Eric Baumann is an Athlete Leader that has been involved with Special Olympics Illinois since 1995. Special Olympics has provided Eric the opportunity to travel the world and make lots of friends, while having a lot of fun along the way! Eric is currently involved in 8 different sports: swimming, athletics, basketball, bowling, bocce, flag football, snowshoeing, and softball. His favorite sport is swimming where he participates in the backstroke and freestyle events.
My hopes and dreams for the 2026 USA Games are for all the athletes to enjoy the moment, take time to make new friends, and seize the moment to do their best!
Some memorable moments from Eric’s career include when he earned a Silver Medal in the 2003 World Games held in Dublin, Ireland, as well as his time as an athlete flag football coach for Team Illinois during the 2022 USA Games in Orlando, Florida. For the 2026 USA Games, Eric wants all the athletes to enjoy the moment, take time to make new friends, and seize the moment to do their best!