Community Support Fuels Mississippi Athletes Heading to USA Games
Special to DeSotoCountyNews.com
By BOB BAKKEN
Four North Mississippi athletes are finalizing years of intensive training this week as they prepare to represent the state at the Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis.
The delegation, led by veteran track and field coach Glen Barlow, will join thousands of national competitors for the weeklong event. The opening ceremonies are scheduled for June 20 at Huntington Bank Stadium, with official competition running from June 21 through June 26.
A Years-Long Journey to the National Stage
While standard athletic training programs often span a few months, Barlow noted that his squad’s preparation represents a deep, long-term commitment.
“This is not just like regular Olympics, this is not just we train just for a month or two,” Barlow said. “These athletes have been running with us the last five, ten years now, and every season they come out and they’re running and they’re doing their best.”
Barlow, who is making his third appearance as the track and field athletics coach, emphasized that strong community backing in North Mississippi has been vital to the program’s success.
“I think it’s the buy-in that we’ve had, not only with the coaches, with the athletes, with their families, but also the community,” Barlow said. “The folks that are there on the track, they get out and run with our athletes as well, and it lets them see that this isn’t just a one-person team.”
The track squad will feature a mixed 4×100-meter relay team consisting of two male and two female athletes, including one competitor from Vicksburg, Mississippi, alongside the local roster.
Meet the Competitors
Seth Slocum (Southaven)
Slocum, an experienced competitor making his second appearance at the USA Games, will compete in powerlifting. A graduate of the Mississippi State University ACCESS program, Slocum credited his multi-sport background and long-term training with his mentors for his development.
“I wanted to keep getting stronger and get better, and keep being a better version of myself, and keep doing the things that I love and be happy and stay healthy too,” Slocum said.
Slocum has set ambitious weight targets for the Minneapolis games: a 450-pound deadlift, a 410-pound back squat, and a bench press in the 245 to 250-pound range. He noted that family and trainer backing has been critical: “I’ve had a lot of support, and it helped me a lot succeeding and getting some stuff done and getting better.”
Kassidy Gamblin (Horn Lake)
Gamblin, who has been involved in track since she was 8 years old, will compete in the 100-meter run, the running long jump, and the 4×100-meter relay. Expressing her excitement for the upcoming trip to Minnesota, Gamblin summarized her competitive focus simply: “Run fast.”
Matthew Bell (Byhalia)
Bell, a Marshall County resident and a Special Olympics board member who has participated in the program for nearly a decade, will compete in the 200-meter run, the long jump, and the 4×100-meter relay. For Bell, the event is about more than just securing medals.
“It’s mostly about spreading the encouragement, reminding everyone that the main idea is to have fun,” Bell said. “It doesn’t always have to end up being competition.”
Bell prepares by running two to three miles around his neighborhood, alongside Thursday team practices. He named the 200-meter sprint as his clear favorite, recalling his performance at a past competition: “I remember one of my favorite clips was on the 200 and I felt like I was on fire… like I was just kicking speed.”
Joseph Tate (Olive Branch)
Tate will round out the track and field roster, competing in the 100-meter run, the running long jump, and the relay. Tate, who previously competed at the 2022 USA Games in Orlando, shared his enthusiasm for the team dynamics of the sport, stating that he is looking forward to the opportunity of “being able to run with your friends.”
Redefining Athletic Excellence
Barlow stressed that the determination of the Special Olympics athletes matches that of any other national delegation.
“These athletes go out and they do everything just as hard, and they do it just as fast,” Barlow said. “No, we don’t have those same speeds and those same times, but they care just as much. They want to get those medals, and they want to hear the cheering in the stands as well.”
