Matthew Williams is a champion. He trains five days a week to excel in both basketball and speed skating and has gone on to represent Canada in international competition. In his inspiring TED Talk, Williams discusses how society has become more accepting of athletes with intellectual disabilities—however, we still have a ways to go. “The world does not see all people like me as champions,” Williams says, “Not long ago, people like me were shunned and hidden away. There has been lots of change since Special Olympics began in 1968, but in too many cases, people with intellectual disabilities are invisible to the wider population.”

Unfortunately, too many athletes have not been given the opportunity to perfect and showcase their talents. The Special Olympics has taken great steps to help all athletes reach their fullest potential by not only supporting athletes in competition, but also supporting their health: “Special Olympics also addresses critical health needs. Studies have shown that, on average, men with intellectual disabilities die 13 years younger than men without, and women with intellectual disabilities die 20 years younger than women without. Special Olympics keeps us healthy by getting us active and participating in sport. Also, our coaches teach us about nutrition and health. Special Olympics also provides free health screening for athletes who have difficulty communicating with their doctor or accessing health care.”

Playing sports have a variety of benefits such as building teamwork and leadership skills in a safe and fun environment—an environment all athletes should have the opportunity to be a part of. The Special Olympics is just one organization that is doing incredible work—work that Williams has the utmost respect for: “Special Olympics is changing the world by transforming four and a half million athletes and giving us a place to be confident, meet friends, not be judged and get to feel like and be champions.”

For more information on the Special Olympics, visit their website.

Watch the full talk below:

This Sunday millions of people will be huddled around their televisions with an array of jalapeño poppers and chips and guac to watch the Carolina Panthers take on the Denver Broncos (as well as the commercials). There has been a lot of talk surrounding Superbowl L as Peyton Manning squares off against Cam Newton–specifically around Peyton and if this will be his final game. Whether that is the case or just a rumor, athletes’ decisions to end their playing careers altogether or take breaks from their game are some of the most difficult decisions they must make.

There are many factors that play into deciding whether to take a break from/stop playing a sport completely—some are controllable and others, uncontrollable. A serious injury, for example, is a factor that athletes have no control over. Now, you may have control over how closely you stick to your rehabilitation process and if that injury was due to poor form, but most injuries are accidents and are therefore uncontrollable. Right after an uncontrollable event occurs, it is easy to get wrapped up in worst-case scenarios; however, we must step back and look at our situation with a lighter perspective. To help you do this, work through the following exercise:

Take a sheet of paper and draw a line vertically down the middle. At the top on the left, write “controllables”; on the right, write “uncontrollables.” Think about the situation you are in and write aspects of it in the appropriate column. For example, “broken ankle” is something you cannot control, but “going to rehab and doing the exercises daily” as well as “attitude about the situation” are two things you can control. From there, think about how you can control those “controllables” in the most healthy and positive way.

Whether you are talking about taking a break from your sport, transitioning into a new phase of playing, or retiring completely, spending time thinking about your “controllables” helps you mentally shift away from negative thoughts and toward positive actions that can help you get back on the field/move forward.

The second in our series of “spotlight sports” focuses on mixed martial arts, or MMA, which began in the ancient Olympic games known as Pankration. It was later passed on from the Greeks to the Romans. Some of the basic skills that were used back then are still used today, and with the help of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the sport is consistently rising in popularity.

MMA is a full-contact sport that combines fighting techniques from multiple styles of martial arts and combat sports. Since various styles are used, all fighters must be well rounded and versed in multiple disciplines. Almost all MMA fighters started in a particular area or areas of martial arts then crossed over to mixing the martial arts.

Rules and Regulations

When this sport first began there were hardly any rules, if any, which made for a free-for-all. As a result, today’s MMA fighting and competitions include many rules to keep athletes safe. The most common rule set around the world is The Unified Rules, which includes rules ranging from hand wrapping to ring conditions to weight class regulations.

Fights last for five minutes and mostly go for three rounds, however, in some cases there are five rounds. There are three ways to win a fight: knockout, submission or decision—the referee also can intervene and determine a win. Three judges score each fight using the 10-Point Must System, where the winner earns 10 points and the loser anything less than that (except in rare circumstances). Click here for a more comprehensive list of the rules.

How to Get Involved

Being one of the fastest growing sports today, there are many opportunities to get involved with MMA here in Minnesota. Check out the following links to see some of the studios Minnesota has to offer:

Warrior’s Cove

The Academy

Next Level Combat