By Alexis Muñoz
Initiated by the National Down Syndrome Society in the 1980s, October became observed as Down Syndrome Awareness Month as a part of a movement to challenge stereotypes, promote advocacy, and highlight health, education, and community integration.
Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) has welcomed athletes with Down syndrome since its inception.
Nathan Erskine is an athlete with Down syndrome who became involved within SOSC in Orange County in 2011, through his adult transition program, with his first introduction being basketball. Eventually, Erskine tried new sports like soccer, bocce, and bowling.
Just like many parents, Erskine’s mother, Amy Erskine-Carmona, initially watched her son from the sidelines and got involved when needed. One day, Erskine-Carmona became more than just a parent when the Local Program Coordinator of her son’s bowling team made her head coach.
“We kind of got voluntold, but my husband and I love every minute of it. We wouldn’t change anything,” said Erskine-Carmona, now Local Program Coordinator of the OC Xtreme and Huntington Beach Crush.
Over the years, Erskine-Carmona and her husband expanded past bowling and became the coaches for the OC Xtreme bocce team, with their latest addition being the Huntington Beach Crush golf team in 2015.
For Erskine, his greatest accomplishment comes from playing for the Huntington Beach Crush golf team in the 2025 San Gabriel Valley Golf Competition. In just nine holes, Erskine golfed a 39, earning a gold medal in his division.
While Erskine and many other athletes have earned gold medals and set record highs, these athletic achievements carry much more meaning beyond competitions. By demonstrating dedication, perseverance, and capability on the playing field, these athletes contribute to dismantling the long-standing misconceptions about what individuals with Down syndrome can accomplish off the field.
Erskine holds down two jobs. One working within Goodwill’s specialized program for individuals with intellectual disabilities and another during baseball season at Angel Stadium within their promotions department.
“Years ago, they [Angel Stadium] would have never hired an individual with any disability, let alone Down syndrome to do something [work] like that,” Erskine-Carmona said. “I just think that employment opportunities have come such a long way for them.”
This past baseball season, Erskine celebrated a major milestone of receiving a pin for 10 years of service at Angel Stadium. His ongoing loyalty to the stadium and its fans makes it clear that this is truly his dream job.
This past baseball season, Erskine celebrated a major milestone of receiving a pin for 10 years of service at Angel Stadium. His ongoing loyalty to the stadium and its fans makes it clear that this is truly his dream job.
“I hope that they just see that these individuals are capable of anything. They can excel at sports just like anybody else. They can excel at a job just like anybody else, and they’re personal and they’re fun and they’re social and you can’t just discount them just because they have a disability,” said Erskine-Carmona.
For years, widespread assumptions have limited expectations, but athletes like Erskine prove every day that capability, dedication, and competitive drive create a world full of opportunities.
