Once denied the chance to grow academically and personally, Alvaro found in Special Olympics a door that had long been closed to him. “[The university] didn’t give me the opportunity to grow as a person,” he said of his earlier experiences. “But through the Athlete Leadership Program, everything changed. This has been a tool that opened that door.”
Today, Alvaro is not just participating, he’s leading. He has developed and delivered leadership trainings to individuals with intellectual disabilities, tailoring workshops to diverse learning styles so that everyone can engage, contribute, and lead in their own way.
“We gave trainings on leadership principles where they could demonstrate and speak what they felt and what they wanted to accomplish,” he explained. “Not everyone learns verbally. Some learn through images or gestures. We adapted so they felt comfortable.”
But Alvaro’s leadership doesn’t end in the classroom. He served as Commissioner for Women’s Sevens Football at the 2022 Detroit Games and is now on a mission to become a Special Olympics coach. “That’s my dream,” he shared. “That a leading athlete can become a coach and bring medals to their country.”
His dream is grounded in his own journey. Years ago, the owner of a sports academy saw something in him and offered him the chance to coach, despite having no experience. That opportunity sparked a fire that continues to burn. “Through that, my knowledge began to grow in sport,” Alvaro said. He’s now worked there for nearly eight years and applies everything he’s learned from Special Olympics to his coaching.
“I was inspired because I want other companions to live the same experience as me,” he says. “To see that we do deserve opportunities. To prove that we can fulfill our dreams. I want to see them happy, just as I am today.”
Alvaro knows the road isn’t easy. He remembers sitting in training sessions, overwhelmed and unsure how to express himself. Now, he uses that experience to help others feel seen, heard, and supported.
“I’ve learned how to ask my companions how they feel, how to treat them, how to control emotions,” said Alvaro.
Inclusion is more than an ideal, it’s a lived experience that’s reshaped Alvaro’s life.
“Before, doors were closed, in sports, in schools, in universities. But I never gave up. I’m proving that I could do it.”
And he wants the world to know that opportunities make you happy. If you want to grow, if you are disciplined and constant, step by step you can achieve success.
“I’ve grown because of the opportunities Special Olympics gave me through training, leadership, and sports. I’ve applied them, and it’s given me results.”
Now, he’s committed to creating a world where more people with intellectual disabilities can lead. “That’s my vision. That’s the dream. We’re going to create a world where we can lead it.”
And to those who are just starting…
“Never give up. Take the opportunity. Be disciplined. Be serious. You deserve many more things.”
