Ross County’s Noah Hiles named Male Athlete of the Year at Special Olympics Ohio Awards

The Ross County Board of Developmental Disabilities (RCBDD) and Ross County Special Olympics are proud to announce that local resident Noah Hiles has won the Male Athlete of the Year from Special Olympics Ohio.

Hiles has competed within Special Olympics Ohio for more than 17 years, competing in track and field, golf, basketball, power lifting and disc golf. In the 2025 Special Olympics Ohio Summer Games, Hiles placed second in his power lifting division. 

Hiles currently serves as an athlete coach and assistant coach for the Ross County Trailblazers, which is the name of Ross County’s Special Olympics team, and a cornhole coach during the fall sports season.

Off the field and court, Hiles is a certified Athletic Leader with Special Olympics Ohio, which is a program that allows athletes to build communication and self-advocacy skills while offering leadership opportunities beyond sports. He is also taking courses to become a Special Olympics referee.

“I am incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication Noah has shown both in his training and throughout competition,” said Courtney Davis, Special Olympics and Special Projects Director at RCBDD. “He is well-deserving of the distinguished achievement of [Male] Athlete of the Year.”

Beyond his athletic success, Hiles is a powerful ambassador for the Ross County Special Olympics program—actively recruiting new athletes and encouraging others to discover their own strengths through Special Olympics. His enthusiasm and leadership inspires everyone around him.
   
In 2024, Hiles was one of 10 participants in a statewide grant project for Special Olympics. Hiles’s project, Building A Community of Volunteers, was designed to address a need for community volunteers within Special Olympics. 

Hiles attributes his personal growth to the relationships he has and mentoring he has received with Ross County Special Olympics volunteers, and he wants others to have a similar sense of community and belonging for athletes and volunteers.

Superintendent Amy Beeler, RCBDD, said, “Noah is a shining star in our community and his athletic accolades in Special Olympics help bring awareness to the developmentally disabled community’s strength and abilities.”

The Pioneer Center, otherwise known as Ross County Board of DD (RCBDD), exists for the purpose of improving the quality of life for citizens who have a developmental disability. RCBDD is committed to providing quality services that give individuals and their families choices that enhance community participation and achieve a life of increasing capabilities.