This spring, our 13-year-old daughter with Autism participated in the Special Olympics (SO) – NRW National Sports Event in Münster, Germany. Among nearly 1,900 athletes from across the country, she stood tall—young, determined, and ready to ride.
This experience has been more than a race. It’s been a journey of belief, preparation, growth, and celebration—not only for her, but for all of us as a family.
🚴♀️ From Practice Tracks to the Race Arena
Our daughter had previously participated in the state-level SO cycling competition in Dortmund. That experience gave her—and us—some insight into what races really feel like. This time around, with her confidence slightly higher and experience in her toolkit, we knew we had something to build on.
Her younger brother played a key role too. The two of them would often cycle together in the park, improvising routes and turning their rides into playful races. She learned through observation, through play, through family connection —core aspects of how we’ve always approached her development.
🧠 Beyond the Skill: Preparing for Real-Life Complexity
Even though the basic cycling skill was in place, preparing her for the actual race brought its own challenges. She would often stop mid-ride to adjust her clothing, remove her helmet, or even pick up trash along the way to put it in a bin. She didn’t always grasp the distance she needed to cover. Her sense of pace in a competitive setting was still developing.
We didn’t rush it. We knew that static skills like pedaling and turning weren’t enough. What she needed was dynamic understanding—of timing, transitions, social cues, environmental changes—and above all, self-regulation.
Using the Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) framework, we worked through:
✅ Step-by-step practice
✅ Mindful co-regulation
✅ Emotional support
And slowly, she began to internalize complex social and situational patterns.
🎉 The Race Days: Unpredictable but Unstoppable
Getting to Münster was its own adventure. With last-minute train platform changes and cycles to manage, we changed platforms several times at Düsseldorf station alone!
But the kids stayed upbeat, and we finally arrived—excited and ready.
🏁 Day 2: The 1 km Race
As the youngest girl in her race, she had to start first. Unfortunately, the track setup was different from our practice conditions, and guides weren’t allowed this year. During the trial run, she stopped midway and exited the track.
The organizers kindly allowed another trial. This time, we stood along the pavement to support her from a distance. She paused again—but then put on her helmet and completed the trial. That moment of independent recovery meant the world to us.
In the actual race that afternoon, she paused for just 10 seconds, then picked up speed and raced to the finish. We had never seen her ride like that before. Her proud smile and laughter afterward will stay with us forever.
🏅 Day 3: The 2 km Race
This time, the organizers allowed her to ride with her brother. They started together—and to everyone’s surprise, she didn’t stop even once!
She raced faster than ever—even her brother admitted,
“I couldn’t keep up!”
🌟 Celebrating Every Effort
The award ceremony was postponed due to rain, but she took the delay in stride.
The next morning, with music playing and names being called, we watched her walk onto the stage with confidence and joy to receive her Bronze Medal.
The youngest cyclist on the field had earned more than a medal—she had earned a moment of triumph that honored every ounce of effort behind it.
💡 What Truly Worked for Her
This wasn’t just about teaching her how to ride a bike.
It was about nurturing dynamic intelligence—the ability to:
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Adapt to change
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Observe others
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Make flexible decisions
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Practice emotional regulation in real time
Co-regulation was our magic wand—an essential ingredient that allowed us to scaffold her thinking and responses gradually, safely, and respectfully. Through RDI, we were able to guide her gently toward the kinds of real-world experiences that require not just skill, but presence, resilience, and belief.
And above all, we believed in her—and she showed us how capable she truly is when given the right kind of support.
Want to Read about Coregulation?
🚴♀️ A Journey in Progress
There’s still a long road ahead. Challenges remain. But this Special Olympics journey reminded us just how far she’s come—and how much we’re learning and growing together as a family.
🙏 Thank you for reading our story. We hope it inspires you to trust in the power of mindful guidance, family support, and the unshakable belief in your child’s potential.
