Meet Sarah LaBreche

Why did you choose to participate in the Athlete Leadership University (ALU)?
I chose to participate because I want to become a successful leader. Through ALU, I have learned how to be more confident when I’m speaking or giving a speech about SORI. Last year, I had the honor and privilege to co-emcee the 2023 State Summer Games, and to speak at the 2023 Law Enforcement Torch Run kick-off conference.

What do you hope to accomplish in your involvement with this program?
I hope to become a great leader on behalf of my teammates and fellow athletes. The ALU has taught me how to be more vocal on and off the playing fields. If I’m at basketball, I take on a more leadership role by moving my teammates around the court. If we are on the track, I’m cheering on and yelling encouragement to my teammates. This spring, for our track and field practices, my Dad has assigned me to do the team announcements before each practice. I hope that my teammates see how much of a better speaker I have become, and I hope to be able to pass on some of the skills that I have learned to them. I would definitely recommend that if they have the chance to attend ALU, that they do it.

What do you enjoy doing for fun?
For fun, I enjoy going to my grandmother’s house and doing arts and crafts. My biggest hobby is LEGO building. I have built over 100 LEGO sets and still have them all. My biggest builds were the Titanic and the Disney castle. I also love watching TV with my family. We watch Beat Shazam, Master Chef, The Masked Singer, Hell’s Kitchen, and We Are Family. My favorite memory is being selected to the 2022 Rhode Island team that went to the 2022 USA Games in Orlando, Florida. I was selected as a track and field athlete. I trained very hard for over a year with Coach Sue Carlson and won 2 bronze medals in the 200m dash and running long jump, and a 4th place ribbon in the 400m dash. It was an experience that I will never forget.

Is there anything else about yourself that you would like to share?
SORI activities have helped me with some challenges due to my autism. When I first started with SORI I was 8 years old, I was extremely shy, would not make eye contact with anyone, and did very little talking. Making friends with other athletes like me made me feel welcome and accepted. With acceptance came confidence. And everyone encouraged me and cheered me on no matter what I was doing. The more involved I was, the more comfortable I became. My parents have also encouraged my development, including joining the Athlete Leadership Council and enrolling in Athlete Leadership University. I am also the female athlete representative on the Board of Directors. What an honor.  I am inspired by many of the athletes that I know and I continue to learn from them, including watching them speak. In the past, I could never get up in front of a crowd of people; crowds were all overwhelming for me. Watching many of my friends speak in front of people about Special Olympics Rhode Island was always a positive experience and I felt like I could do what they were doing too. Special Olympics Rhode Island has become a special part of my family and has most definitely changed my life for the better.