#031- Wyatt Spalding on Beating the Odds to Become an Elite Special Olympics Athlete and Advocate

In this episode, Wyatt Spalding, a Special Olympics athlete and podcast host, shares his journey and experiences living with Cerebral Palsy. Wyatt discusses the various medical challenges and procedures that he faced while growing up and the ways that he was able to discover sports and fitness during these times. He discusses his involvement in Special Olympics and the impact it has had on his life, as it provided him with opportunities to pursue competitive athletics and connect with his peers. Wyatt also talks about his relationship with his twin brother and the challenges that they have faced together, emphasizing the importance of their relationship in his adolescence. This episode also addresses the common misconceptions about disability and highlights the importance of accessibility and inclusion in fitness. Wyatt greatly encourages open conversations about the role of disability in adolescence and development, as Wyatt's lived experiences provide the audience with valuable context to the imperativeness of holistic inclusion.

Use the links below to listen to Wyatt's three podcast channels and to learn more about his experiences in adaptive fitness:

Brave in the Attempt:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brave-in-the-attempt/id1680563973

Be Unexpected:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-unexpected/id1643539234

Spalding Brothers Show:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spalding-brothers-show/id1724094964

Episode 31 Takeaways:

• Special Olympics provides unique opportunities for athletes with disabilities to compete and excel in sports at a highly competitive level. For Wyatt, Special Olympics opened doors for Wyatt to compete for Team USA with his twin brother on their Unified Basketball Team, an experience that epitomized the powerful impact of inclusive fitness.
• Adaptive athletics should not be solely portrayed as a recreational form of inclusion- many of these sporting events and competitions feature athletes competing at an elite level. Many adaptive athletes train and strive for success while pursuing their respective sports, an idea that counters many of the normative stereotypes formed about disability and fitness.
• Medical adversity is not only physically taxing, but can be emotionally and mentally draining for many individuals. Finding outlets, such as fitness and sports, can play a key role in one's ability to cope with and fully recover from such challenges.
• Transparent marketing and messaging from fitness centers is key in the clear communication of their facilities intentions and inclusivity, and creates a more accessible environment.

Episode 31 Chapters:

00:00- Introduction and Background

04:04- Involvement in Special Olympics

09:05- Impact of Special Olympics

13:16- Competitiveness in Special Olympics

17:23- Relationship with Twin Brother

19:52- Memorable Sporting Experiences

20:10- Preparation for Podcasting

22:42- Overcoming Adversity

28:29- Future Goals

34:36- Misconceptions about Disability

37:53- Accessibility and Inclusion in Fitness

42:44- Final Thoughts and Advice