Everyday Leadership and Legacy

Penny McDowall

Receiving the Special Olympics North America coach of the year award

I just got news from Cayman that Penny McDowall passed away on New Year’s Eve. The short instinctive note I sent to her husband Rod simply said:

Such a loss, and such a life. An inspiration and wonderful human.

Today, I feel moved to write about Penny, about her legacy, and about how we can all live and model what Drew Dudley call’s “Everyday Leadership”.

Miss Penny

Everyone called her Miss Penny, and for you to know, in Cayman to call someone Miss or Mr is a mark of high respect.

First, the photo above is from January 2017, with Penny being presented a special award by one of her most accomplished Special Olympics athletes, Andrew Smilley. I saw first hand the level of love, care and support Penny had for Andrew as he was in the same training squad for swimming as my oldest son for several years. Penny was also a constant as a volunteer at swim meets, running our computer for results from “the shed” whilst also being there to cheer on her athletes. Many a session I have spent in the shed swapping stories and jokes with Penny as we worked to get the results of the races out.