“I can do hard things.”
That’s what Addie Trout tells herself and it’s clearly been working.
She dreams big and never lets anything stop her from accomplishing what she wants. Trout is a Special Olympics athlete and a college student at the University of Oklahoma.
From a young age, Kathy Trout, Addie’s mom, knew that her daughter had big aspirations. She never told her daughter that she couldn't achieve some of her dreams, but she knew there might be some challenges because Addie was born with Down syndrome.
For Addie, when she sets her mind to something and says what she's going to do, she means it. Her parents went to OU, so it was natural to her that she would go there too. Addie's been saying since she was little that she was going to go there, but her parents didn’t want to tell her it might not be realistic because it would crush her. Then, fast-forward a couple of years and the Sooner Works program was created. Her parents realized that her dream might be possible.
Now, Addie is going into her sophomore year and living her dream of being a RUF/NEK Lil' Sis. It's a spirit organization where Addie has many important tasks. She cheers on the football team, gets to be on the field and has some big responsibilities with the ponies, which particularly excites her.
“I am kind of involved with the ponies, and I give them treats and water after the team makes a touchdown,” Addie said.
Most importantly, she has fun while doing it. In high school, she was on an all-ability cheer team, winning five consecutive NCA National Championships.
“Doing cheer in high school inspired me to be a RUF/NEK Lil' Sis,’’ Addie said.
When Addie told her mom she wanted to go to OU and become a RUF/NEK Lil' Sis, her mom told her the truth.
“If you wanna do that, you're gonna have to find a way to do that because they're not gonna come knocking at your door,” Kathy said.
And so she did.
Addie became the first student with Down syndrome to be a RUF/NEK Lil' Sis. She is super confident in herself, but that wasn't always the case at first. She and her mom agree that this confidence was instilled in her once she started competing in the Special Olympics.
Being a Special Olympics athlete has helped her conquer her fears and get out of her shell. It also prepared her for the program she's in at school, Sooner Works. Addie has been an athlete for Special Olympics ever since she was eligible to compete. At the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, she represented her state, Oklahoma, and showed out, winning two Silver medals for swimming.
While her favorite part is winning because “I’m good at it, duh," as Addie said, she also loves cheering on her friends while they compete. Special Olympics have given her and her family a strong community to be a part of. Being at OU, she never forgets about how much competing has given her. It's with her every game day as she wears the Texas pin she traded for at school football games on her RUF/NEK Lil' Sis jacket. (The pin is upside down because 'Horns Down'!)
Since 2014, Addie has been competing and that’s when she started telling herself that she can do hard things. Now, that’s the motto for everything in her life.
She has many aspirations, some of which she’s still working on. Eventually, she wants to move out of her parents' house. During the school year, she lives on campus with her roommate, and through the Sooner Works program, she's learning the skills she needs to live independently. She takes cooking classes, body autonomy and Addie’s favorite — public speaking.
Addie loves the spotlight, but what she probably doesn't realize is how good she is at putting the spotlight on others. Addie was recognized in an official proclamation from the City of Norman recognizing July as Disability Pride Month. There, she had to give a speech, utilizing her skills from public speaking class. Since then, she’s spoken to the Down Syndrome Association and has gone to city council several times to speak.
She switched her major to journalism to learn how to leverage her social media presence to inspire others in the Down syndrome community. Everything Addie wants to achieve is for herself, but also to inspire others.
“[I want to be] A good role model for other people with Down syndrome,” Addie said.
Kathy is inspired every day by Addie’s resilience and she’s not the only one. Addie reminds everyone that “you can do hard things.”
Why We Play features stories about the power of sports to bring us together, overcome obstacles, make positive change and reach everyone. Read more here.
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