#50for50: Volume 30
▪️ Ameer Wood
▪️ 24 years old
▪️ Philadelphia County

“I’ve always been motivated to become a Special Olympics athlete ever since I was watching the 2015 World Games. In that moment, I knew I wanted to become an athlete one day. Then, I learned about Special Olympics online. I did my research and I applied by emailing the Special Olympics and filling out my application. Last year was my first year and my first sport was basketball. It’s easy cause I was very athletic. It was kind of easy for me to get involved. At first I was a little nervous, but then I got my confidence back up. I went to the state championships. It was fun, I enjoyed it a lot. I got three gold medals. I went to Widener [University], Kutztown [University] and Penn State [University]. In basketball, I play a lot of positions. I play point guard, power forward and center. One of my favorite players was ‘No. 13’ from the South Philly Wildcats. I mean, this guy was dunking. And then when we played them, I held him to only dunk. I was like, ‘OK great game.’ … Right now, I can’t go outside because of the lock down, so I did the Virtual Summer Games challenges. The 50-meter dash, the basketball challenge and the shuttle run. But I can’t wait to get back out there. Flag football, I can’t wait. I’m still in shape. I’m still doing my Zoom meetings with my team and I’m doing my Global Messenger trainings and I just got to wait to get a mentor and I can continue training. … I always wanted to be a motivator for other athletes. And I know that I can do anything and I know I can help other individuals. Basically I want to spread the message. I want to make others stronger by supporting them. If I support them, they support me. I did a speech to introduce myself and talking at a press conference and I did an assignment on the COVID-19 lockdown and also on the Virtual Summer Games. … My favorite hobbies are to color, draw and work out. I’m trying to go to college. That’s probably next year. I’m going to apply in the Fall. I want to go for paralegal law. I want to be a lawyer and a sportswriter. I can’t wait for it. That’s what I want to go to school for. I’m applying to Arcadia University. I just think a lot of individuals with disabilities get discriminated against. Not just that, but I just feel like people don’t have their rights. So the least I could do is try to help support them with the law. That’s why I’m interested in that field.”