TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Zachary Rice-Scotti is one of over 100 athletes representing Special Olympics Vigo County and Happiness Bag Inc. in the 2019 Special Olympics Indiana Summer Games.
Those around him say he stands out in that large group for his leadership and dedication — positive traits he exhibits in competition and in everyday life.
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“Running is one of my favorite things to do. I just like to run in my backyard and have the strength to have speed.”
Zachary may be a runner in this year’s Summer Games, but he’s actually a three-sport athlete with a versatile athletic background including bowling and basketball.
“I like the way that bowling, you get to choose your own ball and stuff, and then basketball I like to be able to play for the fun of it and for the sport,” said Zachary.
Zachary has been on a busy training schedule in preparation of the weekend competition.
“I’ve been running in my backyard and on this thing over here, and it’s been, there’s been a lot of running lately.”
Those who spend time with him on a regular basis say the busyness is nothing new.
“This guy is on the go all the time, Zachary has one of the biggest hearts of our athletes, I’ve watched him mature and grow over the past several years, and he’s put in a lot of hard work to reach where he’s at now,” said Happiness Bag Executive Director Jodi Moan.
Zachary’s hard work is coupled with confidence, which he shows when talking about this year’s relay race.
“My team’s probably gonna win this year, we have a really fast first leg and last leg.”
Regardless of the outcome, Zachary is sure to be the kind of team player that turns good athletes into great ones.
“Of course we all want to win, but I’ve watched him be supportive of his teammates and even of himself, even when they don’t win, and so we would like to have 100 more Zacharys, because he has that attitude that is Special Olympics,” said Moan.
Zachary will compete in the 400m, the 1500m, and the 4X100m races this weekend.
