Howell Resident Shines at Special Olympics

Howell Resident Padraig Westgate has only been playing bocce for seven years, but in that time the 28-year-old has already proven to be among the elite players in the country.

Earlier this month Westgate was able to take his skills to the international level as a member of Team USA at the Special Olympics in Athens, Greece. Thanks to his contributions, the Americans brought home the gold medal in the team event, while he and his partner took home the bronze medal in the doubles event. He also brought home a bronze as an individual. 

Padraig's mother Elaine said her son has been involved with the Special Olympics for 21 years and had originally competed as a gymnast before tearing his ACL and miniscus while competing in the vault. Having made it to the national tournament last year, this was his first trip to compete among the best in the world. 

When the national team was selected from the best of the best, Westgate had earned the right to represent his state and his country halfway across the world. As is part of the tradition of the Special Olympics, Westgate's mom said the event was about more than just who brought home a medal. "The cameraderie of the athletes from the United Statea and outside the United States was just amazing," she said. 

In the time he has been playing the game, his mom, who also serves as his coach, said he has put in a lot of work to get where he is. "Training for bocce is harder than people would imagine," she said. "You can learn how to play the game in one year, but the mind games that come in after are more intense."

Most of his training happens in the Jackson backyard of a family friend who have set up a court where Westgate's team puts in most of its work. Padraig himself is a member of the Jackson Memorial High School Class of 2007.

Participating in bocce gives Westgate a chance to show what he can do against competitors of all skill levels. "Paddy I think is a very good athlete and it enables him to play on the same field with athletes that do not have a disability, especially when it comes to bocce," his mom said. 

Westgate has Down Syndrome, but his mom said when it comes to the Special Olympics, that is an afterthought with compeition and sportsmanship being the name of the game. "I don't know what we would have done without the Special Olympics, because he would have been sitting home all the time," Mrs. Westgate said. 

In addition to bocce, Westgate has also competed in bowling, floor hockey and other sports making him a well rounded athlete. No matter how he did in the competition, Padraig's mom said "It's going to be the trip of a lifetime," for her son who said his favorite part of the experience was the food. 

When he is not competing in the Special Olympics, Westgate can be found working at the Arc of Monmouth County in Long Branch.