Video: Amelia Freidline and Chris Horn
Becky Saathoff stood at the pool's edge, swinging her arms to warm up. She looked up at her mom, Sherrie, and the rest of her family and friends.
"Swim hard, Becky!" Sherrie shouted. Becky smiled and waved.
It was swim time.
The gun sounded and the swimmers dove in. Becky kept it close the entire race and never lapsed. Her strokes intensified and her contingent cheered her on.
"Come on, Becky," her mom screamed. "Kick it, kick it, kick it!"
She finished 1.3 seconds behind the first place finisher in the 50-meter freestyle, one of three events that she medaled in. Becky also won the silver medal in the 50-meter backstroke and the bronze medal in the relay race.
That evening, Becky Saathoff and friends celebrated her accomplishments at the first-ever Special Olympics National Games.
Becky, who has an intellectual disability, has matured as an athlete since her three-medal performance at nationals in Ames, Iowa in 2006. She started swimming competitively about six years ago, when her parents figured Becky's athletic interest could be tapped in Special Olympics. Training began on March 31 for the 2007 Kansas Special Olympics Summer Games, which will take place June 1-3 in Wichita. Becky's team, the Douglas County Gators, will compete in a total of six events at the games, but Becky's focus is in the pool.
"I want to get first place or second," Becky said. "But overall, I just want to do my best."
Becky's confidence is not entrenched in her desire to win. She wants to excel and always do her personal best, whether she wins gold or gets sixth place. She practices every Sunday for almost two hours and works with other swimmers on the team and the coaches and timers. Every Saturday, she works to beat her best time from the practice before. One of Becky's coaches, John Samuels, likes what he sees in Becky and thinks her attitude towards swimming is reflective of her overall perspective on life.
"She works hard to get better," Samuels said. "She knows that the only way she can achieve her goals is to practice."
Sherrie agrees that Becky has the right attitude to make her dreams happen.
"The great thing about Becky is she has no self-doubt if she works hard and tries her best," Sherrie said. "She is happy with the outcomes as long as she has done her best."
Becky's other coach, Danny Lenz, has seen a strong work ethic in Becky's performance and has noticed that her competitive humility, oxymoron aside, allows her to take swimming seriously and enjoy being with teammates and competitors at the same time.
Lenz has noticed Becky's enduring spirit and desire to achieve personal greatness.
"Becky never gives up," Lenz said. "That's a great quality for not only an athlete, but a person in general."
Becky works part time at the University's Department of Special Education and also works with someone who teaches her independent living skills. Her wish is to move out of home to an apartment with a roommate. Oh, and there's got to be a pool.
"I love to swim and I love to get better," Becky said. "I know swimming is something I can do forever."
To the Saathoffs, especially Becky, Becky's disability has never been an issue. Becky understands that she has special needs and that it takes her longer to learn things, but she associates the word disability with something physical. This mindset, not to be confused with ignorance, has had an extremely beneficial influence on Becky and how she lives her life.
"She doesn't see herself as having a disability," Sherrie said. "Only abilities."
Becky's disability hasn't affected her love for swimming and her drive to get better. When Becky was asked what the toughest thing to deal with in her swimming has been, she replied with the answer of an athlete with a little swagger.
"Nothing."