Athlete Board Representative Among 27 Selected from U.S., Canada and Caribbean

We are proud to announce that Louisville athlete and SOKY Athlete Board Member Austin Stine has been selected to participate in the  2026 Special Olympics North America Athlete Congress. The first Athlete Congress in SONA history, the meeting will include 27 athletes and athlete members from throughout the region, which includes the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. Stine was selected through an application process after being nominated by SOKY.

The SONA Athlete Congress will be held March 8-13, 2026, in Grand Rapids, Mich. The objective of the Congress is to gather information on issues that impact local programming, train participants in personal and professional development skills, as well as the necessary problem-solving skills. Participants will also select the attendees who will represent SONA at the 2027 Global Athlete Congress.

“We believe athletes are at the center of every decision we make so it’s imperative to have proper athlete representation on the Board, which is exactly what Austin provides,” Special Olympics Kentucky CEO Angie Cruse-Tinch said. “Through his leadership on the Board, he’s able to advocate for his fellow athletes across the state of Kentucky and his ongoing advocacy contributes to the overall strategic goals of the organization. Austin has been an integral part of the SOKY Board of Directors, and we are so excited for him to have the opportunity to expand his reach through his participation with the 2026 SONA Athlete Congress.”

Stine has been a Special Olympics Kentucky athlete for 23 years competing in swimming, bowling and ice skating in that time. He competed as part of the Team Kentucky swimming delegation at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games where he won an individual gold medal in the 50-yard freestyle. He also won gold as part of the Team Kentucky 4×50-yard medley relay team. He added a 5th place in the 100-yard freestyle.

He is a 2023 graduate of the SOKY Athlete Leadership Program and has served as the Athlete Board Rep since the beginning of 2025.

For more information about the SONA Athlete Leadership Conference, contact Special Olympics Kentucky Health and Wellness Director Brennan Smith at 502-695-8222 or bsmith@soky.org.