Brave in the Attempt
Brave in the Attempt is a podcast sponsored by Special Olympics Nebraska (SONE). Hosted by Special Olympics Nebraska athlete Wyatt Spalding. This podcast is for Special Olympics athletes, coaches, families, fans, volunteers health professionals , anyone with and without a disability, We want to get to know your stories of what you've gone through in your life and how Special Olympics has helped you a long the way.
This podcast is for everybody.
We all face challenges in life.
It's about how we adapt to those challenges.
Brave in the Attempt
Athlete Garrett Stipke journey to the 2026 USA games!
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On this episode of Brave in the Attempt, Wyatt interviews athlete Garrett Stipke, who shares his journey into tennis and his incredible qualification for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota.
After only two years of playing tennis, Garrett achieved his main goal: earning a spot at the USA Games. He talks about how that dream motivated him from the very beginning, and how—with help from his friends Haley and Wyatt—he learned the basics of the sport.
Garrett also shares how working with his tennis coach, Kaitlin Roselius, helped him develop strategies for both singles and doubles play. One of the most important topics he dives into is the mental side of tennis—learning how to manage mental fatigue and adjust to the emotional ups and downs that come with competing in a match.
Garrett and Wyatt reflect on their previous experiences at Special Olympics USA Games—Garrett competing in softball in 2014, and Wyatt in tennis and basketball in 2018 and 2022. Together, they discuss why the USA Games aren’t just another Special Olympics event. For athletes, being selected to compete at this level is a huge honor and a major goal. This is what athletes like Garrett train for every season: the chance to compete against the very best Special Olympics athletes from across the United States.
