On Tuesday 18 March, Tuttosport, one of Italy’s leading sport newspapers, published an article on Special Olympics Motor Activity Training Program (MATP) skier Samuele Tron and his coach, Andrea Tron, who is also his father. The following is an excerpt from the newspaper on the impact of MATP and the work of Samuele and Andrea to grow inclusive sport for all:
Samuele Tron, affected by encephalitis, on the race slopes with his father Andrea "Happiness is father and son together" "For us, it’s a small revolution. Playing with him is almost impossible. But on the snow, there is sharing." By Silvia Campanella Encephalitis. "We cannot guarantee your son’s quality of life." These words from the doctors echoed in Andrea's head as he drove home from the hospital. In the seat beside him was his firstborn, Samuele, only three months old. "On that drive, I thought of two things: one, I will never be able to sing happily in the car again. Two, I will never be able to ski with my son." Skiing, the passion passed down from his own father, who was a ski instructor.
Today, 19 years after that drive home, Andrea Tron smiles as he recalls the emotions of this past week.
Because not only has he skied with Samuele on the slopes designed for the Special Olympics, but he has also become a witness to what is possible, to the joy that can be given and experienced. And—he hopes—he has also set an example to encourage many athletes to approach the discipline of ski sitting.
Andrea and Samuele participated in the Motor Activity Training Program (MATP), a program dedicated to athletes with severe and profound disabilities. They demonstrated on the Bardonecchia course and even led the way as forerunners in the Downhill, Giant Slalom, and Slalom races.
"This was a small revolution because we also tackled the racecourse. We hope that the media visibility these Games have given us will soon help create an official ski sitting category," says Andrea.
"Special Olympics focuses a lot on the independence of athletes wherever possible, but it’s also right to make space for athletes like Samuele. This too is a small, great revolution."
Samuele doesn’t speak, doesn’t see, and has severe psychomotor difficulties. "Playing with him is almost impossible, even understanding his mood is challenging. But on the snow, everything changes. There, I feel like we are truly together—and that happens rarely, maybe only when we go to see Juventus at the stadium. The speed, the movement, the wind in his face. His arms flutter, his smile is constant—that’s when I see him truly happy. Even during the descent at the Special Olympics. Of course, he doesn’t understand the concept of competition, but he definitely feels the attention and the energy of the cheering crowd."
