Mat-Su athletes to compete at 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle

WASILLA — Misty Dutton is one of three athletes from the Mat-Su Valley heading to the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, Washington, this weekend.

Dutton practiced bocce ball inside the Menard Sports Center on Monday, working on her throws for the national games. This will be her first time competing at the national competition but she won gold in downhill skiing while competing in the 2001 Special Olympics World Games, which happened to be hosted in Alaska. There are both national and world competitions for the Special Olympics, taking place every four years.

Dutton, 36, said that she is excited to bring home some gold, but she’s a little nervous about the plane ride. This trip will serve as another milestone for the multifaceted athlete — her first flight without her mother. But she will have company, her athletic partner, Farah Matlock who will assist her throughout the games.

“I’m not much of a flyer either so we will tell each other we will be okay and support each other,” Matlock laughed.

During the unified games, they combine an athlete who experiences intellectual disability or delay with a person who does not experience that. Matlock will be Dutton’s partner this year. The two have worked together for more than six years now.

“She’s my favorite,” Dutton said.

Dutton will use her four years of bocce ball experience during the games. She plays a range sports, from bowling to snowshoeing. She won gold in snowshoeing this year at the Anchorage State Games for the Special Olympics.

Donna Davidson, state commissioner for the Special Olympics in Alaska said that 25 Alaskans are heading to the national competition, more than double than last time. This is also the second time Alaskans have entered the national competition in bocce ball. She seemed confident in Dutton’s abilities.

“She has a very good straight shot,” Davidson said.

Dutton graduated from Wasilla High School and a fellow WHS graduate stopped by to wish her well before she left, Wasilla Mayor, Bert Cottle.

Cottle brought a bag of pins with the city of Wasilla insignia on them. It’s traditional for athletes in the Special Olympics to trade pins with other athletes from all over the US and abroad.

“Bring home lots of pins,” Cottle said

Cottle said that when Dutton comes back, she is welcome to come by Wasilla City Hall to show him all of her pins and gold medals. Dutton laughed a lot with Cottle and everyone else on the turf. Her mother, Cindy said that she has really come out of her shell since she started competing in the Special Olympics.

Cindy said her daughter was dual diagnosed with a mild intellectual disability and epilepsy but currently, her seizures are fairly mild. Dutton’s engagement helped her grow, boosting her confidence and sociability, a success story not too uncommon in the Special Olympics.

"They have opportunity to focus on their abilities not their disabilities," Cindy said.

Two other Mat-Su athletes will compete in two other sports this year. Garrett Stortz will compete in level five golf as one of eight Special Olympics athletes at that level across the country. Erica Pletting will compete in swimming in the aquatic competition. The USA Games will unite more than 4,000 athletes and coaches from across the country as they compete in 14 different Olympic-type summer sports.

"Alaska's passion and dedication to sports and Special Olympics athletes will be well represented at the Special Olympics USA Games. Sports changes lives. The USA Games will give Alaskans with intellectual disabilities and their teammates without intellectual disabilities the opportunity to shine and demonstrate the power of sports on the national stage," said Special Olympics Alaska President/CEO Nicolle Egan in a recent press release for the 2018 competition.

Contact Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at Jacob.mann@frontiersman.com.