THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 1, 1995 TAG: 9501310090
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Linda McNatt
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
When Terri and Glenn Lockwood were junior high school sweethearts in South Carolina, they volunteered with the Special Olympics. Terri thinks a guiding force in their lives was paving the way for things to come.
That's because just a few years later their first daughter, Traci, was born. And due to lack of oxygen to the brain before and during birth, she was diagnosed trainably mentally handicapped.
Despite countless health problems and operations over the years, and despite her disability, Traci today is a gifted, 14-year-old athlete with an undaunted competitive spirit.
She recently brought home the gold for Alpine downhill skiing at the 1995 State Special Olympics, held Jan. 9-11 at Wintergreen Resort.
She competed again Jan. 19-21 in Fairfax County, where she won the gold medal in 30-meter speed skating and the silver in 10-meter speed skating.
The big wins qualify Traci for the next International Special Olympics, in 1997 in Canada.
When you hear about Traci's medical history, her success is hard to believe.
She was 80 percent deaf as a baby. Today, after a number of operations, her hearing has been increased by about 60 percent. She has overcome motor deficiencies in her feet and legs and many other obstacles, her mother says, thanks to good doctors.
And thanks to her parents. They coach for Special Olympics and have been instrumental in getting the program in full swing in Isle of Wight County.
There are now about 35 regular Special Olympics athletes in the county, the Lockwoods say. Most of them attend Smithfield Middle School with Traci.
The Lockwoods, both employed by the Peninsula YMCA, pick the children up each Thursday and take them to the Y across the river for swimming lessons.
Glenn, who formerly played defensive lineman for the Peninsula Poseidons, is a fitness instructor at the Y. He coaches power lifting three nights a week. Terri coaches gymnastics and works with the after-school program.
They have always enjoyed sports. While Glenn was playing football and baseball, Terri cheered.
When Traci was born, they wanted her to enjoy sports, too.
``Most people assume that the mentally handicapped are not good athletes,'' Glenn said. ``That's just not so. We have one of our athletes who does a 480-pound deadlift. A lot of the athletes have moved outside of Special Olympics and continued to compete.''
The Lockwoods started Traci in training when she was 5. Three years later, she was competing. She has excelled in soccer, basketball, swimming and bowling. She also lifts weights.
The Lockwoods say they are very proud of Traci.
And they are proud of their younger daughter, Brandi, 12. With a mentally handicapped sister, they say, Brandi is understanding and works well with the special athletes.
The Lockwoods would do almost anything to promote Special Olympics.
At 1 p.m. Saturday, Glenn plans to plunge into the Atlantic Ocean as part of the Polar Plunge III to benefit the games for mentally disabled children and adults. The event is sponsored by Adventure Club East, Clarion Resort and Conference Center and WNOR-FM radio. All proceeds support Virginia Special Olympics.
(For more information, or to support Glenn's frigid effort with a donation, call 1-800-526-6130.)
Meanwhile, the Lockwoods would like to do even more locally with the special athletes. They have a few from Windsor, they say, but the county is so spread out that it's difficult at times to get the athletes together when they don't have transportation.
``I think we could double participation if we just had a van or a bus,'' Terri says.
If you'd like to help, you can call the Lockwoods at 365-0353. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by LINDA McNATT
Traci Lockwood won a gold medal in downhill skiing.
KEYWORDS: SPECIAL OLYMPICS by CNB