Three Hingham and Cohasset athletes bring home bronze medals from Special Olympics 2022

June 17, 2022 By Carol Britton Meyer

Three athletes from Hingham and Cohasset -- all members of the LIFE soccer program -- participated in the recent 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando, Florida, as part of Team Massachusetts, proudly bringing home bronze medals for all their hard work.

LIFE is a residential program for individuals with intellectual disabilities, with locations on the Cape and in Plymouth.

Hingham athletes Luke Anderson and Aaron Allen and John Demick of Cohasset were members of a team that earned a medal in an earlier qualifying tournament.

"For this year's USA Games, the qualifying tournament was our State Soccer Cup -- held at the Governor's Academy in Byfield, Mass., last November," Special Olympics Representative Charles Hirsch told the Hingham and Cohasset Anchors. "The LIFE team won gold in their division. Because we have various levels within our program, we also require teams to apply. From that application pool, any team that medals at the qualifying tournament is entered into a random drawing to be selected to join Team Massachusetts."

Once selected, a team is added to the Team Massachusetts delegation and functions within that structure throughout the Games. "Since this is a team sport, the coach from LIFE remained on as the coach for soccer," Hirsch explained.

Team Massachusetts trained throughout the winter and participated in a joint Team Massachusetts Training Camp in early March in Marlborough, Mass. The team also had a fitness coach who provided each athlete with training plans to ensure proper fitness for a week of competition in the Florida heat.

"Finally, the USA Games sponsored a movement challenge encouraging all athletes to walk a minimum of 1 million steps between early January and the opening ceremonies in June," Hirsch said.

Luke's, Aaron's, and John's team traveled to Orlando on June 4 and took part in the opening ceremonies the following day. The competition got underway on June 6, with Team Massachusetts playing in a preliminary round-robin tournament for seeding in the medal round.

In the round-robin games, Team Massachusetts went 2-1 with wins over Florida and Pennsylvania and a loss to Aruba. "They entered the medal round and played the team from Aruba again, losing 7-1," Hirsch said. "This sent the team to the Bronze Medal Match, where they soundly defeated Virginia 12-2. They wrapped up the week with closing ceremonies on June 11 and brought their bronze medals back to Massachusetts on June 12."

Different athletes participating in the June 5 through 12 Special Olympics competed in 19 Olympic-type team and individual sports during games that promoted the ideals of acceptance and inclusion.

The Special Olympics also showcased the athleticism and abilities of individuals with intellectual disabilities while highlighting its work in sports, education, health, and community-building.

Aaron has been a Special Olympics athlete for many years and also plays basketball, golf, and track and field. He is a member of the New England Revolution Unified Team and has been able to meet some of their star players, including 2021 MLS Goalkeeper of the year Matt Turner. Aaron enjoys spending time with his teammates and has made many great friends over the years.

His father, Gerry, shared his thoughts on behalf of himself and his wife, Sharon. "As a member of the LIFE Force Soccer Team, Aaron had a wonderful time competing and socializing with his peers from across the U.S. and many of the Caribbean countries," he said. "This was Aaron's second national games -- he was privileged to participate in the World Games in Los Angeles and was a member of the NE Revolution Unified Soccer Team for three years.  Special Olympics continues to do a fantastic job, primarily through athletic competition and in providing opportunities for Aaron and his peers to experience inclusion."

Aaron has "made friends from all across the world, experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, has consoled teammates who were having a bad day, been interviewed by the media, mingled with politicians, business leaders, and professional athletes and has had an opportunity to showcase his athletic skills," his father said.  "As parents, we have seen his tremendous growth from being labeled disabled to being named captain of the LIFE Force Soccer Team.  A big factor in the personal growth of our son and many of his teammates is due to opportunities provided by the Special Olympics."

Aaron, graduated from the Riverview School in Sandwich and has been working at Hornstra Farm in Norwell for the last four years.

His father, Gerry, shared his thoughts on behalf of himself and his wife, Sharon. "Aaron has made friends from across the world, experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, has consoled teammates who were having a bad day, been interviewed by the media, mingled with politicians, business leaders, and professional athletes, and has had an opportunity to showcase his athletic skills.

"As parents, we have seen his tremendous growth from being labeled disabled to being named captain of the LIFE Force Soccer Team. A big factor in the personal growth of our son and many of his teammates is due to opportunities provided by the Special Olympics," Allen said.

Aaron, graduated from the Riverview School in Sandwich and has been working at Hornstra Farm in Norwell for the last four years.

Luke has been a part of the Special Olympics since 2008, playing basketball in addition to soccer. While he's considered to be serious about competing, he always makes sure he’s a good sport and has fun with his team.

John has been a Special Olympics athlete since 2018 and has also competed in basketball and track. Because he likes playing both offense and defense, John usually plays midfield when he's on the pitch. He says that he's most happy when competing in the Special Olympics.

"The LIFE Force Soccer Team had a great experience at the U.S. Games in Orlando. They experienced international competition, playing Aruba twice," his mother, Ann, said. "John attended Riverview School in East Sandwich, where he excelled in sports and learning. He was able to pass his MCAS exam and received his Cohasset High School diploma."

John currently works at The Royal Catuit Nursing Home, where he is a dietary aide.