GREEN BAY — Special Olympics Athlete of the Year for 2024: That’s quite the title, and it fits Xavier Goff. With his warm smile, there’s no doubt he is a beloved member of the Washington High School of Information Technology.
“Really blessed to still be here and keep on doing what I love to do. Being a part of Special Olympics has always been a good thing to me,” Goff, also known by his friends as “X,” said.
He and fellow student Rionne Turner are on a unified flag football team, where Special Olympics Wisconsin brings people with and without intellectual disabilities together to play.
Lindsay Linsmeier, the adaptive athletic supervisor with Milwaukee Rec, oversaw the process in which the dynamic duo was selected to announce a second-round pick at this year’s NFL Draft.
Watch: Dynamic Duo from 'Unified Team' with Special Olympics Wisconsin will announce Draft pick
She said Special Olympics North America picked the two to represent Special Olympics and the Unified Sports movement, saying, “They have quite a decorated résumé for sure.” She is excited to see both Goff and Turner receive this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
While the pick could change, the athletes are currently scheduled to announce the second-round selection for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Turner said she is so nervous she “might faint up there,” but called it probably the best experience she has ever participated in.
Second-round picks are scheduled to begin Saturday outside the iconic Lambeau Field.
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