Special Olympics Coach Gives Back | Little Ways: Volunteer

This week Grotto Network catches up with Special Olympics coach Mirissa Klecz. She explains how volunteering has changed her as a person — and how small acts of service can make a big impact in the lives of others.

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Video Transcript

Mirissa Klecz: My name is Mirissa Klecz, and I volunteer for Special Olympics Indiana. I coach volleyball and basketball, and I am also the administrator in the Unified Fitness.

So, we have regular five-on-five basketball and then we have skills basketball.

Volunteering has, I feel like it’s changed me as a person. It’s given me a different perspective on life.

I had an athlete that had struggled socially for a really long time, and I finally got him to join Special Olympics this past year.

And he actually competed for the first time this weekend, won a silver medal, and he gets to go on to state now.

Getting those phone calls from athletes saying, “I went to the doctor today and I lost 10 pounds and my doctor wanted to know what I was doing different. And I was so proud to say that I am a Special Olympics athlete.”

I feel like it just kind of teaches you how to give back in ways that money will never be able to pay.