Fultz sets his aim on Ames

~ The Cape Girardeau man will be the only representative from Southeast Missouri.

Daniel Fultz already has a general idea of where he ranks among Missouri's most talented Special Olympians.

Now he'll know where he stands among the finest in the nation.

On Sunday, Fultz will begin a six-day competition against delegates from across the United States in the inaugural Special Olympics National Summer Games in Ames, Iowa.

Fultz, a 23-year-old Cape Girardeau resident, will compete in three track and field events as the lone athlete from the Southeast Missouri area. Bill Mack of Cape will attend the national event as a softball coach, and Jackson's Stan Smith will coach track and field.

In order to be selected to compete in the National Summer Games, athletes and coaches must be nominated by a Special Olympics coach or area director before attending a week-long training camp, where officials choose who will represent the state. Final cut decisions are based on several factors beyond athletic ability and sports knowledge.

"They see how [the athletes] do around other athletes, how they listen, how they compete," Mack said. "They may not be the best in their event, but they have to be able to listen to coaches."

Added Smith: "As far as coaches go, they watch how you get along with the athletes and how the athletes listen to you."

Fultz has competed in several other sports, including basketball, softball and bowling, since he became involved with Special Olympics in 1999, when he was honored as the Athlete of the Year. He will compete in the 100-meter run, 400 relay and shot put at the Summer Games.

Fultz will be one of 74 athletes from Missouri and over 3,000 athletes nationwide competing in Ames.

According to the Special Olympics Web site, an estimated 2,000 coaches and delegates, 12,000 family members and friends, 8,000 volunteers and 30,000 spectators will attend the event.

"It's a very big opportunity," Smith said. "We're very pleased with Daniel. He's improved a lot since we first started working with him when he was high-school age. He likes to perform against the challenge, and the competition [at the national meet] will be stiff."

Mack, named the Special Olympics Missouri Coach of the Year in 2001, said the establishment of the first countrywide event is significant in that it allows challenged people the opportunity not only to compete on a larger scale, but also to meet other athletes from around the United States.

"You get to compete with athletes from all different states, and you get to know everybody," Mack said. "It gives them a chance to meet other people from different parts of the country. The Special Olympics program is good for the athletes because it brings them out of their shell. It's a good influence on them, and they just love these tournaments.

"It's an honor to be chosen to go."

Mack has been involved with Special Olympics since 1988, and Smith has been coaching for the past six years. The two currently are coaching two local softball teams that will compete for a spot in the Special Olympics Missouri state tournament in August. Both squads are unified, meaning each disabled athlete is paired with a nonhandicapped partner so that there is an equal number of both on each team.

Fultz plays on one of the softball squads, but his focus is geared toward a national title at this point. He works out every day, whether it be cardiovascular exercises or lifting weights, and he claims he's ready for the biggest athletic challenge of his life.

"I'm ready," he said, "but this heat -- I don't like this heat. It's going to be hard on me, but I'll get it done. Maybe I'll have a shot at winning, but I ain't seen these people yet.

"I just gotta do what I gotta do. I love doing sports and doing things for Special Olympics."

Mack said the hard-working Fultz has an impact on Special Olympics that goes beyond his athletic performance.

"Daniel's a good athlete, and he's a team leader," Mack said. "He watches out for the younger guys and people who are more disabled than he is. He likes to have fun and cut up -- don't get me wrong -- but he listens and he's a good kid."