This summer, Coach Jaqui Queirolo, along with her daughter, Coach Jaylin Anderson, launched a Mother-Daughter Summer Volleyball Clinic in Poolesville. What started as a simple idea has turned into a mission with deep roots and a powerful impact.

Coach Jaqui says the clinic is about giving kids a safe space to grow, connect, and be celebrated, especially those who struggle with anxiety, ADHD, or need somewhere to belong.

When Jordan Schubert first picked up a basketball as a kid in the Chicago area, he had no idea how far that first dribble would take him. Introduced to Special Olympics in fifth grade, his mom signed him up for basketball “as something to do in the fall.” What followed was a lifelong journey defined by sport, confidence, leadership, and ultimately, a job offer.

“I didn’t really know what I was getting into at the time,” Schubert said. “But from sixth grade on, I have loved every moment of it.”

His passion for basketball grew, and while he also tried bowling, soccer, floor hockey, and softball, the hardwood remained his home with one of his most cherished memories happening when he won his first gold medal on his mother’s birthday.

Special Olympics helped Schubert grow far beyond athletics. “It helped me academically,” he said. “I got better grades and made more friends.”

Schubert’s leadership journey took off in high school, when he was selected to attend the 2010 USA Games National Youth Summit. That opportunity led him to champion Unified Champion Schools initiatives in Illinois, and later, as a member of the National Youth Activation Committee after moving to Pennsylvania.

From there, Schubert’s relationship with Special Olympics deepened. In 2013, he interned at the organization’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., working with the User Experience (UX) team and supporting departments across the office. “Whenever I got my own work done early, I’d help other departments wherever they needed,” he said.

That same summer, at a staff conference in Charlotte, Schubert met the President & CEO of Special Olympics Pennsylvania and learned about an upcoming job opening. “I applied as soon as my internship ended and got it a couple of months later,” he said.

He started part-time during college as the Athlete Leadership Coordinator, essentially supporting the department’s daily operations. But just two months in, a staff transition pushed Schubert to take on more responsibility. Balancing a full academic course load with his job helped him sharpen key professional skills, prioritization, delegation, independence.

After graduation, Schubert was promoted to full-time. A year later, he took on an expanded role as Manager of Athlete Leadership and Young Athletes. “Young Athletes was such a meaningful addition,” Schubert said. “I wish that had been around when I was younger, I would’ve started Special Olympics much earlier.”

Today, Schubert’s work centers on developing and supporting athlete leaders across Pennsylvania. He helps individuals set goals, plan speeches and appearances, and connect with regional staff. He also leads statewide trainings and recently helped launch a recognition program to celebrate athletes going above and beyond.

Through it all, he continues to apply lessons learned on the court. “A lot of principles I’ve learned from sports, teamwork, resilience, reflection. I try to apply those to my job,” he said. “Be a team player. Stay steady. Always strive to improve.”

Schubert still competes, too. He played basketball at the 2022 USA Games in Orlando. That experience, coming out of the pandemic, only deepened his appreciation for the mission. “It made me value what I do and what others do so much more,” he said.

For Schubert, working at Special Olympics is about more than a paycheck.

He also believes firmly that hiring athletes is not about checking a box. “If other sports organizations value people with lived experience, why shouldn’t we?” he said. “Athletes bring insight that makes everything better. We don’t have all the answers, but inclusive collaboration is how we build a better future.”

“Inclusion to me means one,” he added. “It doesn’t matter what word you use—unified, inclusive—it’s about seeing each other as one.”

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference announced it has adopted girls flag football as a sanctioned conference sport for the 2025-26 school year.

The move highlights the rapid growth of girls’ athletics and the evolving landscape of youth sports.

“One of the best parts of this job is watching what was once just an idea between a few student-athletes turn into real opportunity,” Western Hills High School athletic administrator Chloe Mayfield-Brown said in a statement. “The growth and excitement around girls flag football has been amazing to say the least — and I’m happy to have played a part in where we are now as an official CMAC sport.”

As one of Ohio’s most visible and competitive leagues, the CMAC becomes one of the first conferences in the state to formally integrate this fast-growing sport into its official slate of offerings.

What began as a pilot program fueled by student voice and community support has blossomed into a permanent part of the CMAC calendar — complete with league play, all-conference honors and a championship pathway.

“This moment is bigger than a game,” said Josh Hardin, who is the CMAC Commissioner and Cincinnati Public Schools District Athletic Director. “It’s about opportunity, equity, and the future. Girls flag football is here to stay. I want to specifically thank the Cincinnati Bengals and Taylor Conklin for their continued commitment and unwavering support of CPS and the growth of girls flag football. Their partnership has been instrumental in making this a reality.”

The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced July 17 that it will sanction a state championship in girls flag football starting in spring 2026.

While the sport won’t be fully sanctioned in Ohio yet, the OHSAA and the NFL are counting Ohio as the 17th state to add girls flag football.

There are 80 high school teams in Ohio, with that number expected to grow.

Fueled by national momentum, including support from the NFL, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, and driven locally by athletic directors, coaches, student-athletes and school leaders, the program has rapidly gained traction and exceeded all expectations in participation.

“This is monumental,” Hardin added. “We are proud to be on the leading edge of expanding access to sports for girls, and even prouder to see how quickly our athletes, coaches, and families have embraced the game.”

Jabreel Moton, Woodward Career Technical High School athletic administrator and coach, said the first year of the sport was special and he can’t wait for the future.

“It feels good to know girls flag football is finally being taken seriously and getting the recognition it deserves,” Woodward Career Technical High School student-athlete Mylah Case said. “We’ve been putting in the work, and now we get to compete for something real. I’m proud to be a part of this program — especially for this being my first year playing.”

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Grand opening plans for the Clarence Hicks Sports Complex have shifted, affecting local youth sports schedules and community celebrations.