Nebraska native Wyatt Spalding selected for significant Special Olympics role

Timothy Shriver—nephew of former President John F. Kennedy—is chairman of the Special Olympics, an organization founded by his mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Last year, more than 100 Special Olympic athletes applied to be Sargent Shriver Global Messengers. Ten athletes from around the world were selected for the role, and Nebraska’s Wyatt Spalding was one of them.

“I’ll travel the U.S. to tell my story and how the Special Olympics made an impact on my life,” Spalding said. “I will be going to Italy next March and then Chile in the summer of 2027.”

Spalding grew up in Fremont, Neb. and now lives in Lincoln. Spalding—who has Cerebral palsy—was pulled out of many sports as a child. He first tried tennis when he was seven and again when he was 13 years old.

“What I enjoy most about tennis is the grind of being out there in the heat for hours and the mental challenges you have to overcome in a match,” he said.

Special Olympics sports, and tennis in particular, have been instrumental in Spalding’s development according to his dad, Rick Spalding. Playing sports with and against others who have disabilities provided Spalding the opportunity to compete. It also gave him the chance to learn how to communicate with others while creating lasting friendships. Special Olympics has given Spalding the confidence to grow and try new things, like tennis.

“He has learned to think on his own, strategize and work hard,” Rick Spalding said. “I don’t even want to think about where Wyatt might be without Special Olympics sports and tennis. Actively competing in sports has taught Wyatt and so many others with disabilities how to actively compete in life.”

Last year, Wyatt Spalding was inducted into the Special Olympics Nebraska Hall of Fame. As for the future, he hopes he can one day travel the country to play USTA matches and maybe even get a sponsor.

“Just because I have a disability,” Wyatt Spalding said, “doesn’t mean I can’t compete at the highest level in 3.0 around the U.S.”

For more info on the Sargent Shriver Global Messengers, click here.