois, Diego often struggled to find spaces where he felt included. “They never let him play,” she said. “He would come home sad.”
Finding Special Olympics Illinois changed everything.
“He just fits right in,” she said. “I love watching him compete. It’s amazing to see what he’s accomplished.”
Joanne has watched him step into leadership naturally. “He likes to pump up his teammates,” she said. “He gets nervous, but once he’s with them, the nerves go away. They just pump each other up.”
This year marks the family’s second Winter Games, and the memories already stand out, from last year’s joke about snowshoeing “not in snow” that was followed by an overnight snowfall, to this year’s breakthrough moment when Diego won his division.
“Seeing him so proud makes me happy,” Joanne said.
For her, the growth she sees in Diego extends well beyond the finish line. “Leadership has made him more talkative,” she said. “He’s able to do speeches. I’m shy about speeches, and to see him do something that’s so hard for me, I love him for that.”
When asked what she’d tell another parent considering Special Olympics Illinois, her answer was clear: “It’s a joy. You’ll see your child blossom.”
The 2026 Winter Games concluded in Galena with the moments that matter most at Special Olympics Illinois: athletes pushing toward new goals, teammates supporting one another, and families celebrating every achievement. View Winter Games photos and results.
by lauryn | Dec 9, 2025 | Athlete Leadership, Athletes, Mission Focused, Region I, Sports, State Tournaments, Uncategorized
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.
by lauryn | Nov 18, 2025 | Mission Focused, Region E, Sports, UCS/Unified, Uncategorized
UCS Brag Reports are back! These updates spotlight the amazing ways schools and students are making inclusion come alive — from creative ideas to inspiring moments that show the true impact of Unified Champion Schools. Check out Andrew High School’s Ava and Kareem’s report below.
Ava & Kareem’s Brag Report
Hey everyone! We are excited to brag about Andrew High School’s Unified Soccer team and our 2025 season! It has been an unforgettable experience. This season, our team practiced once a week on Thursdays during T-Bolt time out on the field. Each week, we worked hard to build our teamwork and soccer skills while having fun together. Every practice helped us build our confidence and prepared us for the big game day.
All of our hard work led up to the Unified Soccer Regional Tournament hosted at Homewood-Flossmoor High School on Sunday, October 5. Our team was excited as we competed in our first game against the HF White team. It was a tough match, and all athletes and partners played with determination. Our Andrew Thunderbolts took the win and advanced to the next round.
Our second game was against Thornton, and it was one to remember! The match was intense from start to finish. We were neck and neck the entire game. When the score was tied, we went into overtime, and the energy on the field and in the stands was incredible. It all came down to a penalty kick shootout, where Thornton came out on top. Even though we didn’t advance to state, we proudly brought home silver medals and celebrated how far we came!
We are so proud of our entire team for their effort, sportsmanship, and positive attitudes throughout the season. Competing together, facing fellow Unified Soccer teams, and representing Andrew High School and Special Olympics Illinois was an amazing experience we’ll never forget. Go Bolts!
Forever T-Bolts,
Ava & Kareem
by lauryn | Nov 4, 2025 | Athletes, Families, Mission Focused, Region A, Sports, State Tournaments, Uncategorized
By Randy Kindred
The importance of families was on full display last weekend during the State Flag Football Tournament at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria.
The Byron Gladiators are a family-run, independent organization formed in 2020, with the Druien family in a lead role. When the Gladiators competed Saturday in their second straight state flag football tournament, Ron Druien was coaching, his wife, Jenifer, was on the sidelines flashing cards to signal in plays, and their twin sons, Tyler and Ethan, were playing.
Jenifer Druien also is the head coach for track and an assistant coach for swimming and bowling. Other parents head up those sports, as well as bocce and snowshoeing. “All the parents participate,” Jenifer said.
Tyler and Ethan Druien are 17 years old and seniors at Byron High School. Saturday, Tyler wore the number 95 in honor of Lightning McQueen from the movie Cars, and Ethan had number 22, the number his father wore as a player.
Their family bond is strong, a common thread among Gladiators players and parents.
“I think the biggest reward is the families getting together and the kids and the friendships that have blossomed,” Jenifer Druien said. “And also the parents … the friendships and the support system.”
Ron Druien said players and parents have become like extended family. He connected with a friend from his youth, Mike Keller, through the Gladiators. They coach the football team together, with Keller’s son, Ryan, among the players.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Ron Druien said. “One of the things I like is we come down here as our small organization and I believe these young men here (the Vaughn Yellow Eagles) are from Chicago, with an organization that is a lot bigger than ours.
“We lost by two scores (30-14). I think we did OK. I was proud of them. We didn’t win, but we were successful.”
Win or lose, the Gladiators see a lot of each other. Jenifer Druien said the families have parties and also bowl year-round as a group.
“We get together once a month (to bowl) when it’s not in season,” she said. “Otherwise, we do it once a week when it’s in season. It gives the parents time to hang out and the kids time to hang out. It’s great.”
Learn more about the Special Olympics Illinois Families Network.
Tight Pack of Wolves
The Independent Wolves receive valuable help from parents of their players. Based in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, the Wolves are an independent agency that evolved from the Special Olympics Illinois programs at Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South high schools.
Assistant coach Paal Joshi teaches at the Glenbrook Alternative School and is an assistant football coach at Glenbrook South. He coaches the Wolves alongside head coach Craig Ameel, who is in his 38th year of coaching Special Olympics Illinois athletes.
“It’s a family within a family,” Joshi said.
Ameel agreed, saying parental involvement is “huge” in the operation of the program.
“One of our guys, his parents couldn’t drive so he came with another parent, who said, ‘I’ll bring him down,’” Ameel said following a 29-20 win Saturday. “Our families … we’re very lucky that our families are able to and willing to help out.”
Titans Lend a Hand
Among the volunteers making the tournament run smoothly were members of the Illinois Wesleyan University women’s flag football team. The newly formed Titans will play their first season beginning in March.
On Saturday, Claire Anderson, Lily Greenfield, Deanna Cirebea and Natalyah Stallings were on Field 2, serving as clock and scoreboard operators and holding down markers.
They enjoyed the experience.
“It’s seeing how much the sport can create bonds,” Anderson said. “I also think it’s really cool that we’re hearing them talk on the field about what plays they’re running. We’re watching it happen and we’re like, ‘We do those plays.’ We’re like, ‘This is awesome.’ We get to see how really similar it is.”
Also helping as on-field volunteers were members of the Illinois Central College baseball team.
View photos and results from the 2025 State Flag Football Tournament.
