Mt. Prospect coach headed for World Special Olympics

For the last nine years, Andy Compton has taught special education kids to enjoy the sport of snowshoeing.

This week, the Mount Prospect coach is off to the Special Olympics World games in Idaho, where he will coach Midwest athletes in the 200- and 400-meter races and the snowshoe relay.

He is one of five coaches from the Illinois delegation on Team USA and will coach competitors in other winter sports as well.

Compton likes all the snow sports, but has a soft spot for snowshoeing because most everyone can partake.

"Snowshoeing is just so much fun," Compton said. "It's like running. It's an easy sport to learn and all the kids can participate in it."

A driver's ed teacher and coach at Vernon Hills High School since 1993, Compton will be in Idaho from Feb. 7-13, coaching four kids, including Mark Oftedahl from Bolingbrook.

The snowshoe races are between 50 and 1,600 meters.

"Canada has a pretty good team, but so do the French and China has a good group too," Compton said. "It'll be a good competition and I hope everyone does well."

His own students, from the Vernon Hills High School snowshoe team, did not make the cut.

"Our kids who won gold medals at the state (Special Olympic) winter games last year were eligible to apply to the World Games, but they weren't picked," Compton said. "It's competitive. They only take just so many kids per state."

About 3,000 athletes from more than 100 countries will be at the World games, competing in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowboarding, snowshoeing and speed skating. The games will be in Boise, McCall and Sun Valley, Idaho.

The Special Olympics is held every two years and it alternates between summer and winter games.

In 2007, the Special Olympic World Summer Games were held in Shanghai, China, and the 2011 World Summer Games will be in Athens.

The facts

What: Almost 2,500 athletes from 100 countries compete

Sports: Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowboarding, speed skating and snowshoeing

Where: Boise, McCall and Sun Valley, Idaho

When: Feb. 7-13

Etc.: Special Olympics Illinois offers year-around training and competition in 19 sports for more than 21,000 athletes age 8 and older with intellectual disabilities. The World Games - featuring international competition - are held every other year, alternating between summer and winter games.

Information: www.2009worldgames.org, specialolympics.org or soill.org. Call (800) 832-6476.