Sharon Boyle was just looking for something to do 20 years ago.

Working as a stay-at-home mom, she was constantly busy doing everything for her three kids, which include a daughter and twin boys. But the kids eventually started school, leaving Boyle with a little bit of spare time during the day.

“They just got to the age where there wasn’t much for me to do,” said Boyle , who is the Federal Way School District’s special populations/unified athletic coordinator. “I wasn’t really working so I thought I needed something to do.”

That’s when the Special Olympics entered her life and the rest, as they say, is history.

“One day I got a call from somebody who told me that they thought I would be very good,” Boyle said. “So I started volunteering as a group leader for a club and I loved it and it blossomed from there.”

Boyle’s 20-year involvement as a coach and administrator was recognized last month when she was honored as Special Olympics Washington Coach of the Year in the King County region. The award is given every year to a coach for outstanding contributions to Special Olympics. The King County region is the largest in the state.

“I was very, very surprised,” said Boyle, who also received the award in 1996. “I really didn’t think I would get it again. There are so many great people in Special Olympics.”

Boyle went to work for the Federal Way School District in 1990 as their special populations director and moved to the city of Federal Way a couple of years back in the same position. Over that time, Boyle has organized, coached and supervised soccer, track and field, bowling and basketball teams, as well as softball.

But this was an even busier year for Boyle and the Special Olympics population in Federal Way. Several area athletes represented Washington at the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games, which took place in Lincoln, Neb., in July. Boyle coached a 12-member soccer team that finished in fourth place overall.

“It was unbelievable,” Boyle said. “I’ve been doing Special Olympics for over 20 years and it was probably the most phenomenal thing I have ever done. It’s on such a huge scale. The opening ceremonies were just fabulous. It was quite an experience.”

The all-ages team headed to Nebraska thanks to a $12,000 grant that was received by Special Olympics Washington from the United States Department of Education.

The 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games hosted 13 Olympic-style sports and was the largest sporting event ever held in the history of Nebraska. The Games included approximately 3,000 athletes, 1,000 coaches, 8,000 volunteers and 15,000 family members and friends.

Special Olympics Washington has a huge community impact in the state. There are currently over 7,000 registered athletes in Washington with 8,000 volunteers and 1,500 volunteer coaches. Athletes range in age from 8 to 85 years old. Special Olympics offers 16 different sports and doesn’t charge athletes any money to participate.

“Special Olympics is very fulfilling,” Boyle said. “And not something you are going to get rich doing. But I totally love it.”