by Matt Ward

guest columnist

President Barack Obama recently appeared as a guest on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

And when asked about the White House bowling alley, he said it still exists, and he recently played a game, rolling a 129.

But then he said something he would soon regret: “That’s like the Special Olympics bowling or something.”

Obama’s remark received significant criticism from the public, and merited an apology to the chairman of the Special Olympics.

But it also brought attention to a local bowler named Kolan McConiughey.

McConiughey, from Ann Arbor, is perhaps the nation’s top Special Olympics bowler, and I know from experience.

We competed together in the Chameleon Pro-Am Tournament in Taylor, Mich., last November, I had the privilege to bowl three games with McConiughey.

He was participating in the Special Olympics division, wherein the bowlers were set on separate lanes throughout the bowling alley, bowling with both pro-am and professional bowlers. And he was indeed a magnificent bowler. McConiughey bowled with the best of us, and even beat some of the pro bowlers we bowled against.

But the reason I remember McConiughey is not because he was a great bowler, but because he was such an enthusiastic person.

Every time he came back from a great shot, or saw someone else get a strike, he was always there with a smile and a high five. He even went into the stands and said a few words to my friend, Tim, who came to the match with me, and it left a lasting impression on him, as well.

McConiughey has a contagious personality, and he has just happened to channel his efforts into bowling. They have paid off as he has bowled five 300 games and averages a 212!

The truth is, he has not allowed his mental disability to hold him back.

I do believe that what people say comes out of the overflow of the heart, and for this type of statement to come from our president shows an unfortunate side. He was trying to be cool on the Tonight Show, but he went too far. The president should be above friendly joking at the expense of others, and it seems to show his youth and inexperience when he makes a comment like that.

But though there is much negativity that could be thrown Obama’s way for such an inappropriate comment, the Special Olympics community as a whole has forgiven him. Even McConiughey, who did not expect that kind of comment from Obama, was prone to laughing it off and correcting Obama rather than becoming angry with him.

McConiughey joked about the comment, giving the president advice on how to improve his game. He also sought to be invited to the White House to bowl on the presidential lanes and beat President Obama himself. Whether his hopes will come true is yet to be determined, but it is a definite possibility as the president tries to keep himself as pure as possible in the eyes of the public.