BY: USA GAMES CORRESPONDENT, MIKE GASTINEAU

Amanda Geno remembers her first experience with Special Olympics. At the time, she wasn’t very happy about it.

Geno was a freshman at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri. She was a member of the cross country team and was less than thrilled when she was told by the coach he wanted the entire team to participate in a Special Olympics competition.

“He told us we were volunteering, but he also told us it was mandatory,” she said. “I had no idea what we’d be doing. I just knew we had to get out of bed on a Saturday morning and be somewhere by 7 a. m.”

The event was a motorized wheelchair race on a slalom course. Upon her arrival, it didn’t take long for Geno to change her attitude.