Hometown: Valley Center
Sport: Swimming
Meet Lance Welch, a proud member of Special Olympics Kansas who will be representing Team Kansas in swimming at the 2026 USA Games in Minnesota!
Lance joined Special Olympics in 2021 after graduating high school and has since competed in basketball, volleyball, track, bowling, cornhole, pickleball, and swimming. Sports have always been a big part of his life. He was a member of his high school’s cross country, track, and swim teams, and he continues to train at Wichita State University and the Valley Center Recreation Center to prepare for the Games.
For Lance, Special Olympics is more than competition, it’s family. “Special Olympics has not only helped me by staying healthy, it has given me an extended family of friends and coaches,” he shared. He takes pride in encouraging his teammates and giving his best effort both in and out of the pool.
When he’s not competing, Lance is cheering on his favorite teams, including Kansas State, Wichita State, the Royals, and the Chiefs. He also works at Dillons grocery store, where he helps sack groceries and assist customers, and he enjoys volunteering with his Special Olympics team, the Wichita Independents, to raise funds for transportation.
Looking ahead to his first USA Games, Lance says, “I feel special being chosen as a representative of Kansas. I look forward to traveling with my teammates and swimming in front of a large crowd.”
