Sheri Gray never fails to give her time and talent to lift up Special Olympics athletes in Northwest Missouri. Gray graduated with a Physical Education major not realizing this would be the gateway to her journey as a coach for Special Olympics Missouri. Gray now juggles a busy schedule coaching multiple sports for the Special Olympics — softball, basketball, bowling, and track and field.
“I needed volunteer hours as a physical education major and that’s how I was introduced to Special Olympics,” she said. “It’s amazing to get praised by people for doing something that also makes me feel good. I get very emotional about it because all of the athletes are like my kids.
” A more than decade-long career has given her extended families she will cherish for a lifetime. “One boy in particular I’ve had as an athlete since he was 8 years old and he’s 22 now,” Gray said. “We still keep in touch and I’m constantly letting him and his mom know he’s just like my own.
” She encourages everyone to volunteer, describing it as an opportunity that will leave a lasting impact on a person’s life..
