By now, everyone must have seen the video on network news or the Internet of the high school basketball player who scored 20 points at the end of his team’s last regular season game.

It was one of those videos you had to see to believe. I think most basketball fans have at one time or another witnessed a basketball player who was on fire and couldn’t miss the basket even if he wanted to, but very rarely do those players make national news. What made this story so amazing to a lot of people was the fact that the basketball player, Jason McElwain, has autism.

Maybe it was the element of surprise that made this such an amazing story. Who would have guessed that McElwain, after sitting on the bench all season, had the capability to shoot six three-pointers and one two-pointer in less than four minutes?

Maybe his coach knew about McElwain’s disability, but possibly he also recognized his talent. Maybe he watched him shoot before and during team practices and decided it was just a matter of giving McElwain an opportunity to show everyone else what he was capable of. Isn’t that what sporting events are all about, giving athletes of all capabilities opportunities to showcase their talents in team or individual competition.

McElwain was fortunate he had a coach who realized his potential and provided him with the opportunity to show people what he could do. When athletes have some kind of disability, the challenge is finding them the opportunity to not only show but to actually realize their capabilities.

This opportunity was provided for a number of athletes with disabilities last Friday when Cape Elizabeth hosted the Cumberland County Special Olympics. The Cape Elizabeth Special Olympic Team, comprised of athletes from the elementary, middle and high schools, competed in the meet.

The Special Olympics Swim Meet gave our Cape athletes with disabilities the opportunity to showcase their abilities. At the same time, the coaches, parents, volunteers and spectators focused on the potential of each of the athletes, rather than their disabilities.

The day was full of 15-minutes-of-fame stories that rivaled McElwain’s four minutes of basketball shooting fame. Middle and high school athletes received ribbons for first, second, and third place finishes in the freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke events, while other athletes achieved personal records.

Classes from the elementary, middle and high schools came to watch their friends compete. A second-grade Special Olympic athlete competed in the 25 meter flotation race. With a noodle securely placed around his waist, the athlete kicked his way from the deep end to the shallow end. When he heard his class shout his name, he looked up, raised both his hands and waved to his classmates and teacher. Then he started swimming again, towards the end of the pool, where the coaches, volunteers and his parents were cheering and encouraging him on to the end of the pool.

From time to time, he brushed the water off of his face and made sure his hair was in place. I think he must have known there was a photographer capturing his fame on film. With the last 5 meters to go, he gave one last wave to the crowd, put his face in the water, kicked his feet and reached his arms out and touched the end of the pool.

The crowd, to put it mildly, went wild. This particular athlete not only took the opportunity to realize and show his capability, he used it to milk as much out of his 15 minutes as he possibly could.

The Special Olympics and people like Jason McElwain’s coach provide athletes with disabilities the opportunities to realize their individual capabilities. We just have to take the opportunity to pay attention, so we won’t be so surprised the next time one of them scores 20 points or wins a blue ribbon.

McElwain’s story and all the Special Olympic stories are great, but what makes them so amazing is that someone had the foresight and confidence in these athletes to dream up a competition that would show us all what they could do.