How three sisters created a special needs triathlon
To some high school athletes, the most coveted piece of paper is a national letter of intent. But for the three Fishell sisters, there’s another: an advertisement they spotted in 2018 in front of Bethel Park’s Spencer Family YMCA. The promotional poster told of a triathlon for adults with special needs at the Emmaus House, which caught the attention of Ally Fishell and two of her siblings, Gabrielle and Jillian.
Their brother, Christian, was born with Down syndrome and had never competed in a three-part event as his older sisters had.
“[Christian] always wanted to do a triathlon himself,” Ally said. “We saw the flyer and we had been doing triathlons ourselves, and we wanted to make it available for children with special needs, so people like our brother could do it as well.”
With the help of Mike Lloyd, the Spencer Family YMCA’s director of mission advancement, Ally, Gabrielle and Jillian held the inaugural My Turn to Tri Special Needs Triathlon at the Y in the summer of 2019. Mr. Lloyd, whose work with the YMCA entails managing outreach programming for underserved groups like the special needs population, was more than happy to assist the Fishell sisters after their mother, Kristine, reached out to him.
“It was a great idea. They’re a great family, and I was pleased to be a part of it,” Mr. Lloyd said. “Kristine and I and her family, we work together on building the event. We get the support, the volunteers and the staff at the [YMCA] involved as we put it together.”
Ally and Jillian, a senior and a junior in high school, respectively, run cross-country at Upper St. Clair and have been competing in triathlons since elementary school. At their high school, Ally is
involvedin the international baccalaureate program and does volunteer work at her church.
Christian’s organized athletic experiences before My Turn to Tri were limited to Miracle League baseball and observing competitions of the other Fishells. Presented with the Spencer Family YMCA’s resources and Mr. Lloyd’s assistance, the Fishell sisters took something they know best and applied it in a way that would benefit and support Christian.
“It’s a very special family because they are so athletic and it would be very easy for them to just focus on their own competitions,” said Mr. Lloyd, who will be working at the triathlon again this year. “For them to take the time out to devote so much time for their brother and others, to make sure that other people get a chance to compete and to feel that sense of accomplishment, it’s a real tribute to that whole family.”
But getting the event off the ground was not entirely seamless. The hardest components of putting on the triathlon for Ally were spreading the idea around the community and securing partnerships with sponsors.
Despite initial funding concerns, staffing was hardly an issue two years ago because several Upper St. Clair students volunteered, and Mr. Lloyd helped to provide YMCA personnel. Ally noted how “supportive” her classmates were in 2019 and how she received positive responses from community members.
“I think it went better than we expected,” Ally said. “Your first year, you’re not sure how it’s going to turn out exactly, what you’re getting into. Everything ran very smoothly.”
The triathlon, which consists of biking, swimming and a running/walking segment, has a unique component to it. Instead of being distance based, the first special needs triathlon was timed. That will be the case again in 2021.
Regardless, Mr. Lloyd called the My Turn to Tri Special Needs Triathlon “inspirational” due to the accomplishments of the athletes involved. As somebody who participates in triathlons during his free time, he is keenly aware of the intensive training that goes into preparing for one.
Christian’s mother has witnessed that dedication firsthand this summer in anticipation of the Aug. 15 contest.
“He’s been working and training, taking swimming lessons, and he has a bike now that he’s been riding on,” she said. “He always talks about needing to train for his triathlon.”
This summer’s triathlon will be only be the second. Like countless other in-person events in 2020, the triathlon was canceled due to health concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Lloyd was disappointed by the cancellation but fully understood that keeping the athletes safe was of the utmost importance, and that there “really was no other answer.” Similarly, Ally was concerned about what kind of lasting impacts the lack of a followup to the initial triathlon would have.
“That was definitely a big hurdle, and it was pretty upsetting because usually the first year is kind of like your test,” she said. “In the second year, you’re expecting it to be bigger and better, just keep growing each year. But having an event the first year and then not getting the next year, you’re kind of worried like ‘Will it be able to succeed? Will it be able to keep going?’ ”
Yet Ally believes the triathlon will be “really successful” this year. With the Spencer YMCA serving as the location of the meet once more and its staffers involved again, the expectation is for a smooth affair during the dog days of summer.
And given the support Christian has provided his three sisters over the year, it’s only logical that Ally and company would look to match their brother’s backing.
“Christian is very active, very outgoing. We’re all very close with him,” Ally said. “We all take care of him a lot, especially now that both of our parents work.
“We really enjoy it, spending time with him. He’s always been very supportive of us. He would always cheer for us at our triathlons, and we just really wanted to give him a chance to do something like this.”
The sisters’ dedication to Christian has drawn the admiration of their mother, who believes what they’re doing stretches further than caring for their younger brother. Instead, Kristine’s children have worked within the community, seeking to affect change and positively impact the lives of those with conditions similar to Christian’s.
“I think it’s awesome, I’m so proud of them,” Kristine said. “They’re fabulous sisters, and I hope that them seeing the difference they make within the event encourages them to continue being as service-oriented as they are now at such a young age.
“I think it’s just an awesome thing. By putting some effort in and moving with an idea, you can really make a difference in people’s lives.”
The 2021 My Turn to Tri Special Needs Triathlon is open to registration for those who want to compete alongside Christian ( visit www.pittsburghymca.org/ mytri). Like two years ago, each competitor will have a buddy alongside throughout the triathlon.
In advance of Aug. 15, Christian has continued to train and tell friends, family members and strangers on the street alike all about his upcoming triathlon. That level of genuine excitement from her brother alone is enough to make Ally realize that providing opportunities that often escape people with special needs is not only uplifting and rewarding but also essential.
“I know for my little brother, he would always watch us, and I always thought, ‘Well, I hope one day he has the opportunity to do something like this,’ ” Ally said.
“Now, seeing this actually happen, it really means a lot to me.”