PITTSBURG, Kan. – A lifetime of hard work is paying off for Pittsburg senior Tyson Wiemers.
“All those things that might be little to some people have been huge to us,” says Susie Wiemers, Tyson’s mother.
In just the last year, Wiemers has won five Special Olympics medals, knocked through three extra points for the football team, was named homecoming king – and on the basketball court – beat the buzzer in the Dragon’s final home game of the regular season.
“It really makes me feel good,” Wiemers says of those moments.
“There’s no way we’ll ever have that feeling ever again,” says Dave Wiemers, Tyson’s father, “You go through that whole range of what you have to go through, and then to have him show up in a game…these dumb games we play can created these types of emotions, man. It was wonderful.”
Those plays and those moments lasted mere seconds.
But for Wiemers – who is on the Autism spectrum – they took years of hard work.
“Autism can be very sensory-based,” Susie says, “There are a lot of sensory issues we had to deal with. Early on he was scared to death of the starting pistol at track and field day. He got to the point where he could handle cannons going off at football games.”
“There are moments where he went out there…and I was terrified,” Dave says.
“For him to be able to be in full pads and a helmet playing football is huge,” Susie adds, “The fireworks going off at the football games…If you’ve ever seen Tyson coming out on the field, he’s got his fingers through his helmet holes and into his ears.”
“It takes a lot of hard work to get out there,” Tyson adds.
“Tyson is an athlete, and puts the work in to be successful and to make the most of his opportunities,” says Tom Nickelson, Pittsburg High School head football coach, “There’s nothing given to him. Tyson has earned everything he’s gotten, because he’s put the work in just like all the others. It’s a cool story, but that kid works for everything he gets.”
His impact on Pittsburg High School goes beyond the numbers he puts in the stat sheet.
“Some people have that “it” factor. They gravitate people towards them,” Nickelson adds, “They uplift people. Tyson is one of those kids. It doesn’t take long to understand that. Anybody who has ever met Tyson remembers him.”
Right now, he’s focused on golf – his favorite sport – and enjoying his final months wearing the Pittsburg purple.
“I have fun being a Dragon,” Tyson says.
While his high school career will come to a close, Wiemers has left his mark at PHS.
“Every one of those moments was just off the charts special,” his father says, “They’re things you’ll never forget.”
And Pittsburg – and the rest of the southeast Kansas community – has left it’s mark on Tyson and his family.
“I don’t want any of it to come to an end,” his mother says, “That boy lives for school. Everybody from administration to teachers, coaches and kids have made sure that his school experience has been awesome.”
“Thank goodness for those beautiful people at the high school and middle school, and even elementary school that let him go in the game and gave him a chance to be included and be involved,” his father finishes, “We just think the world of all those people who let him do that.”
Tyson’s family says he will get a job and begin working after high school.
Wiemers will also represent the state of Kansas on the golf course at the Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando, Florida in June 2022.