MADISON, Wis. – More than 800 athletes will travel across Wisconsin to go for the gold at the Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) State Outdoor Sports Tournament hosted in Waukesha on Friday, August 1 through Sunday, August 3. Bocce and tennis competitions will take place at Carroll University, golf will take place at the Moor Downs Golf Course, and softball competitions will be hosted at both Saratoga Softball Complex and Kilgour Field at Carroll University.
The event will kick off Friday evening with a Parade of Athletes and Opening Ceremony at 7:00 p.m. at Schneider Stadium. Following the ceremony, athletes competing at the tournament will play in a bocce showcase. Bocce is the tournaments largest sport with more than 96 teams competing. Golf, tennis, bocce and softball competitions will take place on Saturday and final competitions in golf and softball wrap up on Sunday.
In addition to the competitions during the weekend, volunteer health professionals will also offer dental, foot, blood pressure and bone mineral density screenings, along with nutritional advice to the athletes as part of the Health Promotions, Special Smiles and Fit Feet programs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Stackner Ballroom (Rm. 214) at the Carroll University Campus Center on Saturday, August 2.
Anyone can share their time, but those who volunteer at this event will share an athlete’s dream. SOWI needs more than 300 volunteers to help escort athletes, present awards, score events, assist with food services, and more! All volunteers receive a free T-shirt and those working a full day will receive a complimentary lunch! Various shifts are available. For details, call (800) 552-1324 or visit SpecialOlympicsWisconsin.org.
In addition to the hundreds of volunteers who will come to Waukesha for this event, the partnership with the surrounding community is expected to bring approximately 250 coaches, dozens of medical professionals and hundreds of spectators to the area over the weekend.
The tournament is free and the public is invited to cheer athletes on from the stands. To learn more, visit SpecialOlympicsWisconsin.org.