The defending Special Olympics Unified Sports High School basketball state champions from Bend High School (Bend HS) will be taking their talents to Orlando, Florida next month to compete at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games from June 5-12, 2022.
The USA Games will feature delegations comprised of Special Olympics athletes, Unified partners, coaches and staff from every state in the nation plus several countries from the Caribbean competing in 19 different sports. Many will be competing at the ESPN Wide World of Sports campus which is located on the Disney World Campus. More than 5,500 delegates will participate, supported by 20,000 volunteers and thousands more family members and supporters there to cheer and support — making this one of the largest humanitarian sports events in the world this year.
Special Olympics Oregon will be sending a Team Oregon delegation of 40 people with athletes and Unified partners representing all corners of the state who will compete in athletics (track & field), bocce, bowling, swimming and Unified Sports basketball.
The Bend HS Unified Sports basketball team will compete as part of Team Oregon while at the USA Games — which means that they will receive brand new uniforms and shoes donated by Nike. Competition will be a big part of the experience, but there will also be plenty of time for other special events and experiences including marching in the parade of athletes during the Opening Ceremony at Exploria Stadium (which will be aired live on ABC on 6/5), a day trip to Disney World Magic Kingdom and a Family and Friends Night at Animal Kingdom during their weeklong trip to Florida.
“I’m most excited for Disney World!” said Nathan Criteser, an athlete on the team.
The team has been training twice a week to prepare.
“It is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that these students will never forget,” explains Head Coach and Bend HS teacher, Robert Tadjiki. “The Special Olympics Oath is, ‘Let me win — if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt’.
“And so if we don’t win it, we’ll be brave in the attempt.”
The basketball team departs from Bend/Redmond Airport on an early morning flight on June 3 to start their journey and will return home on Sunday evening, June 12.
About Special Olympics Unified Sports
Special Olympics Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team.
Special Olympics continues to promote its inclusion revolution campaign to create the first truly unified generation — a generation in which young people with and without intellectual disabilities create a future of respect and inclusion for everyone. This campaign is urging youth everywhere to play and ultimately live unified, breaking down the barriers that exclude people with intellectual disabilities. The #PlayUnified movement is inspired by a simple principle: training, playing and competing together is a quick path to understanding, acceptance and friendship.
About Special Olympics Oregon
Special Olympics Oregon serves more than 12,000 participants with intellectual disabilities year-round and statewide through the organization’s life-changing sports programs. Athletes gain self-confidence, social competency, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
