Kildare Special Olympics branch receives regional volunteer award
Naas Python club members Aoife Little, Lorraine Minogue, Suzanne Whelan, Vikki Geldard
NAAS Pythons Special Olympics Sports Club has been recognised for its outstanding contribution to community sport, receiving the inaugural Leinster Club/Community Award at the 2025 Volunteers in Sports Awards held on Thursday 26 February at the Blanchardstown Crowne Plaza Hotel.
This award celebrates exceptional volunteer-led clubs that make a meaningful and lasting impact within their communities.
The club was founded in 2003 following the Special Olympics World Games 2003, when the Naas community proudly hosted the New Zealand delegation.
From friendships formed during that unforgettable time, Naas Pythons was born, and more than twenty years later, several founding members remain actively involved, a testament to the club’s deep-rooted commitment to inclusion and community.
Today, the club supports 76 athletes with intellectual disabilities across athletics, basketball, bowling and floorball. It also delivers the Young Athletes Programme for children aged 4–12, fostering fundamental movement skills and nurturing a lifelong love of sport from an early age.
Powered by 46 dedicated volunteers, Naas Pythons provides structured, high-quality coaching in a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment.
Through strong partnerships with local schools and community facilities in Naas, the club actively promotes awareness of inclusion and volunteering among young people, strengthening community ties across the town.
Looking ahead, five members of Naas Pythons will represent Leinster at the Special Olympics Ireland Summer Games in Dublin this June. Club volunteers will also attend in key leadership roles, including coach chaperones, Head of Delegation, and Head Basketball Coach for Team Leinster.
For many athletes, the Ireland Summer Games represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, offering elite-level competition, national recognition, personal achievement, confidence-building, and the chance to forge unforgettable friendships.
In the months leading up to the Games, athletes and coach chaperones are undertaking an intensive training commitment, attending all Leinster training sessions from March through May.
Through its athletes, volunteers, and community partnerships, Naas Pythons Special Olympics Sports Club continues to empower individuals, champion inclusion, and strengthen the spirit of community in Naas.
