The next day, the Special Olympics Otago Powerlifting coach received a surprise award of $2000 to purchase sports equipment.
Ms Young had been nominated by one of the parents of the eight team members.
Sport Otago sport development adviser Jason Wadsworth visited the Otago weightlifting clubrooms on Saturday during a training session for the surprise presentation of the sports volunteer award through the Lotto Sport Maker programme.
"I was lying in bed last night thinking to myself ‘how can I get some money to get some more gear for these guys’?" Ms Young told the Otago Daily Times.
She plans to buy hand weights and a speed bike. The team did not have access to a speed bike, and it would give them more variety in fitness training.
"It means a lot. I can’t express that enough.
"They’re part of my life."
Ms Young said some team members could bench-press up to about 80kg, deadlift 140kg, and squat up to about 135kg.
She hoped one team member might qualify for the Oceania-Asia Championships in Christchurch in December.
The team would compete in the regional championships in December in Dunedin.
Earlier this year, Ms Young was given several thousand dollars by the New Zealand Powerlifting Federation and Special Olympics Otago to attend a course in Murcia, Spain.
She is now qualified to coach mainstream and Special Olympics powerlifting.
Kate Hall, who nominated Ms Young for the volunteer award, said she did so because Ms Young had given so much of her own time to the team.
Mr Wadsworth said Ms Young was one of 10 winners throughout New Zealand who could now win a $10,000 prize, determined by online votes.
