Lone Star College-Tomball coach headed to 2026 Special Olympics USA Games

TOMBALL, TX -- As a job coach in Lone Star College-Tomball’s lifePATH® program and an advisor for the Special Olympics College Club on campus, Jarome Davis, Ed.D., supports neurodivergent students by celebrating their wins and ensuring they feel a sense of belonging. He was recently selected to bring this leadership to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games as the head basketball coach for Team Texas.

"I’m humbled and honored to have the unique opportunity to represent Lone Star College System at the USA Games in Minneapolis,” he said. “It’s something new for the system, and we’re excited to see the program grow.”

The University of Minnesota will host 3,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches, 10,000 volunteers and 75,000 fans from all 50 states for the Special Olympics USA Games from June 20-26. Davis said his team, consisting of 10 athletes from across the state, will stay in dorms on campus and share meals with fellow competitors in a setting modeled after the Olympic Village residential complex at the Olympic Games.

Davis’s education career began about 20 years ago in Louisiana, where he worked as a teacher, bus driver, athletic director and dean of students. He came to LSCS in 2023 as an adjunct professor and soon became a job coach for the lifePATH® program at LSC-Tomball. In this role, he helps students successfully translate the skills they develop in the classroom to the workforce by connecting them to community internships and helping them find employment after graduation.

When he started working for the program in late 2023, Davis recognized some of his students were worried about being accepted by their neurotypical peers in student organizations and campus clubs. The solution was to help launch the college system’s first Special Olympics College Club in 2024, alongside Anne Ginnett, Ph.D., LSC-Tomball lifePATH® director.

The Unified Champion Schools format connects students and faculty of all abilities to create a culture of inclusivity, understanding and empathy. Other student groups, such as the Future Teachers Club, the Drama department and the Occupational Therapy department, take turns leading different activities for the 35 club members.

“Everybody on campus is on board. It’s not just for Special Olympics athletes; it’s for the whole school,” Davis said. “It has allowed our lifePATH® students to come out of their shells and has brought a lot of pride on behalf of Lone Star College System because they have been working hard to make the club what it is now.”

Athletes have scored big since the club began competing last year, medaling in all three sporting events—basketball, flag football and Topgolf. Now in its second year of competition, the club has added bowling to its offerings, and Davis hopes to continue expanding with additional sports.

LSC-Tomball is currently one of just three higher education institutions in the region with a Special Olympics delegation. But Davis is on a mission to see a Special Olympics College Club launch on each LSCS campus.

“I love the teamwork, and I’m very happy that I’m having fun and have the chance to compete with other athletes from across Texas,” said Martha Vergara, LSC-Tomball lifePATH® student and Special Olympics athlete.

Special Olympics Texas serves more than 58,800 individuals with intellectual disabilities throughout the state, providing opportunities to foster fitness and friendships. Programming is free for athletes and their families, thanks to generous donors and volunteers.

Available at LSC-Tomball and LSC-Montgomery, lifePATH® is a post-secondary program for neurodivergent students. The program supports students as they develop independence and self-determination, practice social expectations needed for success, and explore career opportunities. Learn more at LoneStar.edu/lifePATH.