TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Some 2,562 athletes participated in the Indiana Special Olympics Summer Games this past weekend. The 45^th annual State Games began Friday, June 6, and concluded Sunday, June 8. 

Teams from 68 counties, with more than 1,100 coaches and chaperones, 1,200 event volunteers and 3,000 spectators and families helped kick off the games that included aquatics, bocce, bowling, cycling, horseshoes, power lifting, track & field and volleyball at Indiana State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and local bowling alleys.  

The opening ceremonies Friday evening filled more than half of the Hulman Center Field House on the ISU campus with athletes, coaches, families, volunteers and special guests. The crowd wearing colorful T-shirts matching their county regions was enthusiastic with music playing while entering the arena and greeted by Special Olympics officials, ISU athletes and cheerleaders and law enforcement.

Olympic gold medalist Greg Bell was the honorary chairman of the summer games and a featured speaker at the opening ceremony. When an athlete asked how long he had jumped in Olympic competition, a distance of 25 feet, 8 inches was marked off on stage. The length was impressive for all to see.

Becky Walls, director for Special Olympics Indiana Kosciusko County stated that 33 county athletes participated in the games this year along with 18 volunteers and coaches. The athletes came home with numerous medals and ribbons from the competition. Becky also wanted to thank all the coaches and volunteers for their hard work and dedication. Joe Baranowski, veteran Bocce coach stated that the weather cooled as the games progressed, but the bocce competition remained hot the entire time.

Special Olympics Indiana has programs that serve more than 11,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities. On average, there are 8 Special Olympics events going on somewhere in Indiana everyday made possible by a network of nearly 10,000 volunteers.