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The quiet and reserved Maurice Watts walked onto the stage after the surprise
announcement that he'd won the 2006 Special Olympics North Carolina Athlete
of the Year award. With more than 300 people standing and applauding,
he turned the tables on the entire audience, his family and friends and
stepped to the microphone.
"Thank you to my coaches, thank you to my teachers and thank you,"
said the 19-year-old Special Olympics Guilford/High Point athlete.
"I almost fell out of my chair I was so stunned to see Maurice step
up to the microphone," said Jeff Caudill of Special Olympics Guilford/High
Point. "I never dreamed he would speak in front of all those people.
He really rose to the occasion."
The award had been kept a secret not just from Maurice but from his family
as well. His mother Pamela and two sisters, Shaemae (18), Quierra (17)
were all in attendance. The entire Watts family was under the impression
the banquet was to honor all Athlete of the Year nominees. Everyone was
stunned when a video clip about Maurice was aired and he was announced
the 2006 Athlete of the Year! Maurice himself put his head down in amazement.
The honor overwhelmed him for a minute.
"I was completely floored," said Maurice's mother. "When
I watched the video, I was tearful, I was happy, I was surprised! I was
so happy for him and so proud. But when he got onstage and actually said
something because he's really quiet, I think that was even more shocking
then hearing he got the award!"
Maurice won the honor because he is so active within Special Olympics.
He skis, swims, runs track, cycles and plays basketball and softball for
Special Olympics Guilford/High Point. He has been participating for eight
years and won many medals at local and state-level events for his efforts.
Not only is Watts a dedicated athlete, he is also very attentive to the
needs of those within his community. Watts volunteers as a summer camp
counselor at Camp Ann, a summer camp for individuals with developmental
disabilities. During the school year, he has a part-time job at Big Lots.
Any afternoon he's not working, you can find him helping low functioning
students at an after-school program.
Maurice has taken his plaque to cycling practice for all the Guilford/High
Point athletes to see it but rest assured it is now back and hanging in
a very prominent sport in the Watts home!
Congratulations Maurice, the honor is well deserved!
Nominate a person to be featured in "Spotlight On" -Contact
Leah Sundheim at 1-800-843-6276,
ext. 110.
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