Oprah interview inspires woman to form Special Olympics squad
JUPITER — Shari Stafford spent one year as a Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleader and more than 35 as a fitness and youth dance instructor.
Her career has been a fulfilling one, and she’s impacted many people along the way.
But the Tequesta resident wanted something more, and it wasn’t until she watched an interview with Oprah Winfrey and Timothy Shriver, chairman of Special Olympics and son of the organization’s founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, that she realized what that was.
“I just listened to him speak,” said Stafford, 59, a soon-to-be firsttime grandmother who teaches aquatic fitness classes at the Mandel JCC in Palm Beach Gardens. “Growing up with his mother and doing the Special Olympics — I was just wowed by it.
“I’ve been teaching for over 35 years ... and I thought, ‘Do I continue this route, or do I want to do something?’ After listening to Timothy Shriver and doing some special events at the JCC, I said, ‘I’ve got to do this.’ And how can I not do cheerleading?”
Cheerleading is one of 15 sports offered by Special Olympics Florida’s Palm Beach County chapter. The organization provides yearround sports training and competition to children and adults ages 8 and older with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The local chapter serves 1,647 athletes, while 454 volunteers donate their time.
There is only one other Special Olympics cheerleading squad in Palm Beach County, and that one is based in Boca Raton.
Stafford hopes to serve northern Palm Beach County with her team, and already has secured commitments from seven athletes and a handful of volunteers.
She hopes to build those numbers throughout the summer, and will start weekly practices once she has a location to conduct them.
Stafford is looking at sites in the Jupiter area, and hopes to work with Jupiter High School and other area cheerleading teams and organizations to supply volunteers, who can earn community service hours.
Her program will include cheerleading and dance instruction as well as team-building activities. Participants in wheelchairs are encouraged to attend.
“She really wants to get out there and get her group going,” Special Olympics-Palm Beach County sports director Ryan Gilbert said of Stafford. “I know she is going to share all of her knowledge with her cheerleading squad, and I’m confident they will succeed. And in time, she will realize that she is also learning from her athletes. Special Olympics has that power.”
Stafford will hold weekly practices with her team, and also will take them to competitions. Since cheerleading is new to Special Olympics and the numbers are low, athletes compete in two events — the area games in September in Broward County, and the state games in Orlando in November.
Stafford is eager to see what her athletes can do.
“I just want people to not see their limitations, and have expectations for what they can do,” she said.
For information, contact Stafford at 561-632-9214 or pwshrimper@hotmail.com.