The stage is set for the Opening Ceremony at the 2025 Special Olympics North America Softball Championship.
Just beyond the centerfield wall, Special Olympics softball teams line up in front of the fieldhouse. Twelve delegations in total will soon march into Devon Park, signaling the start of the parade of athletes. The infield has been properly maintained, and the lines freshly painted. The batter’s box is crisp. Just to the inside of the first-base line stands the color guard representing the Oklahoma City police department. There will soon be a flyover, but first it’s Cameron Calvert’s time to shine.
Calvert’s cue to begin singing will be when the color guard tips their flags forward.
The national anthem at sporting events has become a staple in sports culture. The conversations around who will be singing or how their voice will sound have become a hot topic. Calvert was nervous, but it had been a dream of his since childhood. His voice was mature, and it echoed across the sound system as his hands and body moved in sync with his voice.
“It was a huge honor for me,” Calvert said about singing the national anthem. “The first moment that really made me want to sing the national anthem in front of people was something inside me just told me ‘to just go for it’ and inspire people.”
Applause erupted as Calvert held the last few chords of the song. The cauldron and Flame of Hope had been lit. One of his dreams was accomplished.
“Not only was it an amazing opportunity for him to showcase his talents but it was also a very unique experience for everyone in the stands that night to see and say ‘wow, he has a crazy good voice’,” Paige Martin, Director of Marketing and Communications of Special Olympics Oklahoma, said. She put his name forward for the role in Opening Ceremony.
Calvert got his start with Special Olympics in 2015. He had no idea what he was doing, and he hadn’t played sports since he was little. But growing up, he and his mom, Latrisha Littlejohn, wanted him to be a part of something. They wanted him to find a community. “When I’m hanging out with my friends, I feel free to be me, to be myself, to be goofy and to have fun with them,” Calvert said, laughter trickling in as he added, “they do be getting on my nerves sometimes.” However, that decision has been instrumental in shaping who he has become.
“I’ve always told Cameron from the time he was young, different is just that, different, and for him to be the best Cameron that he can be, whatever that was,” his mom said. “The [Special Olympics Oklahoma] All-Stars allowed him to do that. To be a part of people in the community who have similarities.”
His head coach, Roger McDaniel, echoed those statements, saying Calvert is the type of teammate you want on a team. His attitude and personality just brighten everyone’s day.
“He is so high-spirited and he’s just a joy for our team and he’s an excellent athlete,” McDaniel said. “He plays softball, basketball and flag football for us.”
During bracket opening play, Calvert entered the game as a pinch runner. Crouched over in a sprinter’s stance, he took off and rounded the bases before stopping at third. The sun reflected off his silver helmet. Each time he came into home plate, he balled his fist up and pumped the air in celebration.
“He’s fast, he’s really fast,” McDaniel said about Calvert’s ability to run the bases.
The All-Stars went on to play a competitive tournament, earning the silver medal, but they never lost sight of what the weekend was about. Regardless of what the score was, they met with the opposing team near the pitcher’s mound. A display of sportsmanship and unity.
For Calvert, the experience of not just singing but playing in Devon Park has been an eye-opening event. Neither Calvert nor his mom realized the size of the tournament. They didn’t put the pieces together that there were teams from all over the United States here. But now that they could see the big picture, Calvert has his sights set on an even bigger stage.
“I want the [Oklahoma City] Thunder games, I want to take it to the next level of singing the national anthem,” Calvert said, while his mom added, “I want the NBA Championship or the NFL or the USA Games.”
Just like setting his eyes on the next base and pushing himself to reach it, Calvert will sprint towards the next stage, inspiring those around him.
