STEUBENVILLE — Changes are coming to the Jefferson County Special Olympics and officials are seeking participants in an upcoming session.

Mike Wilson has assumed the role of Special Olympics local coordinator. Wilson is enthusiastic about his new position and its potential to expand the program and introduce additional sports. Those ideas are the basis of an athletes and service provider meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the cafeteria of the School of Bright Promise, located at 250 John Scott Highway.

Wilson, who has coached the Jefferson County All-Stars basketball team for the past two years and serves as an aide at Bright Promise, was eager to move the program forward. He replaces longtime leader Steve Forte, who died on June 14.

“I’m very excited and can’t wait to get started,” he said. “I coached my second year for the basketball team and in the community even longer.”

Wilson was inspired by his children to become involved with the Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Special Olympics and has spoken to officials about possible new sporting events with an eye on additions such as golf, softball and powerlifting. The program has provided basketball and previously offered bowling and track and field, but the Area 9 Special Olympics last held summer events at Harding Stadium in 2019. He said the idea is to bring activities back to the forefront.

“There are no limits,” he said. “Everything we can do we’re doing. We want to get the community involved and we’ll talk at the informational meeting about the Special Olympics and the direction we’re going in. We’re trying to get more people involved.”

Randy Cottis, director of operations for JCBDD, added that the meeting was for anyone interested in being part of the program from athletes to volunteers, and parents, guardians and others are invited to give their time.

He said it ties into the Unified Champion Sports program, where youth who are active in unified sports at school can become Special Olympics athletes. For now, signups for basketball start in September with practice to follow through October, then games will start by December. Hopes are to not only see the program evolve but return to its successful roots with potential participation in the U.S. Special Olympics Games to be held in Cleveland in 2030.

“Our goal is to increase the number of participants and sports that Special Olympics offers. We’re trying to take this to a new level and we’re looking to other counties such as Carroll and Tuscarawas, and the plan is to grow and offer bocce, cornhole and, potentially, swimming. We want to get back to the pride in the Special Olympics,” Cottis explained.

Officials praised Forte for his dedication and said his efforts will carry on through the Special Olympics program.

“Steve did an excellent job with Special Olympics and the program as a whole,” said Cottis. “Mike Wilson is very passionate about working with youth and he has a strong desire to help the program.”

“I learned a lot and Steve was a great mentor,” Wilson agreed, saying that the work will continue. “We want to bring the Special Olympics in Jefferson County back to where it was.”