As a state, New York is well known for its dedication to sports. New York has nearly the highest number of professional sports teams in the nation, second only to California. New York has a rich history in the sports industry, even outside of the major sports leagues, and has even hosted the Olympics twice. With that kind of history, it is no wonder they also host the Special Olympics.
The Special Olympics has a deep and rich history within the state. The Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968. One year after its founding, Dorothy Buehring Philips brought New York’s first delegation to participate in the Northeast Regional Competition. Then, in June 1970, the first New York Special Olympic Summer Games were held in Rochester.
Ever since then, the New York Special Olympics has become the single largest Special Olympics event in the country and one of the largest across the globe. Thousands of spectators and volunteers flock to the event in hopes of cheering on the dedicated athletes at each annual event.
That’s right, coming up next October, the New York Special Olympic State Fall Games will be returning to Glen Falls. For some, this has been a long-awaited return for an opportunity to prove themselves on the field. For others, this is an opportunity to get out there and volunteer to help with the games, support the athletes, or capture the event and share the experience online.
The Special Olympics Fall Games will consist of 7 different games. The sports included in the games are Soccer, Softball, Golf, Cross Country Running, Cycling, Equestrian, and Bocce.
The event will hold its opening ceremonies on Friday night, October 17th, and the 7 Olympic games will all be held Saturday, October 18th. For those who wish to sign up as a volunteer, it is not too late to join the volunteer force responsible for making these events possible.
