Debbie Ogden of Fort Wright, Kentucky, has been coaching Special Olympics swimming for the past 16 years. Prior to that, she cheered on her son as a Special Olympics parent. At the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023, she will represent Special Olympics USA as head coach in swimming. Special Olympics has impacted Debbie’s life in so many ways. Her son, who passed away in 2005, taught her the meaning of living every moment to the fullest. Each athlete she works with holds a special place in her heart as she watches them grow in the sports they love. Debbie served as the head swim coach for Special Olympics Kentucky in the Special Olympics USA Games in 2018 and 2022.
A senior executive assistant at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Debbie is active in giving back to her community. She is the past president of Mothers of Special Children of Northern Kentucky and of the Northern Kentucky Swim League, as well as a certified USA Swimming official. She was inducted into the Northern Kentucky Swim League Hall of Fame. For Debbie, coaching in the World Games is an honor and she hopes to have a positive impact on the lives of the athletes competing.