Built for Movement

Meet FUNfitness Clinical Director, Sharon Scott

April 27, 2026

Every athlete has a rhythm.

A stride. A stretch. A moment where everything clicks.

But behind that movement is something just as important—strength, balance, flexibility, and the ability to move safely and confidently through both sport and everyday life.

That’s where you’ll find Sharon Scott—helping athletes build the foundation that keeps them moving.

More Than a Screening

Through the FUNfitness discipline of Healthy Athletes, athletes receive screenings focused on flexibility, strength, balance, and aerobic fitness—key components that directly impact performance in sport and daily life.

These screenings help identify potential movement challenges, reduce risk of injury, and provide athletes with guidance on how to improve. When needed, athletes are also connected with follow-up care, including rehabilitation services, exercise recommendations, and sport-specific training support.

Because performing your best doesn’t start at the starting line.

It starts with how you move.

Filling a Gap

Sharon’s journey with Special Olympics New Hampshire didn’t begin with an invitation.

It began with a gap.

At the time, New Hampshire didn’t yet have a FUNfitness program within Healthy Athletes. Recognizing the need, Sharon stepped forward—completing the training to become a Clinical Director and launching the program at Summer Games.

Since then, she has led FUNfitness for more than a decade, helping build a program that now supports athletes year after year.

A Team Effort

In her professional role, Sharon serves as Director of Outpatient Rehabilitation Services at Exeter Hospital, overseeing operations across eight outpatient rehab locations.

But at Summer Games, her focus shifts—from operations to connection.

FUNfitness is powered by a team of physical and occupational therapists, students, and volunteers who come together to support athletes. Many of those volunteers come from Exeter Hospital, alongside students and faculty from academic partners like Plymouth State University, Franklin Pierce University, and the University of New Hampshire.

It’s a space where experienced clinicians and emerging professionals work side by side—learning, supporting, and growing together.

And for Sharon, that shared energy is part of what keeps her coming back.

The Moments That Matter

Each year, there’s one athlete who reminds the team exactly why this work matters.

His name is Patrick.

He’s a familiar and cherished part of the FUNfitness program—someone who greets volunteers by name and brings an energy into the space that’s impossible to miss.

“Every time he walks into the screening area, he radiates kindness, gratitude, and genuine excitement,” Sharon shares.

Seeing him year after year has become a highlight—not just for Sharon, but for the entire team.

It’s a reminder that these moments aren’t just about screenings.

They’re about connection.

About progress.
About showing up for each other, again and again.

Beyond the Screening

In outpatient rehabilitation, Sharon and her team work with individuals across a wide range of needs.

That same mindset carries into FUNfitness.

Through screenings, athletes who may benefit from additional support are identified and guided toward follow-up care—helping connect them with the resources, education, and services needed to improve their overall health and well-being.

For many athletes and families, it’s an introduction to care they may not have known was available.

And that’s where the impact deepens.

Strength That Goes Beyond Sport

Each Healthy Athletes discipline plays a unique role—but together, they create something powerful.

FUNfitness helps athletes better understand how their bodies move, where they can improve, and how to stay healthy and active long-term.

It also empowers families and caregivers with knowledge and next steps.

Because when you improve strength, mobility, and function, you’re not just improving performance.

You’re improving quality of life.

Looking Ahead to Summer Games

For Sharon, the excitement is simple.

It’s about the people.

The returning athletes. The new faces. The volunteers who show up ready to give their time and expertise.

The shared energy that fills the space when everyone comes together with the same purpose.

Keep Moving Forward

At Summer Games, FUNfitness is an opportunity to check in, learn more about your body, and take steps toward staying healthy and active.

For athletes, it’s a chance to build the foundation that supports everything you do in sport—and beyond, with coaches and families playing an important role in that journey.

And for those in the physical therapy, athletic training, or rehabilitation fields, it’s an opportunity to be part of something that moves people forward in more ways than one.