TIFTON —
On any given Monday or Thursday afternoon at Dream It Gymnastics, everything seems as normal as it has been for the past 13 years.
Young athletes from ages 3 to 18 running, jumping and flipping. Some athletes just beginning their gymnastics training, while others train for 25 hours a week pursuing a dream of competing collegiately. And then you realize something isn’t normal, something special is happening. That something special is Delia Moore, daughter of Brian and Kelly Moore.
Delia is a spunky 8-year- old little girl, with the gift of song, who happens to be diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Thanks to a very special person and a very special coach, Delia will compete in the Georgia State Special Olympics. Kim Bruce, an occupational therapist in the Tift County School System, as well as a coach at Dream It Gymnastics, spearheaded this opportunity.
“I began researching the State Special Olympics, something I participated in as a Unified member during High School. As an eager community member and parent of a local gymnast, I approached Dream It Gymnastics to see if they would allow a gymnast with special needs to train in their facility for the State Special Olympics, while I geared up to coach! Dream It opened their gym, their hearts, and laid out the red carpet for Delia to participate in Gymnastics” said Bruce. She continued, “She participates in weekly gymnastics lessons. She loves to swing on the bars, jump on the trampoline, and walk on the balance beam. Her specialty on floor exercise is an awesome forward roll that ends with a dramatic smile and salute of her arms.”
“When Kim approached us with this idea, we were touched by her passion for children with special needs. As a board member of Tift County Special Olympics for the past 23 years, I welcomed Kim and Delia with open arms. So has the entire Dream It family,” said Jill Bergeron, owner of Dream It Gymnastics.
As an Occupational Therapist for the Tift County School system, Bruce sees the importance to live in a community that recognizes and focuses on the inclusion of its members, specifically the inclusion of children and adults with special needs. After participating in isolated community activities, Bruce realized there was a significant need for an outlet for children with special needs in the Tifton area.
She saw that sports can foster social skills through peer interaction, promote self-confidence, and encourage intrinsic motivation for children to achieve specific goals and overcome challenges. Hence, the dream for Delia.
Participating in gymnastics is fostering growth in so many ways for Delia, as well as her peers in the gym. The gymnastics lessons are facilitating gross motor development including balance, improving muscle tone, and body awareness. The attention and focus that it requires to complete a sequence of motor tasks while so many distractions are present are helping to improve Delia’s attention span and cognitive learning. But most important, the ability to participate in gymnastics while fostering relationships with peers is absolutely amazing. The typically developing gymnasts who share the gym with Delia are learning compassion, acceptance, and making a very special friend for life.
Bruce said, “Delia and I are working very hard in the gym to prepare for her first competition. She will compete in the state Special Olympics on Jan. 25, 2013. The Bergeron family will accompany Delia to the games and provide coaching support and a large cheering section. It is sure to be magical and a heart-warming experience for all involved.“
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Related Photos
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Delia Moore is shown with her coaches at Dream It.
Coach helps Delia Moore shine with Dream It Gymnastics
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