Shelby Raines

Athlete of the Month

Shelby has been a proud Special Olympics athlete since 2019. She competes in basketball, flag football, and her favorite, soccer. She said she loves soccer because of the fast pace and enjoys playing midfield.

Shelby loves Special Olympics because of the friendships she’s made and getting to compete. She’s met a lot of new people and said Special Olympics encourages her to try something new and to never give up.

Recently, Shelby had the opportunity to represent Team Colorado at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota. She said she had a great time at USA Games and competing against other states.

Outside of sports, Shelby enjoys relaxing by watching TV shows, reading books, and spending time with others.

We’re excited to recognize Shelby as the June Athlete of the Month. Congratulations!

Emily Graham

Coach of the Month

Emily has been coaching for Special Olympics Colorado for 14 years and coaches both gymnastics and golf. Her coaching journey technically began as a baby—her mom had been coaching golf since before she was born and by the time she was a toddler, Emily was attending practices.

Once she got into middle school, she began assisting a gymnastics coach with practices. As a gymnast herself, it meant a lot to begin coaching Special Olympics Colorado gymnastics. She grew up spending 40 hours a week training in the gym, and once that stopped, coaching allowed her to stay connected to the sport. She enjoys sharing her passion for the sport with her athletes and loves watching their passion grow as well.

Her favorite memory with SOCO is always the State Gymnastics meet, which she says gets better each year. This year, a new exciting memory formed when she was selected as the Team Colorado gymnastics coach at the 2026 USA Games. She was proud to watch her two gymnasts take to the mat and give it their all. “The fact that out of the whole state, I was the one to take the girls to Minnesota is super cool,” she said.

Emily’s passion and dedication to Special Olympics Colorado is incredible and we are honored to recognize her as the June Coach of the Month!