By Valeria Araujo – Staff Reporter

A group of Law students is starting to prepare its swim team for this year’s Special Olympics.

Special Olympics is an organization for mentally disabled children and adults that gives members the opportunity to play and compete in sports.

“The Special Olympics swim team is (for people) to become better swimmers, become better people, and build bonds with other athletes that are everlasting between towns and other events through Special Olympics,” said Law senior and Special Olympics volunteer Barbara Perugini.

Volunteering for Special Olympics is also a great opportunity for community service.

During the event, which is held in mid-June, the Milford Special Olympics team competes against teams from nearby towns.

“From the coaches to the athletes meeting other coaches and athletes, seeing the different outcomes of each race, and just seeing everyone’s faces when they’re done racing and the know they’ve won, it’s just such a heartwarming experience,” Perugini said.

The Law volunteer coaches work their hardest to motivate and keep the member moving forward.

“As a coach we set up different sets that they’re doing,” Law junior and Special Olympics volunteer Camila Araujo said. “We also assess how they’re doing during the sets to help them improve.”

Special Olympics encourages its members to always try their best.

“I’ve always thought of people with disabilities as just as capable as anyone else, yet it takes more work for them to do things everyone else does but with support and encouragement I believe they can, so I thought it’d be great to be able to be that support and motivate someone to do their best and show everyone that they are just as capable,” Law junior and Special Olympics volunteer Laura Gonzalez said.

Special Olympics also creates a safe and nice environment for its participants, which makes it enjoyable for them.

“It’s supposed to be a fun experience for all of them, no pressure at all,” Law junior and Special Olympics volunteer Alyssa Paladino said.

It is not only enjoyable for the members but the coaches as well.

“When you tell them ‘good job’ or ‘well done’ they give you these huge smiles or sometimes one of them will just come up to you and say ‘I love you’ and it’s amazing to see how grateful they are for something so simple like a ‘well done’ or ‘good job’,” Gonzalez said.

All students from Law are volunteering because of their desire to help.

“I was first referred to Special Olympics by the law girls swim coach, Ms. Paolini,” Paladino said. “Once I went for the first day, I actually loved it and enjoyed working with all the athletes.”