(CNN) -- As coach Keith Nelson studied the opposing team, he
realized his players were at a big disadvantage. Their future opponents moved
quickly around the court, passing the puck with strength and agility.
His floor hockey team was out of shape. While in their
hearts they were champions, their bodies weren't quite ready for the challenge
ahead.
If Team USA was going to win at the Special Olympics World
Winter Games, Nelson thought, they had some conditioning to do.
Nelson has been a Special Olympics coach in Riverside,
California, for 11 years. His oldest son, Ryan, 29, has Asperger's syndrome, a
high-functioning form of autism. When Ryan Nelson outgrew youth soccer, he
joined the Special Olympics program. Since then, he has added basketball, floor
hockey and track and field events to his athletic resume.
