[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorge Fitzgerald has made history as an athlete who went on to become a referee and coach, but before he found Special Olympics Ireland he never would have imagined what was possible. \u201cBefore I started back in 2002 I was not involved in any sports.\u0026nbsp;Most days, I just went for a walk or watched TV. I didn\u2019t have many friends, so I would be on my own a lot.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis all changed when George attended a training course in Waterford where a friend mentioned he was going to a training session. \u201cI said, \u2018I\u2019ll come watch\u2019. Before this I\u2019d never heard of Special Olympics, but I joined up and went from there!\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI had never been a part of any club so it was all very new for me. There were so many opportunities in being part of something so big of something so big \u2013 I made new friends, and developed new skills that I didn\u2019t know I could have.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorge thrived in the Special Olympics atmosphere of support and inclusion \u2013 taking on ever-bigger challenges including becoming a referee and then a coach. \u201cMy local club gave me the chance to do training courses, so I went ahead and did a lot of them! One of the things that\u2019s amazing about Special Olympics is the inclusion \u2013 they focus on developing athletes as sports officials and as coaches \u2013 it\u2019s about believing in our athletes and involving them in higher roles. It\u2019s hard work at the start, but with the right direction from your club you will get to where you want to be. My advice would be to just do it - go for it and excel.\u0026nbsp;Believe you can go that extra step.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorge\u2019s coaching career had a brilliant highlight as Assistant Floorball Coach for Team Ireland at the 2025 World Winter Games in Turin. For George, it\u2019s just the beginning: \u201cI hope to continue with coaching at further Winter Games.\u0026nbsp;I feel like I belong doing this, and this is my calling in life!\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","dialogOptions":{"dialogClass":"popup-dialog-class","width":"60%","modal":true,"title":"George Blazes a Trail","classes":{"ui-dialog":"popup-dialog-class"}}}]