Joseph “Joe” Stewart of Long Island, New York, has been involved with Special Olympics for 20 years. As the founder of the City Hawks Unified Training Club, a Unified soccer team, Joe has coached athletics, basketball, bowling and floor hockey. He will represent Special Olympics USA as an assistant coach in soccer. Employed as a physical education teacher at 721M, home of the City Hawks soccer team, Joe has helped to create a Unified campus environment, joining traditional education students from 721M with special education students from Harvest Collegiate High School. He has worked to plan and implement Special Olympics Unified Sports® programming for students, an instrumental part of their receiving national banner recognition.
Assuming various leadership roles as a volunteer with Special Olympics New York over the years, Joe also attended the Special Olympics World Winter Games Austria 2017 as the head coach in Unified floor hockey and the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games as the head coach in Unified soccer. Joe oversees the Jr. Boxing/Kickboxing Program at the Modern Fighting Academy in Long Island. In 2017, he was recognized as the New York Daily News Heroes in Education Award winner. In 2019, he was named Special Olympics New York Coach of the Year. As a coach, Joe ensures that everyone can contribute. On and off the field, everyone belongs.