Impact

Special Olympics Summer Games bring 2,000 athletes to Penn State

University Park hosting games for 26th year

Athletes in the track and field competition at the 2013 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games started the 400 yard pentathlon on the morning of June 7 at the Penn State Track. The 44th Summer Games, hosted by Penn State, are underway and more than 2,000 athletes are competing in a variety of sports at locations around the University Park campus and State College area. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) opened its 44th annual Summer Games on Thursday evening, bringing more than 2,000 athletes to Penn State for three days of competition.

This marks the 26th consecutive year that Penn State is hosting the Summer Games, which also bring more than 2,500 volunteers and 750 coaches. Athletes will compete in events such as aquatics, basketball, bowling, golf, gymnastics and tennis at various locations on campus, including the White Building, McCoy Natatorium, Snider Agricultural Arena and the Intramural Building.

Hundreds of Penn State faculty, staff and students are expected to volunteer each day, according to event director Ed Gannon; nearly 50 student-athletes, representing eight varsity teams, are volunteering.

Kelsie Kunsman, riding Cisco, competed in the equestrian-trail competition at the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games on June 7. Kelsie represented Butler County and this is her second time competing in the Special Olympics. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Mark Rapley, of Chester County, particpated in the softball throw June 7 during the 2013 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games at Penn State's Unviersity Park campus. Credit: Bill Zimmerman / Penn State. Creative Commons

Athletes in the track and field competition at the 2013 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games started the 400 yard pentathlon on the morning of June 7 at the Penn State Track. The 44th Summer Games, hosted by Penn State, are underway and more than 2,000 athletes are competing in a variety of sports at locations around the University Park campus and State College area. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Special Olympics Athletes from Snyder County competed in the basketball 3 on 3 competition versus the Blair County Bobcats on June 7 at Penn State's White Building. The 44th annual Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games, hosted by Penn State, will continue through June 9. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Coaches and volunteers discussed strategy with the Washington County Wizards during a timeout at the 3 on 3 basketball competition on June 7 at Penn State's White Building. More than 2,500 volunteers and 750 coaches donate their time annually to the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Crawford County (in blue) played Area M on June 7 at the White Building during basketball competition at the 2013 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games. The Area M squad consisted of players from Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry and York counties.  Credit: Bill Zimmerman / Penn State. Creative Commons

Seth Jarrett, of Union County, swam in the 100-yard backstroke event June 7 at the 2013 Special Olynpics Summer Games at Penn State's University Park campus. Credit: Bill Zimmerman / Penn State. Creative Commons

Jacob Turner competed in his first Pennsylvania Special Olympics Summer Games representing Columbia County in the golf competition. The 44th annual Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games, hosted by Penn State, will continue through June 9 at a variety of locations around the University Park campus. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Gold medals awaited winners in the track and field competition June 7 at the Penn State Track during the 2013 Special Olympics Summer Games at University Park. Credit: Bill Zimmerman / Penn State. Creative Commons

The Olympic torch burned bright on the evening of June 6 during opening ceremonies for the 2013 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games at Medlar Field. The games, hosted by Penn State,  will be held June 6 through June 8 at a variety of venues around the University Park campus. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Athletes, coaches and volunteers from around the commonwealth of Pennsylvania attended the 2013 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games opening ceremonies held June 6 at Medlar Field on Penn State's University Park campus. The Summer Games feature three days of competition at a variety of venues around the University Park campus. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Kelsie Kunsman, riding Cisco, competed in the equestrian-trail competition at the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games on June 7. Kelsie represented Butler County and this is her second time competing in the Special Olympics. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Mark Rapley, of Chester County, particpated in the softball throw June 7 during the 2013 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games at Penn State's Unviersity Park campus. Credit: Bill Zimmerman / Penn State. Creative Commons

Athletes in the track and field competition at the 2013 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games started the 400 yard pentathlon on the morning of June 7 at the Penn State Track. The 44th Summer Games, hosted by Penn State, are underway and more than 2,000 athletes are competing in a variety of sports at locations around the University Park campus and State College area. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Special Olympics Athletes from Snyder County competed in the basketball 3 on 3 competition versus the Blair County Bobcats on June 7 at Penn State's White Building. The 44th annual Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games, hosted by Penn State, will continue through June 9. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Coaches and volunteers discussed strategy with the Washington County Wizards during a timeout at the 3 on 3 basketball competition on June 7 at Penn State's White Building. More than 2,500 volunteers and 750 coaches donate their time annually to the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Crawford County (in blue) played Area M on June 7 at the White Building during basketball competition at the 2013 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games. The Area M squad consisted of players from Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry and York counties.  Credit: Bill Zimmerman / Penn State. Creative Commons

Seth Jarrett, of Union County, swam in the 100-yard backstroke event June 7 at the 2013 Special Olynpics Summer Games at Penn State's University Park campus. Credit: Bill Zimmerman / Penn State. Creative Commons

Jacob Turner competed in his first Pennsylvania Special Olympics Summer Games representing Columbia County in the golf competition. The 44th annual Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games, hosted by Penn State, will continue through June 9 at a variety of locations around the University Park campus. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Gold medals awaited winners in the track and field competition June 7 at the Penn State Track during the 2013 Special Olympics Summer Games at University Park. Credit: Bill Zimmerman / Penn State. Creative Commons

The Olympic torch burned bright on the evening of June 6 during opening ceremonies for the 2013 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games at Medlar Field. The games, hosted by Penn State,  will be held June 6 through June 8 at a variety of venues around the University Park campus. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Athletes, coaches and volunteers from around the commonwealth of Pennsylvania attended the 2013 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games opening ceremonies held June 6 at Medlar Field on Penn State's University Park campus. The Summer Games feature three days of competition at a variety of venues around the University Park campus. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Preliminary events kicked off Thursday, June 6, before the opening ceremonies on Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Opening ceremonies were emceed by Kellie Goodman Shaffer, executive director at Bedford County Chamber of Commerce, and culminated with the lighting of the Olympic flame. The Olympic torch made its way to University Park via the three-day, 150-mile Be a Fan Torch Run presented by University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Hundreds of runners representing more than 40 teams made up of law enforcement officers from across the state brought the torch from home plate at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on June 4 to home plate at Medlar Field on June 6.

On Friday, June 7, final competition will begin at nine venues in individual skills, individual events, relay and team events, and conclude with Closing ceremonies at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at Bigler Field. Steve Jones, WKOK 1070 afternoon talk show host, will be the master of ceremonies.Summer Games 2013 is a qualifier for the 2014 National Games being held in New Jersey from June 14 to 21. The games’ statewide corporate partner is Sheetz Inc., which has backed the event for 21 years and annually gives the Sheetz Family Award of Excellence to one athlete.

Spectators and volunteers are welcomed to join the event, free of charge. For more information about volunteering, call Special Olympics Pennsylvania at 814-234-8750 or visit www.sopasummergames.org.Special Olympics Pennsylvania provides year-round training and competition in 22 Olympic-type sports to more than 20,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities or closely related developmental disabilities.

 

Last Updated June 13, 2013

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