Exciting news! At a press conference, Special Olympics Texas (SOTX) announced it will hold its 2022 Winter Games from February 18 to 20 in Bee Cave and Lakeway! This will be the first time the Special Olympics will take place in these cities. Attendees to the press conference heard from SOTX CEO Tim Martin, Bee Cave Mayor Kara King, Lakeway Mayor Thomas Kilgore, and the police chiefs from both cities.
The event featured guest speakers WWE’s Mark “The Undertaker” Calaway and Michelle McCool. Other guests and speakers included Kelley Jackle, WWE Superstar Candice Michelle, and Mady Zamora and Benji Garcia, a Unified Pair from Hendrickson High School. It’s a big deal.
About the 2022 Winter Games in the Texas Hill Country
The Special Olympics is a global movement of sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics Texas has four regions and 19 area offices. Athletes may start training as young as age six, but they must be eight to compete. Athletes train for at least eight weeks before the competition. They work with volunteer coaches who have completed a certification program and attended seasonal training schools. Competition officials and event directors also attend the training school.
The competition takes place year-round with more than 300 competitions at the area, regional, and state levels. The event divisions are based on age, gender, and ability level. SOTX hosts six statewide events every year. These consist of Summer Games, Equestrian, Sailing/Kayaking, Fall Classic, Winter Games, and Flag Football.
Check out the tentative schedule of the 2022 Special Olympic Texas Winter Games to see when the events will occur. The sporting events include:
- Powerlifting
- Volleyball
- Cycling
- Golf (invitational)
- Floorball (all-new)
For this event to be successful, it will need volunteers. Special Olympics would not exist without its thousands of volunteers sharing their time and enthusiasm. Visit the SOTX volunteer page to learn about volunteering and open positions.
About FUNdamental Sports
In addition to the official events, the 2022 Special Olympic Texas Winter Games will host FUNdamental Sports, which is formerly known as MATP. These consist of three core concepts: Foundational Skills, Unified Partners, and No Limits. These principles put the FUN in FUNdamental Sports.
What the program does is create individualized programs for athletes ages two and older. These athletes work on foundational motor skills to prepare them for the possibility of competing in official Special Olympic events. As the FUNdamental Sports athletes progress in their sport, they also continue acquiring skills that are essential for participating in official competitions and daily life activities.
It’s also designed for athletes who cannot participate in the official Special Olympic competitions because of their skill and/or functional abilities.
Bee Cave is only 20 minutes from Dripping Springs. Hope you attend some of the competitions and volunteer.
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