A former Miami Lakes Optimist softball player is celebrating a win as part of the Special Olympics Florida softball team.
Emily Torres, 27, played on the silver medal-winning unified slow pitch softball team at the USA Games in Minnesota. Special Olympics unified sports feature people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team.
Torres, who does not have an intellectual disability, lives in Kendall but grew up in Miami Lakes and played softball and basketball at Optimist Park as a teenager. She got involved with the Special Olympics when she was about 18 and fell in love with playing with the athletes.
“I did it every single year after that,” she said. “I did flag football, I did basketball, softball as a unified partner.”
“Unified partners” is the term Special Olympics uses for those who participate and do not have an intellectual disability.
During the games in Minnesota, Torres played shortstop during their 18-17 win against Texas for a silver medal. She also pitches and plays the outfield.
Torres’ work with the Special Olympics is how she found her calling in special education. She works at a special educational academy in Kendall.
“When I was 24, I wanted to be more involved, and that led me to Our Pride Academy,” Torres said.
Torres works as a secondary and adult reading assistant at the school, which is for individuals with developmental disabilities.
“I started coaching for the softball team, because they didn’t have a unified team,” Torres said.
Torres wanted to continue being involved with the Special Olympics; since her involvement, the team has gone to states and eventually became part of the athletes representing Team Florida at the USA Games.
She wanted to use her talents and abilities to help others and not just play on teams without giving back.
“It felt good to help them, and I fell in the love with the idea,” Torres said.
In the future she hopes to be able to participate internationally with the team.
“We want to get to world games,” Torres said. “But that takes a bit more.”