Attendence grows for Special Olympics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - The Bock family has been coming to the Special Olympics in Terre Haute for ten years now.

Jarrod started participating when he was just eight years old.

"We just love it. Everybody loves Jarrod, just want the best for him," Carol Bock said.

"Most athletes here really focus on the competition. It's a chance to compete, it's a chance in their life to be champions for a day," Special Olympics Indiana President and CEO Michael Furnish said.

The family has been nominated as family of the year.

Sister, Rachael is studying to be a special education teacher, inspired by her brother.

"I think it's a good opportunity for him to get, be able to run and do basketball and do track and softball, just like every other kid does," Rachael Bock said.

Jarrod's dad Darrin and the rest of the Bock family help coach the 18-year-old.

"Just watching the expression on the kids faces when they finish the race. Win, love, whatever, just how much fun they're having, you know sometimes, you can't help but get a little tear in your eye," Darrin Bock said.

The Bocks call this event a mini family reunion.

"It's all the extra people that come here every year like the Smiths and the Hollingsworths and even the people from the different areas that you make friends with every year," he said.

Each year, more families make the event their very own tradition.

This year, almost 3,000 athletes participated.

"Special Olympics is really here to showcase all the types of things that people with intellectual disabilities can do and it becomes a real celebration of humanity when you see everything they're able to accomplish," Furnish said.

It's a weekend full of competition, letting every athlete be number one.

The Bock Family helped start their own Special Olympics about six years ago, in their hometown of Princeton, Indiana.