Coach Bea committed to developmentally disabled athletes
Published on March 28, 2022
Thirty-six years as a Recreation Therapist with Jackson County Parks + Rec wasn’t enough for Bea Webb. After retiring in 2016 she decided to come back as a seasonal employee doing the same thing she did before her retirement.
“I didn’t feel like I had finished. I finished through the county as an employee but not finished as a coach,” she said.
Known as “Coach Bea”, her commitment to the developmentally disabled is evident every day. She has dedicated her life to providing, tens of thousands of developmentally disabled athletes and their families with opportunities that respect their choices, increase their health and self-esteem, encourage independence, and assist with their inclusion in all aspects of the community.
Webb has helped athletes to receive numerous gold medals and she, herself, was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, but her greatest reward, without a doubt, can be found in the countless smiles and hugs she receives every day from the developmentally challenged athletes she serves.
“The best part of the job are the smiles, laughter, friendship and being part of a special community,” she said. She also finds it rewarding by doing things with people that most people think they can’t do. “Showing them that we can be just as successful as they are even with our limited situations.”
Webb began her career with Jackson County in 1980 working in the Day Skills Program. Her primary responsibilities at that time were to teach hygiene, sewing, crocheting, and coaching Special Olympics Sports teams. She even hosted a Tuesday evening "Social Night" where individuals could socialize and share a meal. In 2005, she was instrumental in bringing the Special Olympics Polar Plunge to Jackson County. Since that time, thousands have participated in this annual event.
Webb coaches athletes in bowling, weight training, floor hockey, track & field, volleyball, softball, bocce, tennis, flag football and basketball. She has traveled the world with her athletes to support them in international Special Olympics games and competitions. In 2015, Coach Bea was chosen to represent the State of Missouri in the Special Olympics World Games as a softball coach. Her work with Special Olympics has garnered much respect for the Jackson County Special Population Services program.
“Ever since I was growing up, I have always said that I wanted to give back to people who need it or to just give back to people who had less than I had and I didn’t have a whole lot, but I just felt that I had enough to give to somebody else and to share that feeling with,” she said. “I guess I will be doing this until the body says I can’t do it anymore. Your mind always says I can do this, but your body sometimes says not today. As long as the mind and the body are able to move and go and not be a harm to somebody or myself then I will continue.”