Pinnacle Positive Impact Award Recognizes Outstanding Athlete Leaders

At the end of our 2024 Athlete Leadership Program graduation ceremony, we unveiled a new award that will honor outstanding graduates of our Athlete Leadership Program. The Pinnacle Positive Impact Award was developed in conjunction with Athlete Leadership Program presenting sponsor Pinnacle Financial Services to honor graduates of the Athlete Leadership Program who, through their leadership and service, makes a positive impact on our program. To qualify for the award, an Athlete Leader has to have been active for at least two years, must engage with all levels of program stakeholders with respect, professionalism and passion, understands and embrace their role as a leader, demonstrates leadership while providing positive input and energy at all levels of their involvement in Special Olympics, provide encouragement and support to their fellow athletes to help them be successful, have made a positive impact on the SOKY program (at any level) and show good sportsmanship.

With eight years of graduates from the Athlete Leadership Program as it is currently structured and six years of potentially eligible classes, the decision was made to name three recipients in the Award’s first year. They are Jennifer Hamilton of Owensboro, Hayden Redmon of Louisville and Katie Williams from Central City.

Hamilton is a Class of 2020 ALPs graduate who has been involved in Special Olympics for more than 20 years. She participates in several sports and has competed in two USA Games and at the 2007 World Games in Shanghai, China. After striving to improve her own health, Healthy Athletes programs have become a primary focus for Hamilton. She was part of our first class of Health Messengers and has taken that work to heart. She and fellow honoree Katie Williams set up a Healthy Athletes information tent at the 2023 State Softball Tournament and Hamilton recently started a walking club for her Daviess County Special Olympics program. She has worked at Owensboro Health for 16 years.

“Jennifer embodies the spirit of Special Olympics,” Special Olympics Area 2 Director and Daviess County Local Coordinator Kim Johnson said. “She is committed to her sports and her teammates. She’s always encouraging others and jumping into help even if she’s not expected to. Her teammates listen to her and look up to her.”

Redmon graduated with the inaugural Athlete Leadership class in 2016. He has been a Special Olympics athlete since 2007 competing in bowling, soccer, basketball and softball. Since graduation, Redmon has answered the call to represent Special Olympics and his fellow athletes countless times at events like the Polar Plunge, the Armadillo Classic and helping to emcee the State Summer Games Opening Ceremonies. During the awards presentation, SOKY President and CEO Trish Mazzoni said, “he checks all the boxes.”

“I’m proud of his confidence and how he has grown to be able to speak in public,” his mother and often coach Patty Redman said. “The Athlete Leadership class has helped him learn how to express himself.”

Williams is also a 2016 Athlete Leadership class graduate. She has been involved in Special Olympics since she was 8 years old and continues to compete in multiple sports. in addition to her work as a Health Messenger, Williams has become a vital part of the State Summer Games weekend. Along with Jennifer Hamilton, Williams shows up early in the week to help set up the Games and has developed such an understanding of the process that in presenting the award, Mazzoni referred to her as “my right-hand gal” during Summer Games. Williams also plays a key role in the VIP Reception that weekend. She has also helped emcee Opening Ceremonies. One of her biggest experiences was representing Kentucky on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., as part of Special Olympics Hill Day in 2019.

“I’m so proud of her accomplishments,” her mother, Patty Williams said. “The Leadership Program has enabled her to realize her real potential and she has a higher level of independence.”

The Pinnacle Positive Impact Award is a perpetual award that will be displayed in the lobby of the Special Olympics Office in Frankfort. It is expected that one new recipient will be named each year.

For more information about the Special Olympics Kentucky Athlete Leadership Program, contact Brennan Smith at 502-695-8222 or [email protected].