Long Beach to host regional Special Olympics Summer Games this weekend

Athletes from across the region will gather in Long Beach this weekend to compete in the Special Olympics Southern California’s Summer Games.

The Summer Games is the championship for the Special Olympics Southern California spring training season, according to a press release from the organization. Athletes will compete for medals and ribbons in track and field, basketball, bocce, flag football and swimming on the Cal State Long Beach campus. The event will take place from Saturday to Sunday, June 8-9.

“Summer Games truly showcases our mission to enrich and empower people with intellectual disabilities through the power of sports,” Kelly Pond, Special Olympics Southern California’s president and CEO, said in a press release. “The teamwork, confidence, spirit, and determination of our athletes define what sports are all about.”

The competition will begin with an opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Saturday that will feature a parade of athletes and the lighting of the cauldron, which signifies the official start of Summer Games. The cauldron lighting will also conclude the Law Enforcement Torch Run’s two-week, 1,100-mile relay escorting the Flame of Hope across Southern California.

Besides the various competitions, the event will also include live music, games, law enforcement and sponsor booths, free health screenings for athletes, and skills demonstrations for young athletes, according to the press release.

Admission to attend and cheer on the athletes is free.

“Sports, wellness, inclusion, friendships, and fun. Summer Games goes beyond the competitions,” Pond said. “It’s a team effort from the community.”

This year’s event will feature Unified Sports competitions in bocce. Unified Sports joins players with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship, according to the press release.

The event will also offer opportunities for younger children, who can visit the inclusive Young Athletes area during the games. Designed for children ages 2-7, Young Athletes gives participants a chance to fine tune motor skills, test hand-eye coordination and get a preview of what they’ll experience as a future Special Olympics athlete.

For more about Summer Games or to view a full lineup of events, visit SOSC.org/SummerGames.