Speaker 1 00:00:03 I want to know more about the national disability insurance scheme. A chat with a local area coordinator can help you understand the NDIS, whether it's right for you and how to apply for access book a spot at Lac in community. A free service from carers Queensland. Find out more check for events coming up near year and book your spot
[email protected]. You can also call us on 1300 triple 9, 6 3 6
Speaker 1 00:00:42 Joyce and control a podcast, celebrating people with disability, brought to you by carers Queensland, indice, local area coordination partner in the community. This year we've been all over the Olympics and the Paralympics, but if we're talking about sport and disability, we have to show some love for the special Olympics. The special Olympics is a global movement pushing for inclusion for people with intellectual disability, they operate at all levels from local sporting activities through to the world games. One of our active Queensland special Olympians is Ruby Lola from Gladston. She's a competitive swimmer on the board of directors for special Olympics Australia. And she's also an athlete representative and athlete leader. She started swimming because it's good for her health, but it's turning into a career in and out of the pool.
Speaker 2 00:01:34 I like swimming because it's not just fun. It's for my health. I swim because of all my joints and all that. They, um, the water basically relaxes my joints and I guess that's, what's kept me swimming other than wanting to
Speaker 1 00:01:56 Ruby's interest in swimming had a kickstart in the year, 2000 when she got to go to the Olympic and Paralympic swimming trials.
Speaker 2 00:02:04 I, um, had a Starlight wish granted because of everything. Oh, one medical that was going on Starlight foundation, granted me a wish and it was to do whatever I wanted and I chose to go to the swimming trials and yeah, I basically got to, um, spectate some of it and, um, handout the metals to the winning swimmers. And yeah, it was fun because I got to hang, hanging out back with all the athletes were normal people that went swimming weren't allowed. And it was fun because I was hanging out with all these Olympic swimmers and all these Paralympics women's and yeah, I just had a bowl.
Speaker 1 00:02:52 That's amazing. And with these like people you've heard of, and we're like, oh, that's, there's my swimming eyes all. And now I'm in the same room as,
Speaker 2 00:02:59 Yes, my swimming idle. And she's always been, my favorite is laser Darren's. Um, I basically got to spend some time with Lisa and yeah, she took me back and showed me everything can show me how everything works. And we watched some of the swimming races and I was lucky enough to get a case of Jeff, Jeff Hugo. Yes. He jumped out of the pool and came and gave me a hug and kissed me. It was one of the highlights of the whole event. Wasn't it
Speaker 1 00:03:40 Inspiring to think, right. I've been here as a spectator. I want to come back as a competitive though.
Speaker 2 00:03:45 Yes. I've. I've always wanted to compete in the Paralympic games, but because of my, um, health and because of my physical, um, disabilities, it's hard for me to get the right classification. So I've sort of always had the Paralympic games as my, um, motor vital. I have always said that one day I'm gonna can paint. And then I found special Olympics Australia. Cause you
Speaker 1 00:04:22 Have done some amazing things with special intakes haven't you
Speaker 2 00:04:25 I've swam for Australia in the Asia Pacific games that was held in Newcastle. Unfortunately it was in Australia, but you know, piping to get overseas for swimming one day.
Speaker 1 00:04:38 And you're also now an athlete representative for special Olympics.
Speaker 2 00:04:42 Yes. I cart my sit on the special Olympics, Australia national board, and I'm basically a voice to all the other special Olympics athletes. So if they want issues sorted out, I basically collect what they want to say and I take it to board level and I see if things can get done about it. Was that
Speaker 1 00:05:11 Scary taking that role?
Speaker 2 00:05:13 Yeah, it was because I sort of was thrown into the deep end a bit. I didn't really know what to expect report meetings because they're really long and I am tired by the end of it, but it's worth it. I also started to sit on a athlete input council as part of my, um, special Olympics board row. And basically we have athletes that are charging to sit on the input council and we, um, go through, um, issues and things that they want to discuss and things that should be done and things that are not done that, you know, maybe can happen. And we basically, um, present that to the board and some of it, we work together to, um, get people, to see the issues.
Speaker 1 00:06:21 And he's a good working with other athletes and other people in the community like that.
Speaker 2 00:06:25 Yes, it's great working with other athletes. So I really enjoyed being a, um, special Olympics board member. I'm not just a board member. I'm also an athlete representative and an athlete laid off. And yeah, I enjoy doing that because I'm enjoy helping other athletes, George achieve their best.
Speaker 1 00:06:47 What's the local special Olympics crew law here in Gladston
Speaker 2 00:06:52 Special Olympics. Gladston yeah, it's amazing. We have soccer, which people say is football. We have basketball. We have a question up in Rockhampton bay, run the equestrian because, um, two or three athletes, uh, with our club up in Rockhampton and they train in a question up there, then they go and compete. One of our question, um, athletes has actually gone to world games and that was held in Abu Dhabi and yeah, she did really well and she won medals and yeah, I, um, was really proud of her love that she got to world games and I'm hoping one day I'll get to world games, Monica,
Speaker 1 00:07:49 The question is going to be, what are your plans? What else would you like to achieve? Well, games is right up there.
Speaker 2 00:07:54 Yeah. Well, games is right up there, but I have a backup plan. If I didn't get into world games with special Olympics, I'm going to go with, um, swimming Queensland masters, because I've started swimming with the local masters group. They're called the glassing groupers and they're really good. Um, they're really good. Um, people to be around and they're supportive and they're, they're just burying all around. Some of them do open water swimming, and I've started doing some art and water swimming. I actually competed in special Olympics nationals. I did the 1500 meter open water swim, and I fought that I wasn't going to be able to do it, but I'd done it. Even though I came last, I still got to the end. It was hard, but it was worth it. And
Speaker 1 00:08:55 That, um, that masters group are they, uh, disability specific group, are they mainstream swimming group?
Speaker 2 00:09:01 They mainstream, I swim with them. Um, but yeah, they're really supportive. And if I don't get into world games for special Olympics, I'm going to go to well games for masks.
Speaker 1 00:09:16 Does your training, uh, sometimes involves going out into a longer dam? What's it like training out there?
Speaker 2 00:09:26 Scary. I constantly have in my head that fish chicken or blackmail, my fate and my Torres, my carts used OSA. They're not gonna touch you. They might bite your feet. But how would I know? Because I can't see anything in the dam. Like it's not clear, it's foggy
Speaker 1 00:09:47 And full of weed.
Speaker 2 00:09:49 Yeah. Full away to,
Speaker 1 00:09:51 Is this a bit intimidating about the, the, the open water swimming that you're sort of out there with whatever's in the water with you?
Speaker 2 00:10:00 I kind of feel okay about it because there's nurse shops in there because it's a damn, so I only got to worry about the big fish wanting my toes.
Speaker 1 00:10:12 And you mentioned your coach, Terry, what was Terry like?
Speaker 2 00:10:16 Terry was awesome. He was such inspiration and he absolutely loved training with me. He was my coach and he would push me to run limits. He would make sure I do a absolute, wonderful job. And yeah, he took me to a couple of swimming, Queensland state competitions. He took me to the Australian Institute of sport for a special Olympics competition. I've gone to nationals with Terri. I went to Asia Pacific games with Terry. He was always there for me. And he was super proud once I finished the art motor swim because we both didn't think that I would make it in the end, but I made it. So I was pretty happy with myself even lower. When I got out of the water, I had like wobbly legs because I was bothered, but it was worth it.
Speaker 1 00:11:18 If you'd like to find out more about the special Olympics and what's happening in your area, visit their website, special olympics.com.you work. Isn't just money in the bank. It's learning new skills, facing challenges and making a difference to the world around you. If someone in your life is leaving school soon, find out what supports available and explore options for the future. In carers, Queensland's free workshop. Let's talk about work. Find out more check for events coming up near year and book your spot
[email protected]. You can also call us on 1300 triple 9, 6 3 6. And if you'd like more stories about disability and sport, check out the choice and control archives. We have four seasons worth of stories there now, including sporting glory of all kinds from wheelchair racing to weightlifting right through to our current season, which is all about access and inclusion in sport. And there's still more to come. Thanks for joining us a choice and control a carer's Queensland podcast. For more information about the national disability insurance scheme or carers Queensland, contact us
[email protected]. You can call us on one, 300 triple 9, 6, 3, 6, or head to Facebook and look for carers Queensland and the IRS
