Dan Banks has always been involved with sports.
He played collegiate baseball in Florida and West Virginia, before returning home and coaching the sport at a variety of levels, whether it be local teams or his development role with the Toronto Blue Jays.
That’s why when a friend approached, saying his autistic son wanted to try softball, Banks pulled together a Special Olympics softball team for local youth in Aurora.
“It's important. It provides a bunch of different skills and socializing, which is what the athletes really, really get out of it, more than anything,” said Banks, who grew up with a cousin who had an intellectual disability. “It’s good to be physical, but they get the social aspect and they get out of their comfort zone and get to try different things, so it was a perfect fit.”
“Newmarket does have a program, too, but they want to represent their town and be proud of being in Aurora, so it gave them an opportunity to do a sport where they can wear Aurora across their chest,” said Banks.
Since that initial softball team was started more than 12 years ago, Aurora’s Special Olympics program has expanded, with twice as many athletes participating. The program now offers seven sports, everything from bocce to rhythmic gymnastics, with several groups of athletes going from the program to compete at provincial competitions over the years.
“It's hard to describe, when you go to a practice, you're kind of hooked,” said the York Regional Police officer. “Seeing the enthusiasm of the athletes, their love for life. There's on a care in the world.
"There's often a lot of people that put people with intellectual disabilities in a certain box and that's not there's none of that there,” added Banks. “There's no there's no judgment, there's no limitation, they don't have their disability affect them in any way.”
Banks has been involved for more than a decade with the program, initially running the softball program before taking over the basketball program, too. Banks’ daughters also volunteer with the Special Olympics program.
In recognition of those efforts, Banks was part of a group of 20 individuals who were presented with a King Charles III Coronation Medal, earlier this month.
