A diverse group of students gathered Thursday in Huntersville to kick off this year’s fall Special Olympics in Mecklenburg County. The program gives students with and without disabilities a safe place to participate in sports.
A student announcer welcomes this year’s group of Special Olympics athletes to the football field at Francis Bradley Middle School. They form a circle, wearing blue shirts, and a few students step up to the microphone to sing as part of the opening ceremony.
Over 100 students are participating in the Special Olympics Mecklenburg County fall games. The games are designed for middle and high-school-age students with and without intellectual disabilities to train and compete in various sports. The students will participate in a range of soccer activities, including soccer skill training and five vs. five matches.
The games and activities kick off in a similar fashion as most professional matches with the national anthem.
Renai Lilly is the director of inclusive schools for Special Olympics North Carolina. She says it’s essential that children can participate in sports regardless of race, gender, or ability.
“It’s all about making sure that all students feel like they have a voice and a seat at the table when it comes to the opportunities that they have in their school and in their community. So, that's really the essence of our fall games,” Lilly said. “This is all about inclusion and acceptance and bringing young people with and without disabilities together on the playing field.”
As the athletes dash and kick the ball around the field, students, teachers and community members, many of them volunteers, cheer on the players. A DJ gives a play-by-play commentary in case a piece of action is missed.
Lilly says they decided to have the students participate in soccer activities as the sport is trendy right now.
“Soccer is becoming very popular here in the city of Charlotte, and so it kind of aligns with where the city is going,” Lilly said. ‘We've got the new Charlotte FC team, so we're kind of just trying to align with what the interests are of the students, but as well as the community.”
Charlotte FC is facing off against Inter Miami and potentially superstar Lionel Messi in the season’s last game. With 60,000 people expected to be in the stands, they’re playing to save their postseason hopes — if the team is able to replicate goal-scoring moments like at the fall games — they may just have a shot.
