Here’s what it was like volunteering at the U.S. Paralympics Trials

First some quick facts for Charlotte to brag about:

• For the first time in U.S. Paralympics’ history, the trials featured three sports (cycling, track and field, and swimming) being contested concurrently in the same city.
• This was the largest Paralympic trials in U.S. history, the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials hosted more than 400 athletes competing for spots on Team USA at the Rio games.
• Doug Youngblood, president of Partners for Parks and chairman of the local organizing committee told me that NBC — which was broadcasts the Olympics — spent about 20 minutes of live coverage of the track and field events held at the Irwin Belk Complex at Johnson C. Smith University. That’s the first time NBC has ever done that for Paralympic events

Volunteer Orientation

The big take-away from orientation was to not take a picture with an athlete during competition – this, to me, seemed like a no-brainer, but I guess had to be said. Plus, I got a T-shirt and a bag of Harris Teeter swag. Score! Net positive already.

Track and Field

It took me all of 2 minutes to realize that this was something special. I’ve been to countless sporting events. But something was different about this one. Most crowds are happy — sports is a recreation after all — but this crowd had another vibe altogether: pride. There was A LOT of pride at Johnson C. Smith University that night. It was awesome. I cheered along with the crowd and got revved up by the announcer who exclaimed things like, “I told y’all this was gonna be good!” and “Charlotte make some noise! We’re gettin’ ready to go to Rio!”

Two highlights: long jumpers asking the crowd to clap in unison to get pumped up — I don’t know why but it’s great — and a girl who wore a t-shirt that read “Track Meet & Cheeseburgers.” I don’t get the context of that combo but I certainly can support it. Plus, my view of the races was fantastic.

Swimming

At the track I was just a fan. The swimming pool was were I was to volunteer. I signed up for both the morning and evening “swims” so I was going to be at the Mecklenburg Aquatic Center all day. This was also my first time at MAC and, well, my first ever swim meet. I had zero expectations.

My role was to assist with the U.S. Paralympic team’s media, which was great. I met their media liaison Joe who gave me the lay of the land and what I should look out for, what to do, etc. In the end my morning volunteer job was basically to direct traffic, hold the door for folks, and generally be as helpful as possible. This was great because it meant I more or less had a front row view of the events. The place was packed and swim fans are REALLY good at cheering.

Maybe my favorite moment of the weekend was this:

This is Bryce Ballinger, paralympic athlete and quadruple amputee spending a few moments chatting with a little girl who, and I’m only guessing here, is in the middle of a memory of a lifetime. (It’s hard to tell but the little girl has a prosthetic leg too.)

Wait, let me repeat something – a quadruple amputee at a swim meet and, oh by the way, she’s being, you know, a hero. I was floored. I am floored. It was just a really wonderful thing to see. I chatted with Bryce briefly thereafter and she couldn’t have been nicer. Make that two people with a memory of a lifetime.

In the afternoon I returned for a second volunteer stint and after a hour or two reprising my role as media coordinator/friendly door holder I was promoted to the big leagues. I helped the swimmers with their stuff. Among other things that meant moving prosthetics and wheel chairs from the starting blocks to the sides of the pool. I was in the midst of everything.

There I met a fellow volunteer named Gary Cripe. Gary seemed to know his way around a swim meet and very kindly gave me pointers on what to do and where to go. Then, quietly, during one race Gary stepped back. After the race he apologized saying something to the effect of, “Sorry, my son was in that heat – I just wanted to watch.” WHAT GARY! What do you mean your son was in that heat!? We chatted more and he said that he and his family are from Indiana and were really enjoying their time in Charlotte.

Gary’s son Caleb, just 16 years old, had another heat to swim. As Caleb was halfway through the 100M backstroke we learned that Caleb, whom his father described as someone who’s never met a stranger in his life, slyly told the girl timing his lane that if he won she had to give him her phone number. He won. Of course he won, he had some digits to get. Gary and I watched as Caleb was handed a small piece of paper. I high-five’d Gary because that’s the sort of thing I do.

Closing ceremonies

The Paralympic trials ended with a ceremony at Romare Bearden Park to name the actual team. I learned that winning your event didn’t guarantee making the official team. You still had to be selected. On a very hot Sunday mid-morning the park was crowded with friends and family as photos were taken and tickets to Rio were punched. You could feel a lot pride there too.

In all, it was a great weekend. The city proved to be an exceptional host and I hope and expect there to be more events like this in the future. Sure it wasn’t a Hornets or a Panthers game or a major golf tournament and it certainly didn’t get as much public attention as maybe it should have received or deserved but it was an important event and it was here. And the people I spoke to had a really great time. We should feel proud to have had it.