Special Olympics New Zealand is thrilled to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Jack Rowe on his remarkable achievement of being selected for the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Regional Athlete Leadership Council for 2025-27.
Jack was an outstanding emerging leader as part of the Special Olympics New Zealand Athlete Leadership Class of 2024 and this appointment recognises Jack’s exceptional talents as well as his commitment to the spirit of inclusion, empowerment, and advocacy for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
“I am looking forward to showing people that I am just as capable as anyone else and have lots to offer.” said Jack when asked what he is looking forward to most about joining the Council.
“It means I get to meet a whole lot of new people from different places and talk about our experiences in Special Olympics as well as sharing ideas and get others’ thoughts.”Jack added on what this selection means to him.
The Special Olympics Asia Pacific Regional Athlete Leadership Council works to promote the voices and leadership of athletes within the Special Olympics movement. Members of the council are selected for their exemplary leadership, dedication to the Special Olympics mission, and passion for creating positive change for athletes across the Asia Pacific region.
Jack continues a proud tradition of New Zealand representation on the Regional Athlete Leadership Council with Counties’ Grace Payne and Otago’s David Sullivan both having served as council members in the recent past.
This honour is also a huge credit to Jack’s mentor, Tim Upton who has been an incredible coach, volunteer and athlete mentor for Special Olympics New Zealand and Special Olympics Kapiti for many years. The strong mentorship provided by Tim has not only shaped Jack’s journey but also contributed to the success of many other athletes. His commitment to fostering leadership and creating opportunities for others to shine exemplifies the true spirit of the Special Olympics.
Tim shared the following about his journey with Jack so far. “It has been an absolute privilege to witness Jack’s remarkable growth as an Athlete Leader. When nominating Jack for the Special Olympics NZ Athlete Leader course, I had initial reservations, wondering if the experience might be overwhelming. However, Jack has proven us all wrong, rising to the challenge with exceptional dedication and enthusiasm. Throughout this journey, it has been fantastic to observe Jack’s significant growth in maturity, with his confidence increasing tenfold. This experience has been instrumental in Jack’s self-development, and I couldn’t be prouder of his achievements.”
“We are incredibly proud of Jack for this well-deserved appointment and within that I would like to acknowledge his mentor Tim Upton, Jacks family and club SO Kapiti for all their support.” shared Special Olympics NZ CEO, Fran Scholey.
“It was a pleasure getting to know Jack throughout his time in the Athlete Leadership Programme and I look forward to following his achievements as he continues his Athlete Leadership journey.”
