Once the chance to grow academically and personally, Alvaro found a door in Special Olympics that had long been closed to him. ‘[The university] Did not give me the chance to grow as a person, “he said about his earlier experiences.” But through the Athlete leadership program, everything changed. This has been a tool that the door has opened. ‘
Nowadays Alvaro does not only participate, he leads. He has developed and delivered leadership Training to people with intellectual handicapTailor -made workshops on various learning styles so that everyone can engage, contribute and lead in their own way.
“We gave training on leadership principles where they could demonstrate and speak what they felt and what they wanted to achieve,” he explained. “Not everyone learns verbally. Some learn through images or gestures. We have adapted so that they felt at ease.”
But Alvaro’s leadership does not end in class. He served as Commissioner for Women’s Sevens -Football on the 2022 Detroit Games and is now on a mission to become a special Olympic Games coach. “That’s my dream,” he shared. “That a leading athlete can become a coach and bring medals to their country.”
His dream is based on his own journey. Years ago the owner of a sports academy saw something in him and offered him the chance to coach, even though he had no experience. That chance led to a fire that continues to burn. “Because that, my knowledge started to grow in sport,” said Alvaro. He has worked there for almost eight years now and applies everything he has learned from Special Olympics on his coaching.
“I was inspired because I want other companions to have the same experience as me,” he says. “To see that we deserve opportunities. To prove that we can fulfill our dreams. I want to see them happy, just as I am today.”
Alvaro knows that the road is not easy. He remembers that he was in training sessions, overwhelmed and not sure how he could express himself. Now he uses that experience to help others see, heard and supported.
“I learned how I can ask my companions how they feel, how they can treat them, how they can control emotions,” said Alvaro.
Inclusion is more than an ideal, it is a lived experience that has reformed the life of Alvaro.
“Doors used to be closed, in sports, in schools, at universities. But I never gave up. I prove that I could do it.”
And he wants the world to know that opportunities make you happy. If you want to grow, if you are disciplined and constant, you can achieve success step by step.
“I have grown because of the opportunities that special Olympic Games have given me through training, leadership and sport. I applied them and it gave me results.”
Now he is committed to creating a world where more people with intellectual disabilities can lead. “That is my vision. That is the dream. We are going to create a world where we can lead it.”
And for those who are just starting …
“Never give up. Take the opportunity use. Be disciplined. Be serious. You earn many more things.”
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