Note: This story appeared in the “On the Rise” section with the March 28 edition of the Free Lance.
San Benito High senior Adam Bell has been competing in the Gifted Games since he was in junior high.
Which is only appropriate, because Bell views everyday as a gift in itself. In 2007, Bell was in a car along with his sister and father when they were involved in an accident. According to Bell, the teenager who was driving the other car was talking on the phone when the accident occurred.
“I had a bit of head trauma, my sister had some scrapes and my dad broke his femur,” Bell said. “It was kind of scary, and I try to make the most of each day.”
The 5-foot-1, 130-pound Bell can hardly wait for the May 16 Gifted Games at San Benito High. Now in its ninth year, the Gifted Games were designed to give students with mental or physical challenges an opportunity to compete in various athletic events.
This year, students enrolled in a special education or individualized education plan from pre-kindergarten to their senior year of high school in the San Benito County and Gilroy Unified District – along with past competitors up to the age of 22 – are invited to register and participate in the Gifted Games, which features Olympic-style running events, jumps, throws, and a variety of wheelchair races (manual independent, motorized independent and assisted wheelchair).
The event has been a source of pride within the South Valley, as the number of competitors has grown from 30 in its inaugural year in 2006 to an expected number of over 300 for this year’s games.
“The Gifted Games just keep growing and growing,” said Tania Sauer, who is a teacher at San Benito and the main coordinator of the Gifted Games. “It’s phenomenal to see how much this has grown. For me, the best part about it is getting in contact with the kids, and seeing how much this means to them. When I walk into their classes every year to do a presentation (on the Gifted Games), the students will say, ‘Ms. Tania is here!’ They all remember me even though I only see them a couple of times each year. The fact that they’re excited and pumped up really makes all the hard work we put into this event worth it.”
Sauer, a recent newlywed, said organizing the Gifted Games is, “Kind of like putting on a wedding.”
“You have to worry about food, music, the guests of all the participants, and collecting and creating forms,” Sauer said. “We’ve reached out to the community, which has been amazing with their donations of water and food.”
Sauer said she wouldn’t be able to organize the event without the help of several volunteers, including Susan Hilden, who works the Snack Shack at the Gifted Games. Sauer is quick to give credit to Mona Trevino and Dave Tari, who co-founded the Gifted Games nine years ago.
Their intention, Sauer said, was to highlight the importance of exercise and the dangers of obesity.
“Obesity is a common trend in America, but even more so of kids with disabilities,” Sauer said. “It’s important to keep them motivated and get them outside. Just because they’re not on the track or football team doesn’t mean they can’t go outside and enjoy being active.”
Bell, who is a special-needs student, is the embodiment of the athletes competing at the Gifted Games. Whether he’s riding his bike or running – Bell currently practices with the school’s track and field team – he’s always on the go.
“I think the Gifted Games are really good for people, because we get to participate and everyone is active,” Bell said. “My favorite event is the mile run, and I think my best time is 6 minutes, 40 seconds.”
Besides running, riding his bike and being on the computer, Bell’s other passion lies in watching and talking about all things related to the weather. Bell, who will be attending Gavilan College in the fall, plans on being a meteorologist at the Weather Channel.
“I want to be a storm chaser,” he said. “(The more extreme the weather), the better. I like to see lightning, snow, tornadoes and sandstorms. I guess I started talking about the weather when I was 7 or 8 years old, just going crazy over it.”
Bell said he loves the Gifted Games because he feels he can accomplish anything, and that nothing is impossible.
Notes: The ninth annual Gifted Games will be held at San Benito High on May 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information, contact Tania Sauer at (831) 637-5831, ext. 274, or Sam Sauer at (408) 847-2424, ext. 2318.
