A Sneak Peek at New Era Cap’s Custom Hat Design
How cool would it look to have Special Olympics New York athletes wearing the same custom caps?
Special Olympics New York has been partnering with the New Era Cap Foundation for the past four years to design the official cap of Fall Games. Throughout the years, one lucky athlete from Western New York receives the opportunity to design their own cap that all athletes participating in State Fall Games receive. Mackenzie and Jeff Koch, a sibling athlete-coach duo from Amherst have been passed the torch for 2026!
Mackenzie has been a Special Olympics athlete for over 10 years, participating in basketball, softball, bocce, golf and track and field. She also serves on the Athlete Leadership council to ensure athlete voices are heard at every tier of Special Olympics. Mackenzie’s favorite event is Law & Orders, where she teams up with local law enforcement and restaurant staff to raise funds for local athletes.
Jeff began his journey with Special Olympics at Amherst high school as a Unified Partner, continuing on to receive his coaching certification with a specialized class at Niagara University. Shortly after, he started his own team; the Amherst Wild! Mackenzie and her friends make up some of the 40 athletes on the basketball team, along with 10 coaches leading the way.
“It means everything to me,” Jeff said, when asked what it means to be a part of Special Olympics. “I love being a part of Mackenzie’s sports, I love meeting new people, I love the inclusion between not only the coaches, but the athletes.”
“It’s about friendship!” said Mackenzie. “I’m grateful Jeff could include me with his friends, too. I feel special about it, and I feel special no matter what.”
When it came to creating their own cap for Special Olympics, Mackenzie and Jeff agreed it meant a lot to each of their own journeys. They included different words representing what Special Olympics means to them both, including the most important phrase Mackenzie wanted on the cap; believe in yourself.
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