Special Olympics Northern California (SONC) athlete Shawn Lemmon was honored at the 2018 Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony alongside a select group of local sports icons.
Shawn, a Special Olympics athlete of 15 years, joined Sacramento legends Bob Forsch (posthumously), Ken Forsch, Darnell Hillman, Charles Mann and Darren Oliver as the Class of 2018 in celebration of their athletic achievement and involvement within the community.
“I have had the honor of coaching and watching Shawn compete for the past seven years in both swimming and basketball,” said Donna Hollis, one of Shawn’s coaches. “Shawn is an amazing athlete who puts all his effort into his sport. He is one of our most accomplished swimmers and has attended Summer Games every year for swimming. He is always complimentary to his teammates, coaches and opponents. He is a joy to be around and top notch individual.”
Shawn competes in basketball and swimming, has qualified for the last eight Special Olympics Northern California Summer Games and was selected as an alternate for Team NorCal at the 2014 USA Games in New Jersey. He is involved with Therapeutic Recreation Services (TRS) in Sacramento, where he takes classes and participates in recreational activities such as dances. Shawn previously attended Sierra College, is currently part of the Dream Theater Program and is an avid singer, dancer and actor.
The Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame has inducted a Special Olympics athlete as part of the ceremony each year and donates a portion of the event’s proceeds to SONC. This year’s SONC nominees included Robert Clemons, Karissa Krater, Nicole LaCaro, Holley Matlack and Shawn.