Chinn Aquatics & Fitness Center Becomes Training Ground for Local Special Olympic Athlete

With its 40-meter heated pool with eight 25-yard lanes available for lap swim, Chinn Aquatics & Fitness Center has become the perfect place for Woodbridge resident and Special Olympic Athlete, Jerry Holy, to train for his swimming events each year.

Holy, age 34, began training and competing in the Special Olympics in 1996 at age eight and from there he hasn’t stopped. He estimates that he has amassed somewhere between 80-100 medals in his 25+ years of competing, including two silver medals in the last Special Olympics USA games in 2022.

“Special Olympics has literally become my life,” says Holy, who also works for Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools—a program aimed at promoting social inclusion through intentionally planned and implemented activities affecting systems-wide change. With sports as the foundation, the three-component model offers a unique combination of effective activities that equip young people with tools and training to create sports, classroom and school climates of acceptance.

Holy, who lives nearby and walks to Chinn most days—just a mere 2+ miles, has been a member of the fitness center since 2015. He is usually at Chinn twice a week to workout and train, and if he’s off for a full week you can probably catch him there five days a week. Holy also met his current coach at Chinn, Frank Millikan, in 2015 through another Special Olympics swimmer.

“I just enjoy coming here,” says Holy. “I’ve done the spin class here, yoga, swim skills and drills, more recently I do my own workout that includes cardio, strength training and of course swimming. I sometimes shoot basketball too.”

Looking towards the future Holy is working hard to earn a slot for the Special Olympics USA Games in 2026 that will take place in Minnesota.

Chinn Aquatics & Fitness Center offers 60,000 square feet of fitness which includes a gym, weight room, pool, spa, multi-purpose and locker room space. The Center also offers personal training services, and programming such as group fitness, sports, preschool, before and after school programs and much more! To learn more about Chinn, click here. If you want to learn more about Jerry Holy and the Special Olympics, visit their website here.